Area comparison map:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,340 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation:
mean elevation: 228 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 43.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 20.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 15.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 29.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 27.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
5,700 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

Natural hazards:
occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; coral reef destruction; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km long Bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone