SRI LANKA

Separated from India by the Palk Strait, Sri Lanka comprises one large island and several coral islets to the northwest known as Adam's Bridge.

TRANSPORT: The main roads are crowded and slow, although those roads leading to resorts are being improved. Air Lanka flies non-stop to Europe.

TOURISM: The tourist industry suffered setbacks in 1995 and 1996 when Colombo became the target of Tamil bomb attacks.

PEOPLE: Civil war erupted in 1983 between the minority Tamils and the majority Sinhalese. Under British rule the Tamils were favoured, but when Sri Lanka (named Ceylon under the British Empire) gained independence in 1948, laws were passed to redress the balance by favouring the Sinhalese. The resulting conflict has a religious dimension; Tamils are mostly Muslim or Hindu while Sinhalese are Buddhist.

POLITICS: The TamiI-Sinhalese conflict influences all political debate. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam want an independent state in the north and east and the government is committed to keeping Sri Lanka unified, although it is now considering plans for regional autonomy. Peace talks collapsed in April 1995. Since then a massive army operation and the resumption of civilian bombing campaigns by the LTTE have hardened attitudes.

WORLD AFFAIRS: Relations with India are important. The 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan accords led to Indian troops playing a peace-keeping role. However they were forced to pull out after becoming embroiled in fighting with the LTTE, which is suspected of killing Rajiv Gandhi in 1992.

AID: President Chandrika Kumaratunga responded positively to Western aid aimed at improving its human rights record.

DEFENCE: Foreign military assistance has been sought to defeat the LTTE.

ECONOMICS: GNP: $11.6 billion World GNP ranking: 78th GNP per capita: $640 Balance of payments: minus $546 million Strengths: World's largest tea exporter. Export Processing Zones and state privatisation programmes attract foreign investments. Weaknesses: Civil war is a drain on funds and deters investors and tourists. Poor infrastructure.

RESOURCES: Electricity generation: 3.5 billion kwh. Livestock: 1.6 million cattle, 500,000 goats, 90,000 pigs. Mineral resources: gemstones, graphite, iron, monazite, uranium, ilmenite, clay.

ENVIRONMENT: The government is aware of the tourism benefits of protecting its environment and has successfully promoted national parks.

MEDIA: The government of Kumaratunga was criticised after it imposed press censorship in late 1995 in an attempt to control war reporting.

CRIME: Both the army and the LTTE have been accused of human rights' abuses. Civil war has claimed 30,000 lives since 1983.

EDUCATION: Sri Lanka has the highest literacy rate of any developing nation. Many students attend universities in the US.

HEALTH: High spending results in an accessible, feefree system. Ayurvedic medicine is popular.

WEALTH: Economic growth has created a new class of wealthy Sinhalese. Tamil tea workers are the poorest section of society.

Official name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Capital: Colombo

Population: 18.4 million

Total land area: 64,740 sq.km (24,996sq. miles)

Currency: Sri Lanka rupee

Official Language: Sinhalese

Climate: Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate with afternoon breezes on the coast and cooler air in the highlands Position in World (192 countries)

Life expectancy 52 Infant mortality 55 GNP per capita 141 Daily calorie intake 140 Literacy 95 Schooling index 89 Educational rank 79 Human dev. index 97