Known officially as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, but historically referred to as Ceylon, is an island nation in South Asia. Situated southwest of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, it is divided from the Indian peninsula by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Its marine borders are shared by India in the northwest and the Maldives in the southwest.

With over 22 million people, Sri Lanka is home to a diverse range of cultures, languages, and ethnicities. The majority population is made up of Sinhalese, with the largest minority group, the Sri Lankan Tamils, being centered in the island’s north. Both communities have had a significant impact on the history of the island. Other well-established