Colombo (District)

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Coordinates: 6 ° 56 '  N , 79 ° 51'  E

Colombo District
කොළඹ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය
கொழும்பு மாவட்டம்
District map
Province : Western province
Administrative headquarters : Colombo
Area : 699 km²
of which land area: 676 km²
of which inland waters: 23 km²
Residents : 2324349
Population density : 3,438 inhabitants / km²

Colombo ( Sinhala කොළඹ දිස්ත්රික්කය kol̠am̆ba distrikkaya ; Tamil கொழும்பு மாவட்டம் Koḻumpu māvaṭṭam ) is a district in the West Province in Sri Lanka . The main town is Colombo .

geography

The Colombo District is located on the west coast of Sri Lanka on the Gulf of Mannar and belongs to the Western Province . Neighboring districts are Gampaha in the north, Kegalle in the northeast, Ratnapura in the east and southeast, Kalutara in the south and the Gulf of Mannar in the west.

The Colombo District has an area of ​​699 square kilometers (of which 676 square kilometers are land and 23 square kilometers are inland water). This makes it the smallest district in Sri Lanka in terms of area.

population

According to the 2012 census, the Colombo district has 2,324,349 inhabitants. With 3,438 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density is well above the Sri Lankan average (325 inhabitants per square kilometer). Of the residents, 1,140,472 (49.07%) were male and 1,183,877 (50.93%) were female. The population is very young. This is illustrated by a look at the age distribution.

Age 0–9 years 10–19 years 20-29 years 30–39 years 40-49 years 50–59 years 60–79 years 80 years and more
number 339,498 340.253 380,707 362.784 317,566 267,597 279.363 36,581
proportion of 14.61% 14.64% 16.38% 15.61% 13.66% 11.51% 12.02% 1.57%

District population by ethnic group

The Sinhalese make up the majority of the population of the Colombo district. But there are large minorities of other ethnic groups.

Sinhalese
Just over 75% of the residents belong to the Sinhalese ethnic group . The south and the eastern divisions are clearly Sinhalese. But there are numerous members of other ethnic groups in the capital region. In the Colombo division, only 24.98% of the population are Sinhalese. They are only the third largest ethnic group there. The Thimbirigasyaya (52.74% Sinhalese), Dehiwala (60.50%) and Kolonnawa (67.43%) divisions are also ethnically mixed. The Sinhalese population ranges between 24.98% in Colombo and 98.12% in Homagama.

Moors The
second strongest ethnic group and thus the largest minority are the Moors or Tamil-speaking Muslims. In Colombo, however, many of the Moors born there have Sinhala as their main language. They form the largest group in the Colombo division (40.06%). They are also well above average in the Kolonnawa (21.36%), Dehiwala (20.84%) and Thimbirigasyaya (15.11%) divisions. In contrast, only a few members of their ethnic group live in seven of the thirteen divisions. Their share ranges between 0.25% in Homagama and 40.06% in Colombo.

Sri Lankan Tamils
The Sri Lankan Tamils are the third largest ethnic group. They are strongly represented in the Colombo (31.11%), Thimbirigasyaya (28.02%), Dehiwala (14.45%) and Kolonnawa (8.38%) divisions. In contrast, only a few members of their ethnic group live in seven of the thirteen divisions. Their share ranges between 0.85% in Homagama and 31.11% in Colombo.

Indian Tamils
The Tamils ​​of Indian origin are a small minority. Most of them live in the divisions Seethawaka (Hanwella) (7,733 people; 6.79% share), Colombo (6,259; 1.94%) and Thimbirigasyaya (3,450; 1.45%). Their share ranges between 0.17% in Homagama and 6.79% in Seethawaka (Hanwella).

Malays
More than 30% of all Malays in the country live in the Colombo district. Yet they are a small minority there too. They are descendants of immigrants from the time of European colonization (Dutch rule). With the exception of the Padukka and Seethawaka (Hanwella) divisions, they are spread across the entire district. The largest colonies are in the Colombo (3,687 people; 1.14% share), Kolonnawa (2,310; 1.21%) and Thimbirigasyaya (2,042; 0.86%) divisions. Their share ranges between 0.07% in Seethawaka (Hanwella) and 1.21% in Kolonnawa.

Burgher
In almost all divisions - with the exception of the Padukka and Seethawaka (Hanwella) divisions - there are numerous members of this ethnic group. Yet they are a small minority there too. The largest colonies are in the divisions Maharagama (1,525 people; 0.78% share), Dehiwala (1,505; 1.69%) and Kesbewa (1,446; 0.59%). Their share fluctuates between 0.06% in Padukka and 1.69% in Dehiwala.

year Sinhalese 1 Sri Lankan Tamils 2 Tamils 2 Moors 3 Burgher Malays Others 4 Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 1,318,835 77.61% 170,590 10.04% 19,824 1.17% 139,743 8.22% 19,688 1.16% 22,233 1.31% 8,328 0.49% 1,699,241 100.00%
2001 1,724,459 76.60% 247,739 11.00% 24,821 1.10% 202.731 9.01% 15,703 0.70% 21,778 0.97% 14,043 0.62% 2,251,274 100.00%
2012 1,778,971 76.54% 235.090 10.11% 24,289 1.04% 249,609 10.74% 13.306 0.57% 14,444 0.62% 8,640 0.37% 2,324,349 100.00%
Source: Sri Lanka censuses in 1981, 2001 and 2012

1 lowland and Kandy Sinhalese together
2 Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils separately
3 only Sri Lankan moors
4 thereof 2001 1,499 Sri Lankan Chetties and 767 Bharathas; 2012 915 Sri Lankan Chetties and 690 Bharathas

Population of the district by confession

The distribution of creeds is largely a reflection of ethnic relationships. However, on closer inspection, there are significant differences from the rest of the country. It is true that Buddhism is in the majority because of the Sinhalese majority of the population. But far more than 100,000 Sinhalese belong to the Christian minority. This is particularly evident in the Moratuwa division. 94.33% of the total population are Sinhalese there. But only 68.21% of the population are Buddhists and 27.56% are Christians . Despite numerous re-migrations - from Christianity to Buddhism - by Sinhalese in the past two hundred years, Christianity was therefore the second most powerful religion until 2001. They have now been overtaken by Islam , to which the Moors and Malays belong. The Hinduism , which belongs to the majority of Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils, is only the fourth largest religious community in the Colombo district.

year Buddhists Hindus Muslims Catholics other Christs Other Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 1,196,964 70.44% 130.215 7.66% 168,863 9.94% 159,947 9.41% 40,598 2.39% 2,654 0.16% 1,699,241 100.00%
2001 1,578,248 70.10% 194.743 8.65% 241,944 10.75% 181.920 8.08% 51,334 2.28% 3,085 0.14% 2,251,274 100.00%
2012 1,632,225 70.22% 186.454 8.02% 274.087 11.79% 162.314 6.98% 66,994 2.88% 2,275 0.10% 2,324,349 100.00%
Source: Sri Lanka censuses in 1981, 2001 and 2012

Population development

The population of the Colombo district has grown weakly by Sri Lankan standards since the turn of the millennium. In the period from 2001 to 2012 (the last two census years) the increase was only 73,075 people. This is a growth of 3.24%. Since independence, the population within the boundaries of the old district has increased by 170%.

Note: for the sake of clarity, the total population of the districts of Colombo and Gampaha (1978 separately) is shown in the table.

And also the data from 1981:

Significant places

Sri Jayawardenepura Kesbewa Moratuwa Dehivala-Mount Lavinia Maharagama Kaduwela Colombo

Other big places are Battaramulla , Homagama , Kolonnawa , Kotikawatta , Maharagama and Mulleriyama .

history

The district was divided with the district reform of August 31, 1978. The Gampaha district was created from parts of the previous Colombo district .

Local administration

The head of the district holds the title of District Secretary. The district is further divided into thirteen divisions (under a Division Secretary). The cities and larger towns have their own administration (municipal parliament or council). There are 557 village administrations (Grama Niladharis) for the 804 villages in the entire district.

The DS Divisions in Colombo District
Surname main place Residents
2012		 Area
in km² 		density GN Villages
Colombo Colombo 323.257 18th 17,959 35 0
Dehiwala Dehiwala 88,962 8th 11,120 15th 0
Hanwella Hanwella 113,807 150 759 68 214
Homagama Homagama 237.905 121 1,966 81 93
Kaduwela Malabe 252.041 88 2,864 57 259
Kesbewa Piliyandala 245.232 64 3,832 73 0
Kolonnawa Kolonnawa 191,687 28 6,846 46 104
Maharagama Maharagama 196.423 38 5,169 41 49
Moratuwa Moratuwa 168,280 20th 8,414 42 0
Padukka Padukka 65,267 110 593 46 85
Rathmalana Rathmalana 95.506 13 7,347 13 0
Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte Rajagiriya 107,925 17th 6,349 20th 0
Thimbirigasyaya Narahempita 238.057 24 9,919 20th 0
Colombo district Colombo 2,324,349 676 3,438 557 804

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Final result of the 2012 census
  2. ^ Map of the ethnic distribution after the 2012 census
  3. ^ Colombo district data after the 2012 census
  4. ^ Department of Census and Statistics Statistical Office of Sri Lanka
  5. ^ Map of religious distribution after the 2012 census
  6. ^ Colombo district data after the 2012 census
  7. ↑ Handbook of the District of Colombo 2011, Table 1.1
  8. ^ Statoids, Administrative Units of Sri Lanka
  9. ↑ Colombo District Handbook 2011, Table 1.5

Web links

Commons : Colombo District  - Collection of images, videos and audio files