History of Sri Lanka in Timeline

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island nation in South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean. It's separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait, sharing maritime borders with the Maldives and India. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte serves as the legislative capital, while Colombo functions as the administrative, judicial, and cultural center. Kandy is the second-largest urban area and a historically significant city. Sinhala is the primary language, with Tamil spoken by a significant minority.

1903: Release of First Music Album

In 1903, the first music album, Nurthi, was recorded and released through Radio Ceylon, marking a milestone in Sri Lankan music history.

1905: Publication of the First Modern Novel

In 1905, the first modern-day novel, Meena by Simon de Silva, was published, marking a significant development in Sri Lankan literature.

1906: First documented case of the malaria outbreak in Ceylon

In 1906, the first case was documented of the malaria outbreak in Ceylon, which actually started in the early 1900s.

1911: Discovery of the Galle Trilingual Inscription

In 1911, S. H. Thomlin discovered the Galle Trilingual Inscription at Galle.

1919: Formation of the Ceylon National Congress

In 1919, major Sinhalese and Tamil political organizations united to form the Ceylon National Congress.

1923: Establishment of Radio Ceylon

In 1923, Edward Harper established the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (formerly Radio Ceylon), the oldest-running radio station in Asia, broadcasting in Sinhala, Tamil, English, and Hindi.

1931: Donoughmore reforms introduced

In 1931, the Donoughmore reforms repudiated the communal representation and introduced universal adult franchise.

1935: Establishment of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party

In 1935, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) was established, marking it as the oldest political party in Sri Lanka.

1937: Demand for 50-50 representation

In 1937, Tamil leader G. G. Ponnambalam demanded a 50–50 representation in the State Council.

1942: Proposal for Education System Reforms

In 1942, a special education committee proposed extensive reforms to establish an efficient and quality education system for the people of Sri Lanka, leading to the establishment of the free education system in 1945.

1944: Foundation of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress

In 1944, G. G. Ponnambalam founded the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC).

1944: Soulbury reforms

The Soulbury reforms occurred in 1944-45.

1945: Establishment of Free Education System

In 1945, Sri Lanka established a free education system as a result of the initiative of C. W. W. Kannangara and A. Ratnayake, providing universal free education from primary to tertiary levels.

1946: Establishment of the United National Party

In 1946, D. S. Senanayake established the UNP, which until recently, was the largest single political party.

1947: Beginning of Sri Lankan Cinema

In 1947, Sri Lankan cinema began with the movie Kadawunu Poronduwa (The Broken Promise), produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone.

February 1948: Independence proclaimed

On 4 February 1948, independence was proclaimed, ushering in dominion status.

1948: Influence of socialism on economic policies

From 1948 to 1977, socialism strongly influenced the government's economic policies.

1948: Independence as the Dominion of Ceylon

In 1948, Ceylon achieved independence as the Dominion of Ceylon.

1948: Ceylon becomes a dominion

In 1948, Ceylon became a dominion after a national movement for political independence arose in the early 20th century.

1948: Duncan White wins silver at London Olympics

In 1948, Duncan White won a silver medal at the London Olympics in the men's 400 metres hurdles.

1948: Independence of Sri Lanka

Since independence in 1948, the primary focus of the armed forces has been internal security.

1949: Formation of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi

In 1949, a dissident group led by S.J.V. Chelvanayakam broke away from the ACTC and formed the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK).

1949: Sri Lanka-China relations started

Sri Lanka-China relations started as soon as the People's Republic of China was formed in 1949.

1950: Colombo Plan proposed

In 1950, Sri Lankan Finance Minister J. R. Jayewardene, together with then Australian Foreign Minister Sir Percy Spencer, proposed the Colombo Plan at the Commonwealth Foreign Minister's Conference held in Colombo.

July 1951: Foundation of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party

In July 1951, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike founded the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

1951: Sri Lanka argued for a free Japan

At the San Francisco Peace Conference in 1951, Sri Lanka argued for a free Japan and refused to accept payment of reparations for World War II damage.

1952: Rubber-Rice Pact signed

In 1952, Sri Lanka and China signed the Rubber-Rice Pact.

1953: Sri Lankan National Badminton Championships held

The Sri Lankan National Badminton Championships was held in 1953.

1955: Asian-African Conference

In 1955, Sri Lanka played a vital role at the Asian–African Conference, which was an important step in the crystallisation of the NAM.

1955: Sri Lanka joined the United Nations

Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations in 1955.

1956: Forest cover in Sri Lanka

In 1956, 44.2 percent of Sri Lanka's land area had forest cover.

1956: Release of Rekava

In 1956, Lester James Peiris directed Rekava (Line of Destiny), which led to global acclaim.

1956: S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike elected prime minister and introduces the Sinhala Only Act

In 1956, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was elected prime minister and introduced the Sinhala Only Act.

1956: Bandaranaike government policies

In 1956, the Bandaranaike government significantly changed the pro-western policies set by the previous UNP government.

1956: British Royal Navy leaves Trincomalee

In 1956, the British Royal Navy remained stationed at Trincomalee until this year.

1956: SLFP victory in parliamentary election

In 1956, the SLFP registered its first victory, defeating the ruling UNP in the parliamentary election.

1956: Golden Age of Sri Lankan Drama Begins

In 1956, the golden age of Sri Lankan drama and theatre began with the staging of Maname, a play written by Ediriweera Sarachchandra.

1958: Partial reversal of the Sinhala Only Act

In 1958, the Sinhala Only Act was partially reversed.

1959: Assassination of Bandaranaike

In 1959, Bandaranaike was assassinated by an extremist Buddhist monk.

1959: Cuba recognized by Sri Lanka

In 1959, the Bandaranaike government recognized Cuba under Fidel Castro.

July 1960: Sirimavo Bandaranaike became prime minister

Following the parliamentary election in July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the prime minister and the world's first elected female head of government.

1960: Sirimavo Bandaranaike takes office

In 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike took office as prime minister.

1962: Attempted coup d'état

In 1962, Ceylon experienced an attempted coup d'état.

1964: Release of Gamperaliya

In 1964, Lester James Peiris directed Gamperaliya (The Changing Village), which led to global acclaim.

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1964: Sirima-Shastri Pact signed

In 1964, the Sirima-Shastri Pact was signed between Sri Lankan and Indian leaders.

1965: Founding of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

In 1965, Rohana Wijeweera founded the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Marxist–Leninist political party.

1968: Release of Golu Hadawatha

In 1968, Lester James Peiris directed Golu Hadawatha (Cold Heart), which led to global acclaim.

1970: Release of Nidhanaya

In 1970, Lester James Peiris directed Nidhanaya (The Treasure), which led to global acclaim.

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1971: Marxist insurrection

In 1971, Ceylon experienced a Marxist insurrection, which was quickly suppressed.

1972: Sri Lanka becomes a republic

In 1972, Ceylon was succeeded by the republic of Sri Lanka.

1972: Name changed to Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka

In 1972, Sri Lanka's formal name was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka".

1972: Creation of the Tamil United Front

In 1972, the ACTC and ITAK created the Tamil United Front (later Tamil United Liberation Front).

1972: Country becomes a republic named Sri Lanka

In 1972, the country became a republic named Sri Lanka, repudiating its dominion status.

1973: Muhammad Lafir wins World Billiards Championship

In 1973, Muhammad Lafir won the World Billiards Championship.

1974: Kachchatheevu ceded to Sri Lanka

In 1974, Kachchatheevu, a small island in Palk Strait, was formally ceded to Sri Lanka. Also, the Sirima-Gandhi Pact was signed between Sri Lankan and Indian leaders.

1975: Assassination of Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiyappah

In 1975, the assassination of Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiyappah by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) marked a crisis point.

1976: NAM summit held in Colombo

In 1976, the fifth NAM summit was held in Colombo.

1977: Introduction of free market economy

In 1977, the free market economy was introduced to Sri Lanka, incorporating privatisation, deregulation, and the promotion of private enterprise.

1977: J. R. Jayawardene's government sweeps to power

In 1977, the government of J. R. Jayawardene swept to power, defeating the United Front government.

September 1978: Name changed to Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

On 7 September 1978, Sri Lanka's name was changed to the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".

1978: Constitution established provincial councils

In 1978, the 13th Amendment of the constitution established provincial councils.

1979: Introduction of Broadcast Television

In 1979, broadcast television was introduced in Sri Lanka with the launch of the Independent Television Network, initially under state control.

1979: All-Time High Movie Attendance

In 1979, movie attendance in Sri Lanka rose to an all-time high, but has since been in steady decline.

1980: UN Working Group on Disappearances

Since the UN Working Group came into being in 1980, over 12,000 named individuals have disappeared in Sri Lanka after detention by security forces, the second-highest figure in the world.

1981: Establishment of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress

Founded in 1981, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is the largest Muslim political party in Sri Lanka.

1983: Start of ethnic tensions and civil war

Beginning in 1983, ethnic tensions were manifested in an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the LTTE, triggering a civil war and anti-Tamil race riots.

1983: Start of the Sri Lankan Civil War

In 1983, the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War began.

1985: Start of the peace talks

From 1985 to 2006, the Sri Lankan government and Tamil insurgents held four rounds of peace talks without success.

1986: Sri Lanka Wins Asia Cup

In 1986, Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup.

1987: Indian Peace Keeping Force deployed

Further deterioration led to the Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War and subsequently deployed an Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987.

1987: Establishment of provincial councils

In 1987, the 13th Amendment of the 1978 constitution established provincial councils after several decades of increasing demand for a decentralisation of the government.

1987: Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed

In 1987, the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was signed and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed in northern Sri Lanka.

1989: Merging of Northern and Eastern provinces

Between 1989 and 2006, the Northern and Eastern provinces were temporarily merged to form the North-East Province.

October 1990: LTTE expels Sri Lankan Moors

In October 1990, the LTTE expelled Sri Lankan Moors (Muslims by religion) from northern Sri Lanka.

1992: Private Television Networks Begin Broadcasting

In 1992, private television networks began broadcasting in Sri Lanka, ending the initial state control of television stations that started in 1979.

1995: Sri Lanka wins South Asian Gold Cup

In 1995, the Sri Lanka national football team won the South Asian Gold Cup.

March 1996: Sri Lanka Wins 1996 Cricket World Cup

On 17 March 1996, the Sri Lanka national cricket team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia in the final.

1997: Sri Lanka Wins Asia Cup

In 1997, Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup.

1999: Forest cover depleted

In 1999, Sri Lanka's forest cover was recorded at 29.6 percent.

2000: Susanthika Jayasinghe wins silver at Sydney Olympics

In 2000, Susanthika Jayasinghe won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in the women's 200 metres.

October 2001: Formation of the Tamil National Alliance

In October 2001, Tamil political parties were succeeded by the Tamil National Alliance.

2002: Ceasefire agreement signed

In 2002, the Sri Lankan government and LTTE signed a Norwegian-mediated ceasefire agreement.

2004: Sri Lanka Wins Asia Cup

In 2004, Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup.

2004: Indian Ocean tsunami

In 2004, Sri Lanka's mangrove ecosystem, spanning over 7,000 hectares, played a vital role in buffering the force of the waves from the Indian Ocean tsunami.

2005: Economic changes in Sri Lanka

From 2005 to 2011, the per capita income of Sri Lanka doubled and poverty dropped from 15.2% to 7.6%.

2006: End of merging of Northern and Eastern provinces

Between 1989 and 2006, the Northern and Eastern provinces were temporarily merged to form the North-East Province.

2006: Resumption of fighting

In 2006, both LTTE and the government resumed fighting.

2007: Sri Lanka Runners-up in Cricket World Cup

In 2007, Sri Lanka became the runners-up of the Cricket World Cup.

2008: Sri Lanka Wins Asia Cup

In 2008, Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup.

2008: Government backs out of ceasefire

In 2008, the government officially backed out of the ceasefire.

2008: Sri Lanka Ranked Third Most Religious Country

In a 2008 Gallup poll, Sri Lanka was ranked the third most religious country in the world, with 99% of Sri Lankans reporting that religion was an important part of their daily life.

May 2009: End of the Sri Lankan Civil War

In May 2009, the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated the LTTE, bringing an end to the 26-year-long civil war.

2009: Sri Lanka Runners-up in ICC World Twenty20

In 2009, Sri Lanka became the runners-up of the ICC World Twenty20.

2009: End of the Sri Lankan Civil War

In 2009, the Sri Lankan Civil War ended when the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

2009: End of Civil War

In 2009, the civil war in Sri Lanka ended. Despite this, evidence of torture continued to surface, as documented by Freedom from Torture in their 2012 report, "Out of the Silence."

July 2010: Muttiah Muralitharan Achieves 800 Test Wickets

In July 2010, Muttiah Muralitharan achieved a record 800 wickets in Test Cricket during a Test Match against India, which Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets.

2010: Forest cover depleted

By 2010, Sri Lanka's forest cover had depleted to 28.7 percent.

2010: Sri Lanka as a place to visit

In 2010, The New York Times placed Sri Lanka at the top of its list of 31 places to visit.

2010: Income inequality in Sri Lanka

In 2010, income inequality in Sri Lanka was indicated by a Gini coefficient of 0.36.

2010: GDP growth in the Northern Province

With the end of the war, the Northern Province reported a record 22.9% GDP growth in 2010.

July 2011: Registered political parties in Sri Lanka

As of July 2011, the number of registered political parties in Sri Lanka was 67.

2011: Economic changes in Sri Lanka

From 2005 to 2011, the per capita income of Sri Lanka doubled and poverty dropped from 15.2% to 7.6%.

2011: Sri Lanka Runners-up in Cricket World Cup

In 2011, Sri Lanka became the runners-up of the Cricket World Cup.

2011: Plan to rename organizations with 'Ceylon' in their names

In 2011, the Sri Lankan government announced a plan to rename all organizations over which it has authority that still use the name Ceylon.

2011: Sri Lankan National Badminton Championships held

The Sri Lankan National Badminton Championships was held in 2011.

2012: Sri Lanka Runners-up in ICC World Twenty20

In 2012, Sri Lanka became the runners-up of the ICC World Twenty20.

2012: Sri Lanka wins Carrom World Championship

In 2012, Sri Lanka won the Carrom World Championship, with the men's team becoming champions and the women's team winning second place.

2012: Freedom from Torture Report

In 2012, the UK charity Freedom from Torture reported receiving 233 referrals of torture survivors from Sri Lanka and published "Out of the Silence," documenting evidence of ongoing torture since the end of the civil war in 2009.

May 2013: UN Human Rights Commissioner Visit

In May 2013, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay visited Sri Lanka, stating that democracy had been undermined and the rule of law eroded. She noted increased military involvement in civilian life and reports of military land grabbing, and also reported harassment of Sri Lankans who met with her by security forces.

2014: Sri Lanka Wins ICC World Twenty20

In 2014, Sri Lanka won the ICC World Twenty20 played in Bangladesh, beating India in the final.

2015: Mahinda Rajapaksa lost presidential elections

In 2015, President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the presidential elections, ending his ten-year presidency.

2015: Increase in debt

Since early 2015, domestic debt increased by 12% and external debt by 25%.

April 2016: IMF bailout loan agreement

In April 2016, the IMF agreed to provide a US$1.5 billion bailout loan to Sri Lanka.

November 2016: IMF disbursement reported

In November 2016, the IMF reported that the initial disbursement was larger than originally planned.

2016: Sri Lanka ranked in World Giving Index

In 2016, Sri Lanka ranked 5th in the World Giving Index.

2016: Sri Lanka wins Carrom World Championship

In 2016, Sri Lanka won the Carrom World Championship, with the men's team becoming champions and the women's team winning second place.

2018: Political parties split

After 2018, The Samagi Jana Balawegaya split from the UNP, and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna split from the UPFA.

2018: Sri Lanka classified as a frontier market

As of 2018, S&P Dow Jones Indices classifies Sri Lanka as a frontier market.

2018: China bailout to Sri Lanka

In 2018 China agreed to bail out Sri Lanka with a loan of $1.25 billion to deal with foreign debt repayment spikes in 2019 to 2021.

2018: Sri Lanka wins Carrom World Championship

In 2018, Sri Lanka won the Carrom World Championship, with the men's team becoming champions and the women's team winning second place.

April 2019: Sri Lanka Easter bombings and anti terrorist operation

In April 2019 Sri Lanka experienced Easter bombings carried out by the terrorist group National Thowheeth Jama'ath, resulting in many deaths, which led to an anti-terrorist operation by the Sri Lanka Army.

November 2019: Gotabaya Rajapaksa elected president

In November 2019 presidential elections Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the election, and he was later sworn in as the new president of Sri Lanka.

2019: Start of economic troubles

Economic troubles in Sri Lanka began in 2019, when a severe economic crisis occurred.

2019: Debt repayment spikes

In 2018 China agreed to bail out Sri Lanka with a loan of $1.25 billion to deal with foreign debt repayment spikes in 2019 to 2021.

2019: Worsening economy of Sri Lanka

The economy of Sri Lanka started to worsen since 2019, contributing to political instability.

July 2020: Human Rights Watch on Government Targeting

On 29 July 2020, Human Rights Watch reported that the Sri Lanka government has targeted lawyers, human rights defenders, and journalists to suppress criticism against the government.

July 2020: Sri Lanka Eliminates Rubella and Measles

On 8 July 2020, the World Health Organization declared that Sri Lanka had successfully eliminated rubella and measles ahead of their 2023 target.

August 2020: Sri Lanka People's Front victory in parliamentary elections

In August 2020, the Sri Lanka People's Front obtained a landslide victory and a clear majority in the parliament.

2020: Media Landscape in Sri Lanka

As of 2020, Sri Lanka had 192 published newspapers (122 Sinhala, 24 Tamil, 43 English, 3 multilingual), 25 TV stations, and 58 radio stations in operation, but media freedom groups allege poor press freedom in democratic countries.

2020: GDP by sector

As of 2020, the service sector makes up 59.7% of GDP, the industrial sector 26.2%, and the agriculture sector 8.4%.

June 2021: Nationwide ban on inorganic fertilisers and pesticides

In June 2021, Sri Lanka implemented a nationwide ban on inorganic fertilisers and pesticides, a program praised by Vandana Shiva but met with warnings from the scientific and farming communities regarding potential agricultural collapse and financial crisis.

August 2021: Food emergency declared

In August 2021, a food emergency was declared in Sri Lanka.

September 2021: Economic Crisis Declared

In September 2021, Sri Lanka declared a major economic crisis, leading to the resignation of the Chief of its Central Bank. The Parliament imposed emergency regulations to combat "food hoarding" amid the crisis.

November 2021: Abandonment of Organic Farming Plan

In November 2021, Sri Lanka abandoned its plan to become the world's first organic farming nation following rising food prices and weeks of protests against the policy.

December 2021: Damage to Agricultural Production

As of December 2021, the damage to agricultural production in Sri Lanka was evident, with substantially increased vegetable prices and a long recovery period anticipated. The fertilizer ban was partially lifted for certain crops due to international price increases of urea.

2021: Debt repayment spikes

In 2018 China agreed to bail out Sri Lanka with a loan of $1.25 billion to deal with foreign debt repayment spikes in 2019 to 2021.

June 2022: Muttiah Muralitharan's Test Cricket Record

As of June 2022, Muttiah Muralitharan held the highest aggregate wickets in Test Cricket with a record 800 wickets.

June 2022: Collapse of the Sri Lankan economy

In June 2022, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared the collapse of the Sri Lankan economy in parliament.

July 9, 2022: Storming of the President's House

On July 9, 2022, protesters stormed and sieged the President's House, resulting in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing to Singapore and later resigning.

July 2022: Ranil Wickremesinghe becomes president

After Parliament elected the new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe took oath as the ninth President of Sri Lanka in July 2022.

July 20, 2022: Ranil Wickremesinghe elected as President

On July 20, 2022, Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the ninth President of Sri Lanka via a parliamentarian election.

2022: Predicted Paddy Harvest Reduction

In 2022, Jeevika Weerahewa, a senior lecturer at the University of Peradeniya, predicted that the ban on fertilizers would reduce the paddy harvest by an unprecedented 50%.

2022: Political crisis started in Sri Lanka

In 2022, a political crisis started in Sri Lanka due to the power struggle between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Parliament of Sri Lanka, fuelled by anti-government protests and the worsening economy.

2022: Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna gained popularity

Since 2022, the third wing party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has gained popularity.

2023: Increase in Tourist Arrivals

In the first half of 2023, Sri Lanka saw a significant increase in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year, contributing to a 78% increase in tourism revenue by 2024.

2023: Target Date for Rubella and Measles Elimination

Sri Lanka successfully eliminated rubella and measles ahead of the World Health Organization's 2023 target, as declared on 8 July 2020.

September 2024: Anura Kumara Dissanayake sworn in as president

On 23 September 2024, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president after winning the presidential election as a left-wing candidate.

November 2024: NPP receives a two-thirds majority in parliament

On 14 November 2024, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's National People's Power (NPP) received a two-thirds majority in parliament in the Sri Lankan parliamentary election.

2024: Global Peace Index rank

According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Sri Lanka is the 100th most peaceful country in the world.

2024: Anura Kumara Dissanayake won presidential election

In 2024 presidential elections, President Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated by Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

2024: Tourism Industry Recovery

In the first half of 2024, Sri Lanka's tourism industry saw revenue reach over $1.5 billion, a 78% year-on-year increase. Tourist arrivals also increased to 1.01 million, up 62% from the same period in 2023.