Sabaragamuwa Province

The Sabaragamuwa Province (Sinhala: සබරගමුව පළාත, romanized: Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta, Tamil: சபரகமுவ மாகாணம், romanized: Sabaragamuva Mākāṇam) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. Ratnapura is the capital of the province.

Sabaragamuwa Province සබරගමුව පළාත சப்ரகமுவ மாகாணம்
Province
Flag
Location within Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°40′N 80°24′E
Country	Sri Lanka
Created	1889
Admitted	14 November 1987
Capital	Ratnapura
Largest city	Ratnapura
Districts	List Kegalle Ratnapura
Government
• Type	Provincial council
• Body	Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
• Governor	Champa Janaki Rajaratne
Area
• Total	4,968 km2 (1,918 sq mi)
• Rank	8th (7.46% of total area)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	1,918,880
• Rank	5th (9.63% of total pop.)
• Density	390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Ethnicity (2012 census)[1]
• 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%)
Religion (2012 census)[2]
• 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

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]

1. Sinhalese (86.4%)
2. Indian Tamils (5.49%)
3. Moors (4.27%)
4. Sri Lankan Tamils (3.75%)
5. Burghers (0.03%)
6. Malays (0.02%)
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.

Ethnic group	Population	%
Sinhalese	1,666,180	86.4%
Indian Tamils	105,872	5.49%
Sri Lankan Moors	82,343	4.27%
Sri Lankan Tamils	72,298	3.75%
Others	1,962	0.09%
Total	1,918,880	100.00%

Religion

Religion in Sabaragamuwa province (2012 census)^[8]

1. Buddhism (85.73%)
2. Hinduism (8.1%)
3. Islam (4.44%)
4. Christianity (1.72%)
5. 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

Main articles: Districts of Sri Lanka, Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka, and List of cities in Sri Lanka

Sabaragamuwa is divided into two districts and 28 divisional secretariats.

Districts

Administrative Divisions of Sabaragamuwa Province

District	Capital	Area (km2)	Population
Kegalle District	Kegalle	1,693	837,179
Ratnapura District	Ratnapura	3,275	1,088,007

Major population centres

Main article: List of settlements in Sabaragamuwa Province

• Ratnapura
• Balangoda
• Embilipitiya
• Kegalle
• Bulathkohupitiya
• Belihuloya
• Eheliyagoda
• Kalawana
• Kuruwita
• Mawanella
• Aranayaka
• Rakwana
• Imbulpe
• Deraniyagala
• Ambepussa
• Rambukkana
• Kitulgala
• Panamure
• Godakawela
• Yatiyanthota
• Karawanalla
• Ruwanwella
• Aguruwalla
• Dehiowita

See also

• Provinces of Sri Lanka
• Districts of Sri Lanka