Kandy (District)
Coordinates: 7 ° 18 ' N , 80 ° 38' E
Kandy District මහනුවර දිස්ත්රික්කය கண்டி மாவட்டம் |
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Province : | Central Province |
Administrative headquarters : | Kandy |
Area : | 1,940 km² |
of which land area: | 1,917 km² |
of which inland waters: | 23 km² |
Residents : | 1375382 |
Population density : | 717 inhabitants / km² |
Website : | District website |
Kandy ( Sinhala මහනුවර දිස්ත්රික්කය Mahanuvara distrikkaya ; Tamil கண்டி மாவட்டம் Kant māvaṭṭam ) is a district of Central Province in Sri Lanka . The main town is Kandy .
geography
The Kandy District is located in the center of the island and is part of the Central Province . Neighboring districts are Kurunegala in the northwest, Matale in the north, Badulla in the east, Nuwara Eliya in the south and Kegalle in the west.
The Kandy district covers an area of 1,940 square kilometers (of which 1,917 square kilometers are land and 23 square kilometers are inland water). This puts it in 16th place among the districts of Sri Lanka in terms of area.
population
According to the 2012 census, the Kandy district has 1,375,382 residents. With 717 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density is well above the Sri Lankan average (325 inhabitants per square kilometer). Of the residents, 655,791 (47.68%) were male and 719,591 (52.32%) 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 | 237,346 | 223,587 | 195.243 | 191.964 | 180.884 | 160.325 | 165.702 | 20,331 |
proportion of | 17.26% | 16.26% | 14.20% | 13.96% | 13.15% | 11.66% | 12.05% | 1.48% |
District population by ethnic group
The Sinhalese make up the majority of the population of the Kandy district. But there are large minorities of other ethnic groups.
Sinhalese
More than 70% of the residents belong to the Sinhalese ethnic group . In sixteen out of twenty divisions they make up the majority of the population. In the Akurana, Delthota, Panwila and Pasbage Korale divisions, they are in the minority compared to the other ethnic groups. But only in Akurana and Panwila are they only the second largest ethnic group. The Udapalatha division (55.91% Sinhalese) is also ethnically mixed. The Sinhalese population ranges between 29.75% in Akurana and 99.28% in Minipe.
Moors
The second largest ethnic group and thus the largest minority are the Moors or Tamil-speaking Muslims. They form the largest group in the Akurana division (63.43%). Also in the divisions Delthota (24.77% Moors), Udunuwara (24.37%), Pathadumbara (22.64%), Udapalatha (22.04%), Poojapitiya (16.33%) and Pasbage Korale (14, 49%) they are represented well above average. In the two divisions Minipe and Udadumbara, however, only a few members of their ethnic group live. Their share ranges between 0.60% in Minipe and 63.43% in Akurana.
Indian Tamils
The Tamils of Indian descent are descendants of immigrants from India during British colonial rule. At the 1946 census, their proportion of the population in Kandy District was 29.2%. This figure rose to 30.2% (or 255,914 people) in 1953 and slowly decreased to 24.1% (or 286,225 people) by 1971. In the 1970s, many members of this ethnic group had to turn their backs on Sri Lanka and move to India. Therefore, the 1981 census only counted 98,436 members of their community (1971–1981: - 187,789 or - 65.6%). Today they are still represented well above average in the Panwila (49.50% Indian Tamils), Pasbage Korale (29.34%) and Delthota (21.21%) divisions. Their share ranges between 0.01% in Minipe and 49.50% in Panwila.
Sri Lankan Tamils
The Sri Lankan Tamils are only the fourth largest ethnic group. They are particularly well represented in the Delthota (13.78% Sri Lankan Tamils) and Kandy Four Gravets & Gangawata Korale (9.59%) divisions. With the exception of the Minipe division, they live in all twenty divisions. Their share ranges between 0.09% in Minipe and 13.78% in Delthota.
Other ethnic groups
The Malays, Burghers, Sri Lankan Chetties and Bharathas are small minorities. They live in all divisions in Kandy District. However, numerous members of the Burgher (916 people or 38.4% of their ethnic group) and Malays (901 people or 36.9% of their ethnic group) are at home in the Kandy Four Gravets & Gangawata Korale division. The ethnic group of the Indian Moors has almost completely disappeared (in 1946 still 0.65% of the residents or 4,600 people).
year | Sinhalese 1 | Sri Lankan Tamils 2 | Tamils 2 | Moors 3 | Burgher | Malays | Others 4 | total | ||||||||
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No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
1981 | 778.801 | 74.29% | 52,791 | 5.04% | 98,436 | 9.39% | 109,779 | 10.47% | 2.122 | 0.20% | 2,755 | 0.26% | 3,633 | 0.35% | 1,048,317 | 100.00% |
2001 | 947.900 | 74.11% | 52.052 | 4.07% | 103,622 | 8.10% | 168.049 | 13.14% | 2.128 | 0.17% | 2,668 | 0.21% | 2,609 | 0.20% | 1,279,028 | 100.00% |
2012 | 1,023,488 | 74.41% | 69.210 | 5.03% | 85.111 | 6.19% | 191,570 | 13.93% | 2,384 | 0.17% | 2,444 | 0.18% | 1,175 | 0.09% | 1,375,382 | 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 349 Sri Lankan Chetties and 49 Bharathas; 2012 91 Sri Lanka Chetties and 33 Bharathas
Population of the district by confession
The distribution of creeds is largely a reflection of ethnic relationships. The Buddhism is the largest religious group because of the Sinhalese majority. In second place is Islam , to which the Moors and Malays belong. The Hinduism , the Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils, the majority of plays, is only the third largest religious community in the district of Kandy. Despite numerous re-migrations - from Christianity to Buddhism - by Sinhalese in the past two hundred years, Christianity outnumbered Burgher and Sri Lankan Chetties. Several thousand Sinhala Christians live in the Kandy Four Gravets & Gangawata Korale division. There are also around 20,000 Tamil Christians across the district. Nevertheless, Christianity is only the fourth largest religious community in the district.
year | Buddhists | Hindus | Muslims | Catholics | other Christs | Other | total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
1981 | 771.435 | 73.59% | 132.943 | 12.68% | 115.941 | 11.06% | 20,067 | 1.91% | 7,498 | 0.72% | 433 | 0.04% | 1,048,317 | 100.00% |
2001 | 937.001 | 73.26% | 134,438 | 10.51% | 173,590 | 13.57% | 23,232 | 1.82% | 10,330 | 0.81% | 437 | 0.03% | 1,279,028 | 100.00% |
2012 | 1.009.220 | 73.38% | 133,744 | 9.72% | 197.076 | 14.33% | 22,379 | 1.63% | 12.798 | 0.93% | 165 | 0.01% | 1,375,382 | 100.00% |
Source: Sri Lanka censuses in 1981, 2001 and 2012 |
Population development
Since the turn of the millennium, the population of the Kandy district has grown below average for Sri Lankan standards. The population fell between 1971 and 1981 because many Tamils and Moors of Indian origin were forced to emigrate at the time. In the period from 2001 to 2012 (the last two census years) the increase was 96,354 people. This is a growth of 7.53%. Since independence, the population has only increased by 93.3%.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/timeline/fff9522b979732662f114e4c5ebe7f0f.png)
Significant places
The district is rural. Only Kandy has a big city character. Gampola is a medium-sized city and the next two largest cities are already small towns.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/timeline/738d4df1e94938ad548759065aa8866c.png)
administration
The head of the district holds the title of District Secretary. The district is further divided into twenty divisions (under a Division Secretary). The cities and larger towns have their own administration (municipal parliament or council). There are 1,188 village administrations (Grama Niladharis) for the 2,758 villages in the entire district.
Surname | main place | Residents 2012 |
Area in km² |
density | GN | Villages |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akurana | Akurana | 63,397 | 31 | 2,045 | 35 | 90 |
Delthota | Karagaskada North | 30,345 | 49 | 619 | 29 | 72 |
Doluwa | Doluwa | 49,842 | 95 | 525 | 33 | 137 |
Ganga Ihala Korale | Malwatthagama | 55,254 | 94 | 588 | 31 | 145 |
Harispattuwa | Nugawela | 88,177 | 49 | 1,800 | 84 | 139 |
Hatharaliyadda | Hatharaliyadda | 29,986 | 62 | 484 | 57 | 122 |
Kandy Four Gravets & Gangawata Korale | Kandy | 158,561 | 59 | 2,687 | 64 | 92 |
Kundasale | Maharathenna East | 127.070 | 81 | 1,569 | 80 | 253 |
Medadumbara | Vilamuna | 61,034 | 196 | 311 | 94 | 222 |
Minipe | Hasalaka | 51,883 | 250 | 208 | 48 | 110 |
Panwila | Panvila | 26,294 | 93 | 283 | 14th | 57 |
Pasbage Korale | Balanthota North | 59,917 | 122 | 491 | 29 | 92 |
Pathadumbara | Pitiyegedara | 88,725 | 51 | 1,740 | 52 | 126 |
Pathahewaheta | Thalathuoya East | 58,188 | 84 | 693 | 73 | 212 |
Pujapitiya | Palipana | 57,914 | 59 | 982 | 67 | 125 |
Thumpane | Haddapitiya | 37,642 | 54 | 697 | 67 | 135 |
Udadumbara | Kirigankubura | 22,505 | 277 | 81 | 63 | 102 |
Udapalatha | Angammana West | 91,716 | 94 | 976 | 49 | 131 |
Udunuwara | Dawulagala | 110.905 | 68 | 1,631 | 124 | 244 |
Yatinuwara | Akmimana South | 106.027 | 72 | 1,473 | 95 | 152 |
Kandy District | Kandy | 1,375,382 | 1,940 | 717 | 1,188 | 2,758 |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Final result of the 2012 census
- ^ Map of the ethnic distribution after the 2012 census
- ↑ Kandy district data based on the 2012 census
- ^ Map of religious distribution after the 2012 census
- ↑ Kandy district data based on the 2012 census
- ↑ Kandy District website
- ^ Statoids, Administrative Areas of Sri Lanka
- ↑ Kandy District Handbook 2011, Table 1.5
Web links
- Website of the district (English)