Province of Sri Lanka
Province in Sri Lanka
Sabaragamuwa Province
සබරගමුව පළාත சப்ரகமுவ மாகாணம்
Location within Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°40′N 80°24′E / 6.667°N 80.400°E / 6.667; 80.400 Country Sri Lanka Created 1889 Admitted 14 November 1987 Capital Ratnapura Largest city Ratnapura Districts • Type Provincial council • Body Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council • Governor Navin Dissanayake • Total 4,968 km2 (1,918 sq mi) • Rank 8th (7.46% of total area) • Total 1,918,880 • Rank 5th (9.63% of total pop.) • Density 390/km2 (1,000/sq mi) • Sinhalese 1,666,180 (86.4%) • Indian Tamil 105,872 (5.49%) • Sri Lankan Moors 82,343 (4.27%) • Sri Lankan Tamil 72,298 (3.75%) • Other 1,962 (0.09%) • Buddhist 1,653,381 (85.73%) • Hindu 156,312 (8.1%) • Muslim 85,610 (4.44%) • Christian 33,219 (1.72%) • Other/None 133 (0.006%) Time zone UTC+05:30 (Sri Lanka)ISO 3166 code LK-9 Vehicle registration SG Official Languages Sinhala , Tamil Flower Vesak flower (Dendrobium Maccarthiae) Literacy (2012) 94.8% [3] Computer literacy (2020) 32% [4] Website www.sg.gov.lk
The Sabaragamuwa Province (Sinhala : සබරගමුව පළාත Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta , Tamil : சபரகமுவ மாகாணம் Sabaragamuva Mākāṇam ) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka . The city of Ratnapura is the capital of the province.
History
The provinces of Sri Lanka were created by the British in the 19th century, but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils .[5] [6]
The province is named after its former indigenous inhabitants, namely the Sabara, an Indic term for hunter-gatherer tribes, a term seldom used in ancient Sri Lanka.
The Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka is located in the town of Belihuloya , and was founded in 1991.
Geography
The province has an area of 4,968 km2 and a population of 1,918,880. Major towns include Ratnapura and Kegalle .
Demographics
Ethnic groups
Ethnic groups in Sabaragamuwa province (2012 census)[7]
Others (0.04%)
The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group of the Sabaragamuwa province. Additionally, there are sizeable minority populations of Indian Tamils , Moors and Sri Lankan Tamils .
Religion
Religion in Sabaragamuwa province (2012 census)[8]
Other religions/No religion (0.01%)
Religion in Sabaragamuwa Province 1981–2012[9] [10]
Religion
Census 1981[11]
Census 2001[12]
Census 2012[13]
Population
%
Population
%
Population
%
Buddhism 1,259,396
84.98%
1,547,769
85.77%
1,653,381
85.73%
Hinduism 146,010
9.86%
148,400
8.2%
156,312
8.1%
Islam 51,248
3.46%
73,576
4%
85,610
4.44%
Christianity 24,892
1.67%
30,994
2%
33,219
1.72%
Others/None
485
0.03%
592
0.03%
133
0.006%
Total
1,482,031
100%
1,801,331
100%
1,928,655
100%
Administrative divisions
Sabaragamuwa is divided into two districts and 28 divisional secretariats .
Districts
Major population centres
[3].PNG)
