Sri Lanka

Book excerpt: This book provides an overview of the development of a small country, which on the one hand, is unique, and on the other hand, is also an interesting reflection and microcosm of the global economy. Sri Lanka's development is one of the contrasts, complicated by social conflicts and ethnic tensions. Social, political, economic and constitutional developments are considered. This is in accordance with the Sri Lankan tradition of seeing the world as a connected whole. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) is an island in the Indian Ocean approximately 18 miles off the south-eastern coast of India with a population of about 19 million. Density is highest in the south-west where Colombo, the country's main port and industrial centre, is located. Sri Lanka is ethnically, linguistically, and religiously diverse. Sri Lanka follows a non-aligned foreign policy. It participates in multilateral diplomacy, particularly at the United Nations, where it seeks to promote sovereignty, independence, and development in the developing world.