Geography (Sri Lanka)
=====================


     Total area:
         65,610 km2
     Land area:
         64,740 km2
     Comparative area:
         slightly larger than West Virginia
     Land boundaries:
         none
     Coastline:
         1,340 km
     Maritime claims:
       Contiguous zone:
         24 nm
       Continental shelf:
         edge of continental margin or 200 nm
       Exclusive economic zone:
         200 nm
       Territorial sea:
         12 nm
     Disputes:
         none
     Climate:
         tropical; monsoonal; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
         monsoon (June to October)
     Terrain:
         mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
     Natural resources:
         limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay
     Land use:
         arable land 16%; permanent crops 17%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and
         woodland 37%; other 23%; includes irrigated 8%
     Environment:
         occasional cyclones, tornados; deforestation; soil erosion
     Note:
         only 29 km from India across the Palk Strait; near major Indian Ocean sea
         lanes