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Districts of Sri Lanka
Second-level administrative divisions of Sri Lanka
Second-level administrative divisions of Sri Lanka
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Districts of Sri Lanka |
| map | Sri Lankan Provinces and districts.PNG |
| category | Second level administrative division |
| territory | Sri Lanka |
| current_number | 25 |
| population_range | 92,238–2,324,349 |
| area_range | 699–7,179 km2 |
| government | District secretariat |
| subdivision | D.S. divisions |
Districts (, ) are the second level administrative divisions of Sri Lanka, preceded by provinces. Sri Lanka has 25 districts organized into 9 provinces. Districts are further divided into a number of divisional secretariats (commonly known as D.S. divisions), which are in turn subdivided into 14,022 grama niladhari divisions. There are 331 DS divisions in Sri Lanka.
Each district is administered under a district secretary, who is appointed by the central government. The main tasks of the district secretariat involve coordinating communications and activities of the central government and divisional secretariats. The district secretariat is also responsible for implementing and monitoring development projects at the district level and assisting lower-level subdivisions in their activities, as well as revenue collection and coordination of elections in the district.
History
The country was first divided into several administrative units during the Anuradhapura Kingdom. The kingdom was divided into three provinces; Rajarata, Ruhuna and Malaya Rata. These were further subdivided into smaller units called rata. Over time, the number of provinces increased, but the second-level administrative division continued to be the rata. However, with the country eventually being divided into more than one kingdom and with foreign colonial missions landing and taking parts of the country under their control, this structure began to change. The territory of the Kotte Kingdom was organized into four si, which were further subdivided into forty si. The si had their own civil and military officials with a small militia. The Jaffna kingdom appears to have had a similar administrative structure to this with four provinces.
When the Portuguese took over parts of the country after their arrival in 1505, they maintained more or less the same administrative structure followed by Sri Lankan rulers. During the Dutch rule in the country, the terrain under their control was divided into three administrative divisions. These were subdivided into si as in earlier systems. The British initially continued this system, but following reforms in 1796 to 1802, the country was divided according to ethnic composition. This was abolished by the Colebrook–Cameron reforms in 1833 and a legislative council was created, making the island a politically and administratively single unit. Five provinces were created, later expanded into nine, and these were subdivided into twenty-one districts. These districts were administered by officials known as Government Agents or Assistant Government Agents.
In 1955, the district replaced the province as the country's main administrative unit. The Ampara District was created in April 1961, followed by the creation of the Mullaitivu and Gampaha districts in September 1978 through a new constitution, which also reintroduced the provinces as the main administrative units. The newest district to be created was the Kilinochchi district in February 1984, and the current constitution states that the territory of Sri Lanka consists of 25 administrative districts. These districts may be subdivided or amalgamated by a resolution of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
Districts
All population data is from the most recent census of Sri Lanka, in 2012.
| District | Area map | Province | District capital | title=Table 1.1: Area of Sri Lanka by province and district | url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract2014/CHAP1/1.1.pdf | work=Statistical Abstract 2014 | publisher=Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka | access-date=2015-10-10 | archive-date=2015-11-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113184712/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract2014/CHAP1/1.1.pdf | url-status=live}} | Inland water area in km2 (mi2) | Total area in km 2 (mi2) | Population (2012) | Population density per km2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (per mi2) | Total | 62705 km2 | 2905 km2 | 65610 km2 | 20,359,439 | 325 /km2 | ||||||||||
| Ampara | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Ampara.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Ampara District, located along the east by south and south east coast and projecting into the interior of the country at the northern border, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Eastern | Ampara | 4222 km2 | 193 km2 | 4415 km2 | 649,402 | 154 /km2 | ||||||
| Anuradhapura | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Anuradhapura.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Anuradhapura District, located somewhat to the north of the centre of the country, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka]] | North Central Province, Sri Lanka North Central | Anuradhapura | 6664 km2 | 515 km2 | 7179 km2 | 860,575 | 129 /km2 | ||||||
| Badulla | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Badulla.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Badulla District which has its northern border near the centre of the country and extends to the south, located in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka]] | Uva Province Uva | Badulla | 2827 km2 | 34 km2 | 2861 km2 | 815,405 | 288 /km2 | ||||||
| Batticaloa | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Batticaloa.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Batticaloa District, located along the east by north coast, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Eastern | Batticaloa | 2610 km2 | 244 km2 | 2854 km2 | 526,567 | 202 /km2 | ||||||
| Colombo | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Colombo.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Colombo District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the west south west coast in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]] | Western Province, Sri Lanka Western | Colombo | 676 km2 | 23 km2 | 699 km2 | 2,324,349 | 3438 /km2 | ||||||
| Galle | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Galle.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Galle District, converging inwards from the south west coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Southern Province, Sri Lanka Southern | Galle | 1617 km2 | 35 km2 | 1652 km2 | 1,063,334 | 658 /km2 | ||||||
| Gampaha | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Gampaha.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Gampaha District, extending inwards from the west by south west coast in a rough square shape, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]] | Western Province, Sri Lanka Western | Gampaha | 1341 km2 | 46 km2 | 1387 km2 | 2,304,833 | 1719 /km2 | ||||||
| Hambantota | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Hambantota.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Hambantota District, lying along the coast from south to south east, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Southern Province, Sri Lanka Southern | Hambantota | 2496 km2 | 113 km2 | 2609 km2 | 599,903 | 240 /km2 | ||||||
| Jaffna | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Jaffna.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Jaffna District, in the peninsula to the north, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Northern Province, Sri Lanka Northern | Jaffna | 929 km2 | 96 km2 | 1025 km2 | 583,882 | 629 /km2 | ||||||
| Kalutara | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Kalutara.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Kalutara District, extending inwards from the south west by west coast, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]] | Western Province, Sri Lanka Western | Kalutara | 1576 km2 | 22 km2 | 1598 km2 | 1,221,948 | 775 /km2 | ||||||
| Kandy | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Kandy.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Kandy District, at the centre of the country with its south western boundary extending to the south, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]] | Central Province, Sri Lanka Central | Kandy | 1917 km2 | 23 km2 | 1940 km2 | 1,375,382 | 716 /km2 | ||||||
| Kegalle | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Kegalle.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Kegalle District, roughly oval in shape is located to the south east of the centre of the country, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka]] | Sabaragamuwa Province Sabaragamuwa | Kegalle | 1685 km2 | 8 km2 | 1693 km2 | 840,648 | 499 /km2 | ||||||
| Kilinochchi | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Kilinochchi.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Kilinochchi District, along the northern coast of the mainland and south of the Jaffna peninsula, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Northern Province, Sri Lanka Northern | Kilinochchi | 1205 km2 | 74 km2 | 1279 km2 | 113,510 | 94 /km2 | ||||||
| Kurunegala | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Kurunegala.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Kurunegala District, to the west of the centre of the country with its northern border extending towards the north west, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka]] | North Western Province, Sri Lanka North Western | Kurunegala | 4624 km2 | 192 km2 | 4816 km2 | 1,618,465 | 350 /km2 | ||||||
| Mannar | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Mannar.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Mannar District, along the north western coast with eastern border extending towards the interior, also including a large island roughly oval in shape, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Northern Province, Sri Lanka Northern | Mannar | 1880 km2 | 116 km2 | 1996 km2 | 99,570 | 53 /km2 | ||||||
| Matale | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Matale.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Matale District, located immediately north of the middle of the country, roughly the shape of a letter "C" and located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]] | Central Province, Sri Lanka Central | Matale | 1952 km2 | 41 km2 | 1993 km2 | 484,531 | 248 /km2 | ||||||
| Matara | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Matara.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Matara District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the southern coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Southern Province, Sri Lanka Southern | Matara | 1270 km2 | 13 km2 | 1283 km2 | 814,048 | 641 /km2 | ||||||
| Monaragala | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Moneragala.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Monaragala District, located east of the centre of the country, has its south eat border extending towards the west, in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka]] | Uva Province Uva | Monaragala | 5508 km2 | 131 km2 | 5639 km2 | 451,058 | 82 /km2 | ||||||
| Mullaitivu | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Mullaitivu.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Mullaitivu District, extending to the west from the north by east coast in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Northern Province, Sri Lanka Northern | Mullaitivu | 2415 km2 | 202 km2 | 2617 km2 | 92,238 | 38 /km2 | ||||||
| Nuwara Eliya | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Nuwara Eliya.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Nuwara Eliya District, located immediately south of the middle of the country and running roughly south west to north east, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]] | Central Province, Sri Lanka Central | Nuwara Eliya | 1706 km2 | 35 km2 | 1741 km2 | 711,644 | 417 /km2 | ||||||
| Polonnaruwa | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Polonnaruwa.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Polonnaruwa District, roughly square in shape, located at the middle from north east of the centre of the country and south west of the north eastern coast, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka]] | North Central Province, Sri Lanka North Central | Polonnaruwa | 3077 km2 | 216 km2 | 3293 km2 | 406,088 | 132 /km2 | ||||||
| Puttalam | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Puttalam.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Puttalam District, lying along the western coast, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka]] | North Western Province, Sri Lanka North Western | Puttalam | 2882 km2 | 190 km2 | 3072 km2 | 762,396 | 265 /km2 | ||||||
| Ratnapura | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Ratnapura.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Ratnapura District, some distance from the south western coast with its western and southern borders converging towards the north west, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka]] | Sabaragamuwa Province Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | 3236 km2 | 39 km2 | 3275 km2 | 1,088,007 | 336 /km2 | ||||||
| Trincomalee | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Trincomalee.svg | 100px | alt=Area map of Trincomalee District, along the north eastern coast with its south western border extending inwards, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Eastern | Trincomalee | 2529 km2 | 198 km2 | 2727 km2 | 379,541 | 150 /km2 | ||||||
| Vavuniya | [[File:Sri Lanka districts Vavuniya.svg | 100px | Area map of Vavuniya District, located in the middle of the northern half of the country, running roughly in a south west—north east direction, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]] | Northern Province, Sri Lanka Northern | Vavuniya | 1861 km2 | 106 km2 | 1967 km2 | 172,115 | 92 /km2 |
Notes
Citations
References
References
- "At a Glance". [[Government of Sri Lanka]].
- "Identification of DS Divisions of Sri Lanka Vulnerable for food insecurity". [[World Food Programme]].
- "Grama Niladhari Administration Division".
- "Vision & Mission". Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs, Sri Lanka.
- (27 April 2009). "Kilinochchi a brief look". [[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]].
- "About Us". Vavuniya District Secretariat.
- "Performs Report and Accounts—2008". District and Divisional Secretariats Portal—Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs.
- Hewavissenti, Panchamee. (3 February 2008). "Episodes of colonised history". [[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]].
- "Overview". Ampara District Secretariat.
- Mohideen, M. I. M.. (27 December 2007). "Sinhalisation of East: A reply to Minister Champika Ranawaka". [[The Island (Sri Lanka)]].
- "Population by sex and district, census years". Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
- Schmiegelow, Michèle. (1997). "Democracy in Asia". [[Palgrave Macmillan]].
- Karalliyadda, S. B.. (9 June 2013). "Awakening Jaffna Uthuru Wasanthaya". [[The Nation (Sri Lanka)]].
- "Chapter 1: The People, The State and Sovereignty". [[Government of Sri Lanka]].
- "Table 1.1: Area of Sri Lanka by province and district". Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka.
- "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A1: Population by district, sex and sector". Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
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