What was Sri Lanka called before 1948?

Ceylon
Ceilão, the name given to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese Empire when it arrived in 1505, was transliterated into English as Ceylon. As a British crown colony, the island was known as Ceylon; it achieved independence as the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948.

What happened in Sri Lanka in 1948?

It succeeded when, on 4 February 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status within the British Commonwealth was retained for the next 24 years until 22 May 1972 when it became a republic and was renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka.

Why did Sri Lanka suffer after 1948?

The history of Sri Lanka from 1948 to present is marked by the independence of the country through to Dominion and becoming a Republic. The main factor has been conflict and civil war regarding the status of minority Tamils.

Was ancient Sri Lanka rich?

In the 2nd 3rd and 4th centuries, AD Sri Lanka became a rich kingdom. She traded with India, China, Persia, and Ethiopia. However, from the 5th century, onward Sri Lanka suffered from invasions from India. In the 10th century, the Chola kingdom became powerful in southern India.

Why was Sri Lanka called Ceylon?

From the word Arab word “saheelan” came the many variations of Ceylon. Celiao in Portuguese, Selan in Spanish, Selon in French. The name was later formalized as Ceylon when the island became a British colony. Ceylon is the name that was used to name the famous tea and many other products exported from the island.

What happened in Sri Lanka in 1958?

The 1958 anti-Tamil pogrom and riots in Ceylon, also known as the 58 riots, refer to the first island-wide ethnic riots and pogrom to target the minority Tamils in the Dominion of Ceylon after it became an independent dominion from Britain in 1948.

What happened in Sri Lanka in 1956?

The 1956 anti-Tamil pogrom, also known as the Gal Oya riots, was the first organised pogrom against Sri Lankan Tamils in the Dominion of Ceylon. It began with anti-Tamil rioting in Colombo, followed by anti-Sinhalese rioting in Batticaloa.

Who ruled Sri Lanka for 133 years?

The British Ceylon period is the history of Sri Lanka between 1815 and 1948. It follows the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom into the hands of the British Empire. It ended over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy rule on the island. The British rule on the island lasted until 1948 when the country regained independence.