Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon before 1972 is an island nation in South Asia, located about 31 kilometers off the southern coast of India. Originally known as Taprobane, it is home to around twenty million people.

Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, rubber and coconuts, this paradise isle boasts a progressive and modern industrial economy. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, its natural habitat and wildlife as well as its rich cultural heritage make it a world famous tourist destination.