Western Province, Sri Lanka Explained

Western Province
Native Name:Sinhala; Sinhalese: බස්නාහිර පළාත
Tamil: மேல் மாகாணம்
Coordinates:6.8333°N 85°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Established Title:Created
Established Date:1 October 1833
Established Date1:14 November 1987
Seat Type:Capital
Seat1 Type:Largest City
Parts Style:list
Leader Name:Roshan Goonatilake (Ind)
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:3684
Area Land Km2:3593
Area Rank:9th (5.61% of total area)
Area Water Percent:2.47
Population Total:5821710
Population Rank:1st (28.73% of total pop.)
Population As Of:2012 census
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics1 Footnotes:(2012 census)
Demographics1 Info1:4,905,425 (84.26%)
Demographics1 Info2:450,505 (7.74%)
Demographics1 Info3:335,751 (5.77%)
Demographics1 Info4:61,826 (1.06%)
Demographics1 Title5:Other
Demographics1 Info5:68,203 (1.17%)
Demographics2 Footnotes:(2012 census)
Demographics2 Info1:4,288,797 (73.67%)
Demographics2 Info2:752,993 (12.93%)
Demographics2 Info3:500,992 (8.61%)
Demographics2 Info4:274,336 (4.71%)
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:4,592 (0.08%)
Timezone1:Sri Lanka
Utc Offset1:+05:30
Postal Code:00000-19999
Area Code:011, 031, 033, 034, 036, 038
Iso Code:LK-1
Registration Plate:WP
Blank Name Sec1:Official Languages
Blank Name Sec2:Symbols
Blank1 Name Sec2:Flower
Blank1 Info Sec2:White Lotus (Nymphaea lotus)
Blank2 Name Sec2:Butterfly
Blank2 Info Sec2:Ceylon Blue Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis similis)
Seat2 Type:Major Cities

The Western Province (Sinhala; Sinhalese: බස්නාහිර පළාත Basnāhira Paḷāta; Tamil: மேல் மாகாணம் Mael Mākāṇam) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since 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.[1] [2] Western Province is the most densely populated province in the country and is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte as well as to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.

History

Parts of present-day Western Province were part of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Kotte. The province then came under Portuguese, Dutch and British control. In 1815 the British gained control of the entire island of Ceylon. They divided the island into three ethnic based administrative structures: Low Country Sinhalese, Kandyan Sinhalese and Tamil. The Western Province was part of the Low Country Sinhalese administration. In 1833, in accordance with the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission, the ethnic based administrative structures were unified into a single administration divided into five geographic provinces.[3] The districts of Chilaw, Colombo, Kalutara, Puttalam, Seven Korales (present day Kurunegala District), Three Korales, Four Korales and Lower Bulatgama (present day Kegalle District) formed the new Western Province.[4] Chilaw District, Puttalam District and Seven Korales were transferred to the newly created North Western Province in 1845.[5] Three Korales, Four Korales and Lower Bulatgama were transferred to the newly created Sabaragamuwa Province in 1889.[6]

It is planned to create a planned Megacity under the Western Region Megapolis Plan in the Western Province designed by Surbana. Originally initiated in 2004 by Ranil Wickremesinghe it was stopped after his election defeat and was restarted again after his return to power in 2015. The project plans to merge Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts and introduce zoning.[7] [8]

Geography and climate

Western Province is located in the southwest of Sri Lanka. It has an area of 3684km2.[9] The province is surrounded by the Laccadive Sea to the west, North Western Province to the north, Sabaragamuwa Province to the east and the Southern Province to the south.

The Western Province is vulnerable to recurrent flooding as a result of an increase in average rainfall coupled with heavier rainfall events, with knock-on impacts on the infrastructure, utility supply, and the urban economy of the Province. As the most urbanised province in Sri Lanka, these climate events pose a number of problems due to the rapid urban growth the province has undergone.[10]

Administrative divisions

Districts

The Western Province is divided into three administrative districts, 40 Divisional Secretary's Divisions (DS Divisions) and 2,505 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions).

CapitalDistrict SecretaryGN
Divisions
[11] [12] [13]
Total
Area
(km2)
Land
Area
(km2)
Population (2012 Census) Population
Density
(/km2)
Indian TamilOther Total
Sunil Kannangara 13 566 699 676 1,771,319 242,728 231,318 27,336 37,108 2,309,809 3,304
J. J. Rathnasiri 13 1,177 1,387 1,341 2,079,115 95,501 80,071 10,879 29,075 2,294,641 1,654
U. D. C. Jayalal 14 762 1,598 1,576 1,054,991 112,276 24,362 23,611 2,020 1,217,260 762
align=left colspan=3Total 40 2,505 3,684 3,593 4,905,425 450,505 335,751 61,826 68,203 5,821,710 1,580

Major population centres

Demographics

Population

The Western Province's population was 5,821,710 in 2012. The majority of the population are Sinhalese, with a minority Sri Lankan Moor and Sri Lankan Tamil population.

Ethnicity

Population of Western Province by ethnic group 1981 to 2012[14] [15]
Year Sri Lankan MoorsIndian TamilOther Total
No.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 Census 3,321,830 84.74% 238,728 6.09% 228,516 5.83% 59,402 1.51% 71,331 1.82% 3,919,807
2001 Census 4,530,918 84.20% 374,729 6.96% 325,706 6.05% 61,337 1.14% 88,507 1.64% 5,381,197
2012 Census 4,905,425 84.26% 450,505 7.74% 335,751 5.77% 61,826 1.06% 68,203 1.17% 5,821,710

Religion

Population of Western Province by religion 1981 to 2012[16] [17]
Year BuddhistChristianHinduOther Total
No.
No. % No.% No. % No. % No. %
1981 Census 2,885,789 73.62% 556,581 14.20% 279,639 7.13% 194,000 4.95% 3,798 0.10% 3,919,807
2001 Census 3,942,171 73.26% 721,115 13.40% 441,397 8.20% 271,777 5.05% 4,737 0.09% 5,381,197
2012 Census 4,288,797 73.67% 752,993 12.93% 500,992 8.61% 274,336 4.71% 4,592 0.08% 5,821,710

Economy

The Western province provides the highest contribution to the Gross Domestic Product contributing 41.2% of the Provincial Gross Domestic Product(PGDP) and has a nominal PGDP growth rate of 5.8% as of 2015. Agriculture only made up 1.7% of the GDP the lowest among the nine provinces while Industrial sector made up 34.6% the highest in the country and service sector represented 56.5%.[18]

The province is undergoing rapid development with several of the largest infrastructure development projects happening in the province such as the Colombo International Financial City(CIFC) which is an International Financial Zone and the Western Region Megapolis Planning Project(WRMPP)[19] [20] [21] [22] Western province is also undergoing a major real estate and construction boom with residential and commercial buildings and skyscrapers changing the skylines of cities such as Colombo and Rajagiriya. Several major residential, office and hotel buildings as well as resorts and malls are either proposed or under construction.[23] [24] [25]

The Colombo Harbour is also a major driver of economic growth being the busiest port in South Asia. It has both privately run and state owned terminals and is being expanded.[26] [27]

Education

Almost all the premier educational institutions in the island are located in the Western Province. Universities in the province includes the University of Colombo, University of Kelaniya, University of Moratuwa, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Open University, Sri Lanka, Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, National Institute of Business Management and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. Having the highest population in all the provinces, Western Province has the largest number of schools in the country, which includes national, provincial, private and international schools.

Transportation

Expressways in Western Province

National Highways in Western Province

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Provinces of Sri Lanka. Statoids.
  2. Web site: Provincial Councils. Government of Sri Lanka.
  3. Book: Mills, Lennox A.. Ceylon Under British Rule (1795 - 1932). 1933. Oxford University Press. London. 67–68.
  4. Book: Mendis, G. C.. Ceylon Under the British. 1946. The Colombo Apothecaries Co.. Colombo. 39–40. 2nd (revised).
  5. Book: Medis, G. C.. Ceylon Under the British. 1946. The Colombo Apothecaries Co.. Colombo. 51. 2nd (revised).
  6. Book: Medis, G. C.. Ceylon Under the British. 1946. The Colombo Apothecaries Co.. Colombo. 85. 2nd (revised).
  7. Web site: What is the Singapore-styled Western Region Megapolis plan for Colombo? Adaderana Biz English Sri Lanka Business News. bizenglish.adaderana.lk. 5 May 2015. 2016-01-30.
  8. Web site: Project Megapolis explained - Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara to merge - Newsfirst. Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst News1st newsfirst.lk Breaking. 26 January 2016. 2016-01-30. en-US.
  9. Web site: Area of Sri Lanka by province and district. Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
  10. http://cdkn.org/resource/integrating-urban-agriculture-and-forestry-into-climate-change-action-plans-lessons-from-sri-lanka/ Integrating urban agriculture and forestry into climate change action plans: Lessons from Sri Lanka
  11. Web site: Grama Niladhari Divisions. Colombo District Secretariat.
  12. Web site: Grama Niladhari Divisions. Gampaha District Secretariat.
  13. Web site: Grama Niladhari Divisions. Kalutara District Secretariat.
  14. Web site: A2 : Population by ethnic group according to districts, 2012. Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
  15. Web site: Population by ethnic group and district, Census 1981, 2001. Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
  16. Web site: A3 : Population by religion according to districts, 2012. Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
  17. Web site: Population by religion and district, Census 1981, 2001. Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
  18. Web site: Provincial Gross Domestic Product – 2015. cbsl.gov.lk.
  19. News: Government Signs Tripartite Agreement for Colombo International Financial City.
  20. News: Sri Lanka to create international financial zone where people can also park their money.
  21. News: Megapolis: Part 1 ‒ What To Expect.
  22. News: The Western Region Megapolis Master Plan and the Megapolis Authority.
  23. Web site: The Colombo Skyline - Roar.lk. Nizar. Ahamed. roar.lk. en-GB. 2017-01-29.
  24. Web site: Colombo's Changing Skyline (Part II) - Roar.lk. Haniff. Hakiem. roar.lk. en-GB. 2017-01-29.
  25. Web site: Real Estate Market Update: Roaring Rajagiriya The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. www.sundaytimes.lk. 2017-01-29.
  26. Web site: Colombo breaks through as South Asia's next big transshipment port. www.joc.com. en. 2017-01-31.
  27. News: Sri Lanka: An Emerging Logistics Hub in South Asia Hong Kong Means Business. Hong Kong Means Business. en. 2017-01-31.