Travel by ferry or cruise ship is also a potential way to arrive in Sri Lanka, with service between Tuticorin and Colombo. The major international airport in Sri Lanka is Colombo-Bandaranayake International Airport, which offers flights to destinations in Europe and Asia. Kandy is notable for its history of the ancient kings, and the Temple of the Tooth Relic, an important Buddhist site. Kandy, in the heart of Sri Lanka, is a cultural capital and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ancient ruins of major cities can be found in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The cities in Sri Lanka offer a look into the native and colonial history of the island. For more rugged outdoor activities, white water rafting opportunities are available at Kitulgala, while Arugam Bay is a popular surf spot. Yala National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including elephants and leopards, while Wilpattu National Park is home to a wide variety of birds. Other beach towns include Beruwela, not far from Colombo, Mirissa, and Trincomalee. Natural destinations are some of Sri Lanka's greatest attractions, including the Sinharaja Rainforest, and the many beautiful beach resorts, like those in Robolgoda and Unawatuna. There are also more than 50 waterfalls, including the 263 meter (863 foot) tall Bambarakanda Falls, which is the highest on the island. The longest river in Sri Lanka is the Mahaweli River, but there are over a hundred rivers on the island. There are four biosphere reserves in Sri Lanka that provide protected habitats for its many endemic species. Sri Lanka has one of the highest biodiversity density in the world, and the highest overall in Asia. The coastal regions are mostly arid and feature mangrove forests, which are home to a variety of endemic species. Sri Lanka's terrain is primarily hilly coastal plains and a central mountain range, with Pidurutalagala as its highest point, 2,524 meters (8,281 feet) above sea level. Sri Lanka is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, separated from the south of India by the Gulf of Mannar and Pak Strait. Sri Lanka is an island nation, its nearest neighbor is India, and it shares maritime borders with the Maldives. The Sri Lankan War continued, lasting 26 years, and Sri Lanka has been quickly developing ever since. In 1972, the island changed its name to Sri Lanka, and rioting and unrest continued between the two major ethnic groups. The Indian Tamil people were disenfranchised and lost their citizenship, and many were killed in the violent outbreaks that followed as the ethnic tensions continued. In 1833, the island fell under British administration, which lasted until 1948 when Ceylon gained independence.ДЄfter gaining independence, the Tamil and Sinhala communities faced much conflict. The British occupied Sri Lanka, calling it Ceylon in 1796, and by 1815, the Kingdom of Kandy was conquered by Britain. The Dutch won the battles, and Colombo became a Dutch colony. Dutch explorers followed and the native kingdom of Kandy agreed to a treaty with their Dutch East India Company, sparking a Dutch-Portuguese War. They expanded their colony over time and warred with the native kingdom, which began to move inland to escape the colonist's attacks. The Portuguese gave the island the name Sri Lanka. Invasions from neighboring South Asian nations marked the 3rd century BC, including overthrows of the government by the Chola, Pandya, Chera, Pallava, and Kalinga people.Д®uropean explorers arrived with the Portuguese in 1505, soon followed by the establishment of a fort in Colombo in 1517. A later wave of migration around 300 BC brought the Tamils from India's Tamil region. The migration from India also brought Buddhism, drastically transforming the culture of Sri Lanka. The 5th century BC brought migrants who traveled from India and settled on Sri Lanka, and the Sinhalese soon dominated the population of the island.

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