Sri Lanka
 

12 May 1656 - 16 Feb 1796                          16 Feb 1796 - c.1875                            c.1875 - 4 Feb 1948               4 Feb 1948 - 2 Mar 1951                     2 Mar 1951 - 22 May 1972                       Adopted 22 May 1972   Map of Sri Lanka Hear National Anthem "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Lanka ) Text of National Anthem Adopted 1951 Constitution (16 Aug 1978) Capital: Colombo Legislative Capital: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (from 29 Apr 1982) Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)  National Holiday: 4 Feb (1948) Independence Day Population: 21,128,772 (2008) more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West GDP: $91.9 billion (2008) Exports: $8.1 billion (2008) Imports: $14 billion (2008) Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 72.4%, Tamil 17.8%, Sri Lankan Moor 7.4%, other 2.4% (2000)  Total Active Armed Forces: 150,900 (2006) Merchant marine: 26 ships (2008) Religions: Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 8%, Muslim (nearly all Sunni) 7% (2005)  International Organizations/Treaties: ADB, BIMSTEC, BTWC, C, CP, CTBT (signatory), ENMOD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, KP, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Sri Lanka Index Chronology 505 BC - 437 BC            Upatissa Nuwara kingdom 437 BC - 846 AD            Anurdhapura kingdom 846 - 1017                 Polonnaruwa kingdom 1017 - 1070                Part of the Chola Empire. 1070 - 1246                Polonnaruwa kingdom (restored). 1246 - 1298                Dambadeniya kingdom 1303 - 1347                Kurunegala kingdom  1347 - 1410                Gampla kingdom 1410 - 27 May 1597         Kotte kingdom 1411 - 1459                Vassal of China. 1469 - Oct 1818            Kingdom of Udarata (Kandy). 15 Nov 1505                Portuguese under Lourenço de Almeida arrive in                               Ceylon. 1518                       Portuguese captain-major appointed to Colombo,                              capital of the Kotte kingdom. 27 May 1597                King Dharmapala of Kotte dies without heirs,                               and bequeaths, his Kingdom to the King                              of Portugal; Ceylon a Portuguese colony (Ceilão)                             (subordinated to Portuguese India: see Goa). 27 May 1597 -  1 Dec 1640  Ceylon along with Portugal a Spanish possession. 1619                       Portuguese annex Jaffna.  2 May 1639                Dutch invasion begins, Trincomalee captured;                               Batticaloa 18 May 1639; Galle on 13 Mar 1640. 12 May 1656                Dutch take Colombo; Ceylon a Dutch colony (Zeylan). 22 Jun 1658                Dutch take Jaffna from the Portuguese.  8 Jan 1782 - 30 Aug 1782  British occupy Trincomalee. 30 Aug 1782 - Jan 1784     French occupy Trincomalee.  2 Aug 1795                British East India Company begins occupation                               of Dutch Ceylon; Trincomalee captured 31 Aug                              1795, Batticaloa 18 Sep 1795, and Jaffna                               on 28 Sep 1795.  2 Aug 1795 - 12 Oct 1798  Subordinate to the presidency of Madras                              (see British India). 16 Feb 1796                British take Colombo, Ceylon fully occupied                              (British East India Company rule). 12 Oct 1798                Separate colony.  1 Jan 1802                British crown colony.  4 Feb 1948                Independence (Ceylon [Sinhala: Lanka, and                              in Tamil: Ilankai). 22 May 1972                Republic of Sri Lanka  7 Sep 1978                Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 23 Jul 1983 - 19 May 2009  Tamil secessionist movement in the northeast                              and Jaffna regions. Provinces (from 1988)

Captains
1518                       João da Silveira
1518 - 1522                Lopo de Brito
1522 - 1524                Fernão Gomes de Lemos
1524 - 1551                office abolished
Captains-major
1551 - 1552                João Henriques 
1552                       Diogo de Melo Coutinho (1st time)
1552 - 1553                Duarte de Eça                      (b. c.1480 - d. 15..)
1553 - 1555                Fernão Carvalho
1555 - 1559                Afonso Pereira de Lacerda
1559 - 1560                Jorge de Meneses Baroche
1560 - 1564                Baltasar Guedes de Sousa
1564 - 1565                Pedro de Ataíde Inferno 
1565 - 1568                Diogo de Melo
1568 - 1570                Fernando de Monroy
1570 - 1572                Diogo de Melo Coutinho (2nd time)
1572 - 157.                António de Noronha
1575 - 1578                Fernando de Albuquerque
1578 - 1583                Manuel de Sousa Coutinho           (b. c.1540 - d....)
1583 - 1590                João de Correia de Brito
1590 - 1591                Simão de Brito
1591 - 1594                Pedro Homem Pereira
Governors
1594                       Pedro Lopes de Sousa 
1594 - 1613                Jerónimo de Azevedo 
1613 - 1614                Francisco de Meneses 
1614 - 1616                Manuel Mascarenhas Homem 
1616 - 1618                Nuno Álvares Pereira 
1618 - 1622                Constantino de Sá de Noronha 
                             (1st time) 
1622 - 1623                Jorge de Albuquerque 
1623 - 1630                Constantino de Sá de Noronha 
                             (2nd time) 
1630 - 1631                Filipe Mascarenhas (1st time)
1631 - 1633                Jorge de Almeida (1st time) 
1633 - 1635                Diego de Melo de Castro
                             (1st time) 
1635 - 1636                Jorge de Almeida (2nd time)
1636 - 1638                Diogo de Melo de Castro
                             (2nd time) 
1638 - 1640                António Mascarenhas 
1640 - 1645                Filipe Mascarenhas (2nd time) 
1645 - 1653                Manuel Mascarenhas Homem 
1653 - 1655                Francisco de Mello e Castro
1655 - 1656                António de Sousa Coutinho
1656 - 22 Jun 1658         António de Amaral de Meneses
                             (in Jaffna)
Dutch Governors
13 Mar 1640 -  1 Aug 1640  Willem Jacobszoon Coster           (d. 1640) 
 1 Aug 1640 - 24 Mar 1646  Jan Thyszoon Payart 
24 Mar 1646 - 26 Feb 1650  Joan Maetsuyker                    (b. 1606 - d. 1678)
26 Feb 1650 - 11 Oct 1653  Jacob van Kittensteyn 
11 Oct 1653 - 12 May 1660  Adriaan van der Meyden (1st time) 
12 May 1660 - 1661         Ryklof van Goens (1st time)        (b. 1619 - d. 1682)
1661 - 1663                Adriaan van der Meyden (2nd time)
1663                       Ryklof van Goens (2nd time)        (s.a.)
27 Dec 1663 - 19 Nov 1664  Jacob Hustaert 
19 Nov 1664 - 1675         Ryklof van Goens (3rd time)        (s.a.)
1675 - 1680                Ryklof van Goens de jonge
 3 Dec 1680 - 19 Jun 1693  Laurens Peil (Pyl) 
19 Jun 1693 - 29 Jan 1695  Thomas van Rhee
29 Jan 1695 - 22 Feb 1697  Paulus van Rhoo 
22 Feb 1697 - 26 Nov 1702  Gerrit de Heere                    (b. 1657 - d. 1702)
11 May 1703 - 22 Nov 1707  Cornelis Joannes Simonszoon
22 Nov 1707 -  5 Dec 1716  Hendrik Bekker
 5 Dec 1716 - 21 Jun 1723  Isaak Augustyn Rumpf
21 Jun 1723 - 12 Jan 1724  Arnold Mold (acting)
12 Jan 1724 - 19 Oct 1725  Johannes Hertenberg
19 Oct 1725 - 16 Sep 1726  Jan Paulus Schagen (acting)
16 Sep 1726 - 27 Aug 1729  Petrus Vuyst                       (d. 1729)
27 Aug 1729 - 25 Aug 1732  Stephanus Versluys
25 Aug 1732 -  2 Dec 1732  Gualterus Woutersz (acting)
 2 Dec 1732 - 27 Jan 1734  Jacob Christian Pielaat -Commissioner
27 Jan 1734 -  7 Jun 1736  Diederik van Domburg               (d. 1736)
 7 Jun 1736 - 23 Jul 1736  Jan Maccare (acting)
23 Jul 1736 - 12 Mar 1740  Gustaaf Willem, baron van Imhoff   (b. 1705 - d. 1750)
12 Mar 1740 -  8 Jan 1742  Willem Maurits Bruyninck
 8 Jan 1742 - 11 May 1743  Daniel Overbeek
11 May 1743 -  6 May 1751  Julius Valentyn Stein van
                             Gollenesse
 6 May 1751 - 26 Feb 1752  Gerard Joan Vreeland
26 Feb 1752 - 10 Sep 1752  Jacob de Jong (acting)
10 Sep 1752 - 17 Mar 1757  Joan Gideon Loten                  (b. 1710 - d. 1789)
17 Mar 1757 - 17 Sep 1762  Jan Schreuder
17 Sep 1762 - 13 May 1765  Lubbert Jan baron van Eck          (b. 1719 - d. 1765)
13 May 1765 -  7 Aug 1765  Anthony Mooyart (acting)
 7 Aug 1765 -  5 Feb 1785  Iman Willem Falck                  (b. 1736 - d. 1785)
 8 Jan 1782 - 30 Aug 1782  Edward Hughes -British Commander   (b. c.1720 - d. 1794)
                             (in Trincomalee)
30 Aug 1782 - Jan 1784     Pierré Andre de Suffern Saint      (b. 1729 - d. 1788)
                             Tropez -French Commander
                             (in Trincomalee)
 7 Feb 1785 - 15 Jul 1794  Willem Jacob van de Graaf          (d. 1794)
15 Jul 1794 - 16 Feb 1796  Johan Gerard van Angelbeek         (b. 1727 - d. 1799)
Military governors
31 Aug 1795 -  1 Mar 1796  Patrick Alexander Agnew            (b. 1765 - d. 1813)
                             (in Trincomalee) 
 1 Mar 1796 -  1 Jan 1797  James Stewart
 1 Jan 1797 - 30 Jun 1797  Welbore Ellis Doyle                (b. 1758 - d. 1797)
30 Jun 1797 - 12 Jul 1797  Peter Bonnevaux                    (b. c.1752 - d. 1797)
12 Jul 1797 - 12 Oct 1798  Pierre Frédéric de Meuron          (b. 1788 - d. 1813)
Resident and Superintendent
12 Feb 1796 - 12 Oct 1798  Robert Andrews  
Governors
12 Oct 1798 - 19 Jul 1805  Frederick George Augustus North,   (b. 1766 - d. 1827)
                             Earl of Guilford 
14 Mar 1799 - 22 Jul 1799  Josias Champagne (acting for North)
19 Jul 1805 - 19 Mar 1811  Thomas Maitland                    (b. 1759 - d. 1824)
19 Mar 1811 - 11 Mar 1812  John Wilson (1st time) (acting)    (b. 1780 - d. 1856)
11 Mar 1812 -  1 Feb 1820  Robert Brownrigg                   (b. 1759 - d. 1833)
 1 Feb 1820 -  2 Feb 1822  Edward Barnes (1st time) (acting)  (b. 1776 - d. 1838)
 2 Feb 1822 -  6 Nov 1822  Edward Paget                       (b. 1775 - d. 1849)
 6 Nov 1822 - 18 Jan 1824  James Campbell (acting)
18 Jan 1824 - 13 Oct 1831  Edward Barnes (2nd time)           (s.a.)
13 Oct 1831 - 23 Oct 1831  John Wilson (2nd time) (acting)    (s.a.)
23 Oct 1831 -  7 Nov 1837  Robert Wilmot-Horton               (b. 1784 - d. 1841)
 7 Nov 1837 - 15 Apr 1841  James Alexander Stewart Mackenzie  (b. 1776 - d. 1843)
15 Apr 1841 - 19 Apr 1847  Colin Campbell                     (b. 1776 - d. 1847)
19 Apr 1847 - 29 May 1847  James Emerson Tennent (acting)     (b. 1804 - d. 1869)
29 May 1847 - 18 Oct 1850  George Byng, Viscount Torrington   (b. 1812 - d. 1884)
18 Oct 1850 - 27 Nov 1850  Charles Justin MacCarthy           (b. 1820 - d. 1864)
                             (1st time) (acting) 
27 Nov 1850 - 18 Jan 1855  Sir George William Anderson        (b. 1791 - d. 1857)
18 Jan 1855 - 11 May 1855  Charles Justin MacCarthy           (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting) 
11 May 1855 - 30 Jun 1860  Henry George Ward                  (b. 1797 - d. 1860)
30 Jun 1860 - 30 Jul 1860  Henry Frederick Lockyer (acting)   (b. 1797 - d. 1860)
30 Jul 1860 - 22 Oct 1860  Charles Edmund Wilkinson (acting)  (b. 1807 - d. 1870)
22 Oct 1860 -  1 Dec 1863  Charles Justin MacCarthy (3rd time)(s.a.)
 1 Dec 1863 - 21 Mar 1865  Terence O'Brien (acting)
21 Mar 1865 -  4 Jan 1872  Sir Hercules George Robert         (b. 1824 - d. 1897)
                             Robinson (acting to 16 May 1865)
 4 Jan 1872 -  4 Mar 1872  Henry Turner Irving (acting)       (b. 1833 - d. 1923)
 4 Mar 1872 -  4 Sep 1877  William Henry Gregory              (b. 1817 - d. 1892)
 4 Sep 1877 - 10 Jul 1883  Sir James Robert Longden           (b. 1827 - d. 1891)
10 Jul 1883 -  3 Dec 1883  John Douglas (acting)
 3 Dec 1883 - 28 May 1890  Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon     (b. 1829 - d. 1912)
28 May 1890 - 24 Oct 1895  Arthur Elibank Havelock            (b. 1844 - d. 1908)
24 Oct 1895 - 10 Feb 1896  Edward Noël Walker (acting)        (b. 1842 - d. 1908)
10 Feb 1896 - 19 Nov 1903  Joseph West Ridgeway               (b. 1844 - d. 1930)
19 Nov 1903 -  3 Dec 1903  Edward F. im Thurn (acting)        (b. 1852 - d. 1932)
 3 Dec 1903 - 11 Jul 1907  Sir Henry Arthur Blake             (b. 1840 - d. 1918)
11 Jul 1907 - 24 Aug 1907  Hugh Charles Clifford  (acting)    (b. 1866 - d. 1941)
                             (1st time)
24 Aug 1907 - 24 Jan 1913  Sir Henry Edward McCallum          (b. 1852 - d. 1919)
24 Jan 1913 - 18 Oct 1913  Reginald Edward Stubbs (1st time)  (b. 1876 - d. 1947)
                             (acting)
18 Oct 1913 -  4 Dec 1915  Robert Chalmers                    (b. 1858 - d. 1938)
 4 Dec 1915 - 15 Apr 1916  Reginald Edward Stubbs (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
15 Apr 1916 - 24 Mar 1918  Sir John Anderson                  (b. 1858 - d. 1918)
24 Mar 1918 - 10 Sep 1918  Reginald Edward Stubbs (3rd time)  (s.a.)
                            (acting)
10 Sep 1918 -  1 Apr 1925  Sir William Henry Manning          (b. 1863 - d. 1932)
 1 Apr 1925 - 18 Oct 1925  Cecil Clementi (acting)            (b. 1875 - d. 1947)
18 Oct 1925 - 30 Nov 1925  Edward Bruce Alexander (acting)    (b. 1872 - d. 1955)
30 Nov 1925 - 20 Aug 1928  Sir Hugh Charles Clifford          (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
20 Aug 1928 - 11 Feb 1931  Sir Herbert James Stanley          (b. 1872 - d. 1953)
11 Feb 1931 - 11 Apr 1931  Bernard Henry Bourdillon (acting)  (b. 1883 - d. 1948)
11 Apr 1931 - 20 Sep 1933  Sir Graeme Thomson                 (b. 1875 - d. 1933)
20 Sep 1933 - 23 Dec 1933  Francis Graeme Tyrrell (acting)    (b. 1876 - d. 1964)
23 Dec 1933 - 30 Jun 1937  Reginald Edward Stubbs (4th time)  (s.a.)
30 Jun 1937 - 16 Oct 1937  Maxwell MacLagan Wedderburn        (b. 1883 - d. 1953) 
                             (acting)
16 Oct 1937 - 19 Sep 1944  Sir Andrew Caldecott               (b. 1884 - d. 1951)
19 Sep 1944 -  4 Feb 1948  Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore        (b. 1887 - d. 1964)
Kings/Queens¹
 4 Feb 1948 - 22 May 1972  the Kings/Queens of the United Kingdom
Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state)
 4 Feb 1948 -  5 Jul 1949  Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore        (s.a.)
 5 Jul 1949 - 17 Jul 1954  Herwald Ramsbotham, Baron Soulbury (b. 1887 - d. 1971)
17 Jul 1954 -  2 Mar 1962  Sir Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke     (b. 1892 - d. 1978)
 2 Mar 1962 - 22 May 1972  William Gopallawa                  (b. 1897 - d. 1981)
Presidents
22 May 1972 -  4 Feb 1978  William Gopallawa                  (s.a.)               Non-party
 4 Feb 1978 -  2 Jan 1989  Junius Richard Jayawardene         (b. 1906 - d. 1996)  EJP
 2 Jan 1989 -  1 May 1993  Ranasinghe Premadasa               (b. 1924 - d. 1993)  EJP
 1 May 1993 - 12 Nov 1994  Dingiri Banda Wijetunge            (b. 1922 - d. 2008)  EJP
                             (acting to 7 May 1993)
12 Nov 1994 - 19 Nov 2005  Chandrika Bandaranaike             (b. 1945)            SLMP/SLNP
                             Kumaratunga (f)
19 Nov 2005 -              Mahinda Rajapakse                  (b. 1945)            SLMP 

Prime ministers
24 Sep 1947 - 22 Mar 1952  Don Stephen Senanayake             (b. 1884 - d. 1952)  EJP
26 Mar 1952 - 12 Oct 1953  Dudley Shelton Senanayake          (b. 1911 - d. 1973)  EJP
                             (1st time)
12 Oct 1953 - 12 Apr 1956  Sir John Lionel Kotelawala         (b. 1897 - d. 1980)  EJP
12 Apr 1956 - 26 Sep 1959  Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (b. 1899 - d. 1959)  SLNP 
26 Sep 1959 - 21 Mar 1960  Wijayananda Dahanayake             (b. 1902 - d. 1997)  SLNP
21 Mar 1960 - 21 Jul 1960  Dudley Shelton Senanayake          (s.a.)               EJP 
                             (2nd time)
21 Jul 1960 - 27 Mar 1965  Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias             (b. 1916 - d. 2000)  SLNP
                             Bandaranaike (f)(1st time)
27 Mar 1965 - 29 May 1970  Dudley Shelton Senanayake          (s.a.)               EJP 
                             (3rd time)
29 May 1970 - 23 Jul 1977  Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias             (s.a.)               SLNP
                             Bandaranaike (f)(2nd time)
23 Jul 1977 -  6 Feb 1978  Junius Richard Jayawardene         (s.a.)               EJP 
 6 Feb 1978 -  3 Mar 1989  Ranasinghe Premadasa               (s.a.)               EJP
 3 Mar 1989 -  7 May 1993  Dingiri Banda Wijetunge            (s.a.)               EJP 
 7 May 1993 - 19 Aug 1994  Ranil Wickremasinghe (1st time)    (b. 1949)            EJP
19 Aug 1994 - 14 Nov 1994  Chandrika Bandaranaike             (s.a.)               SLMP/SLNP 
                             Kumaratunga (f)
14 Nov 1994 - 10 Aug 2000  Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias             (s.a.)               SLNP 
                             Bandaranaike (f)(3rd time)
10 Aug 2000 -  9 Dec 2001  Ratnasiri Wickremanayake           (b. 1933)            SLMP 
                             (1st time) 
 9 Dec 2001 -  6 Apr 2004  Ranil Wickremasinghe (2nd time)    (s.a.)               EJP
 6 Apr 2004 - 21 Nov 2005  Mahinda Rajapakse                  (s.a.)               SLMP 
21 Nov 2005 -              Ratnasiri Wickremanayake           (s.a.)               SLMP 
                             (2nd time) 

 ¹Full style of ruler:
(a) from 4 Feb 1948: "by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India"; the title "Emperor of India" was dropped as of 15 Aug 1947 by retroactive proclamation dated 22 Jun 1948;
(b) 29 May 1953 - 22 May 1972: "Queen of Ceylon and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth."

Party abbreviations: EJP = Ekshat Jathika Pakshaya (United National Party, democratic-socialist, est.1947);  SLMP = Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (Sri Lanka People's Party, progressive; in coalition with SLNP within the People's Alliance [BNP], est.1984); SLNP = Sri Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya (Sri Lanka Freedom Party, socialist, est.1951);

                     1469 - 1815

1469                       Kingdom of Udarata established (often referred to as 
                             Kingdom of Kandy by the name of its capital).
19 Feb 1765 - 31 Aug 1765  Dutch occupation of Kandy.
 2 Mar 1815 - Jul 1817     Occupied by U.K. (colony of Ceylon).
Oct 1818                   Incorporated into colony of Ceylon.

Kings
1591 - 1604                Vimala Dharmasurya I               (d. 1604) 
1604 - 1635                Senarat                            (d. 1635) 
1635 - Nov/Dec 1686        Rajasingha II                      (b. 1608 - d. 1686) 
1687 -  4 Jun 1707         Vimala Dharmasurya II              (d. 1707)
 4 Jun 1707 - 13 May 1739  Viraparakkama Narendrasimha        (b. 1690? - d. 1739)
13 May 1739 - 11 Aug 1747  Sri Vijaya Rajasimha               (d. 1747)
11 Aug 1747 -  2 Jan 1782  Kirtisri Rajasimha                 (d. 1782)
 2 Jan 1782 - 12 Aug 1798  Sri Rajadhirajasimha               (d. 1798)
1798 - 17 Feb 1803         Sri Vikrama Rajasimha (1st time)   (b. 1780 - d. 1832)
17 Feb 1803 - 24 Jun 1803  Muttusami                          (b. 17.. - d. 1803)
24 Jun 1803 -  2 Mar 1815  Sri Vikrama Rajasimha (2nd time)   (s.a.)
 2 Mar 1815 - Jul 1817     British rule
Jul 1817 - Oct 1818        Kirtisri Doraisami