Editing History of Sri Lanka (section)

==Geographical background==
{{See also|Geography of Sri Lanka}}
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Sri Lanka lies on the [[Indian Plate]], a major [[plate tectonics|tectonic plate]] that was formerly part of the [[Indo-Australian Plate]].{{sfn|Stein|1994}} It is in the Indian Ocean southwest of the [[Bay of Bengal]], between latitudes [[5th parallel north|5°]] and [[10th parallel north|10°N]], and longitudes [[79th meridian east|79°]] and [[82nd meridian east|82°E]].{{sfn|Blaze|1933|p=2}}{{sfn|latlong2019}} Sri Lanka is separated from the mainland portion of the [[Indian subcontinent]] by the [[Gulf of Mannar]] and [[Palk Strait]]. According to [[Hindu mythology]], [[Adam's Bridge|a land bridge]] existed between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka. It now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above [[sea level]].{{sfn|BBC|2007}} Legends claim that it was passable on foot up to 1480 AD, until [[cyclone]]s deepened the channel.{{sfn|Garg|1992|p=142}}{{sfn|Rediff.com|2014}} Portions are still as shallow as {{convert|1|m|ft|sigfig=1}}, hindering navigation.{{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica: Adam's Bridge|2015}} The island consists mostly of flat to rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. The highest point is [[Pidurutalagala]], reaching {{convert|2524|m|ft|0}} above sea level.

[[File:Adams bridge map.png|left|thumb|300px|[[Rama's Bridge]], a shoal "connecting" (northwestern) Sri Lanka ([[Talaimannar]] on [[Mannar, Sri Lanka|Mannar]] island in that district) and (southern) India ([[Dhanushkodi]] (extinct)/[[Rameswaram]] in [[Ramanathapuram district]]) between the [[Gulf of Mannar]] (southwest) from the [[Palk Strait]] (northeast).]]

Sri Lanka has 103 rivers. The longest of these is the [[Mahaweli River]], extending {{convert|335|km|mi|0}}.{{sfn|Aves|2003|p=372}} These waterways give rise to 51 natural waterfalls of 10 meters or more. The highest is [[Bambarakanda Falls]], with a height of {{convert|263|m|ft|0}}.{{sfn|Lonely Planet|2014}} Sri Lanka's coastline is 1,585&nbsp;km long.{{sfn|United Nations Environment Programme|2012|p=86}} Sri Lanka claims an [[Exclusive economic zone]] (EEZ) extending 200 [[nautical mile]]s, which is approximately 6.7 times Sri Lanka's land area. The coastline and adjacent waters support highly productive marine ecosystems such as [[Fringing reef|fringing]] [[coral reef]]s and shallow beds of coastal and [[Estuary|estuarine]] [[seagrass]]es.{{sfn|Food and Agriculture Organization|2014}}

Sri Lanka has 45 [[Estuary|estuaries]] and 40 [[lagoon]]s.{{sfn|United Nations Environment Programme|2012|p=86}} Sri Lanka's [[mangrove]] ecosystem spans over 7,000 [[hectare]]s and played a vital role in buffering the force of the waves in the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|2004 Indian Ocean tsunami]].{{sfn|International Union for Conservation of Nature|2014}} The island is rich in minerals such as [[ilmenite]], [[feldspar]], [[graphite]], [[Silicon dioxide|silica]], [[kaolinite]], [[mica]] and [[thorium]].{{sfn|indexmundi.com|2009}}{{sfn|Vitharana|2008}} Existence of [[petroleum]] and gas in the [[Gulf of Mannar]] has also been confirmed and the extraction of recoverable quantities is underway.{{sfn|Cairn Lanka|2009|p=iv–vii}}

Lying within the [[Indomalayan realm]], Sri Lanka is one of 25 [[biodiversity hotspot]]s in the world.{{sfn|Mittermeier|Myers|Mittermeier|2000|p=142}} Although the country is relatively small in size, it has the highest [[biodiversity]] density in Asia.{{sfn|Environment Sri Lanka|2014}} A remarkably high proportion of the species among its flora and fauna, 27% of the 3,210 [[flowering plant]]s and 22% of the [[mammal]]s (''see [[List of mammals of Sri Lanka|List]]''), are [[Endemism|endemic]].{{sfn|news.mongabay.com|2012}} Sri Lanka has declared 24 wildlife reserves, which are home to a wide range of native species such as [[Asian elephant]]s, [[leopard]]s, [[sloth bear]]s, the unique small loris, a variety of deer, the [[purple-faced langur]], the endangered [[wild boar]], [[porcupine]]s and [[Indian pangolin]]s.{{sfn|Ecotourism Sri Lanka|2014}}

Flowering [[acacia]]s flourish on the arid [[Jaffna Peninsula]]. Among the trees of the dry-land forests are valuable species such as [[Chloroxylon|satinwood]], [[ebony]], [[Mesua ferrea|ironwood]], [[mahogany]] and [[teak]]. The wet zone is a tropical [[evergreen forest]] with tall trees, broad foliage, and a dense undergrowth of vines and creepers. Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of [[temperate climate]]s flourish in the higher altitudes.{{sfn|earthtrends.wri.org|2007|p=4}} [[Yala National Park]] in the southeast protects herds of elephant, [[deer]], and [[peacock]]s. The [[Wilpattu National Park]] in the northwest, the largest national park, preserves the habitats of many water birds such as [[stork]]s, [[pelican]]s, [[ibis]], and [[spoonbill]]s. The island has four [[Nature reserve|biosphere reserve]]s: [[Bundala National Park|Bundala]], [[Hurulu Forest Reserve]], the [[Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya]], and [[Sinharaja Forest Reserve|Sinharaja]].{{sfn|UNESCO|2006}} Of these, Sinharaja forest reserve is home to 26 endemic birds and 20 rainforest species, including the elusive [[red-faced malkoha]], the [[green-billed coucal]] and the [[Sri Lanka blue magpie]].

During the [[Mahaweli Development programme]] of the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside four areas of land totalling {{convert|1900|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} as national parks. Sri Lanka's forest cover, which was around 49% in 1920, had fallen to approximately 24% by 2009.{{sfn|srilankanwaterfalls.net|2009}}{{sfn|MSN Encarta Encyclopedia|2009}}