Nuwara Eliya (District)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 6 ° 58 '  N , 80 ° 46'  E

Nuwara Eliya
District නුවරඑළිය දිස්ත්‍රික්කය
நுவரெலியா மாவட்டம்
District map
Province : Central Province
Administrative headquarters : Nuwara Eliya
Area : 1,741 km²
of which land area: 1,706 km²
of which inland waters: 35 km²
Residents : 711644
Population density : 417 inhabitants / km²
Website : District website

Nuwara Eliya ( Sinhala නුවරඑළිය දිස්ත්රික්කය nuvara eliya distrikkaya ; Tamil நுவரெலியா மாவட்டம் Nuvarĕliyā māvaṭṭam ) is a district of Central Province in Sri Lanka . The main town is Nuwara Eliya .

geography

The Nuwara Eliya district is located in the center of the island and belongs to the central province . Neighboring districts are Kandy in the north, Badulla in the east, Ratnapura in the south and Kegalle in the west.

Nuwara Eliya District covers an area of ​​1,741 square kilometers (of which 1,706 square kilometers are land and 35 square kilometers are inland water). This puts it in 17th place among the districts of Sri Lanka in terms of area.

population

According to the 2012 census, the Nuwara Eliya district has 711,644 inhabitants. With 417 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density is well above the average for Sri Lanka (325 inhabitants per square kilometer). Of the residents, 340,347 (47.83%) were male and 371,297 (52.17%) 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 137,828 116,856 100,758 101,384 90.113 80,750 77,740 6.215
proportion of 19.37% 16.42% 14.16% 14.25% 12.66% 11.35% 10.92% 0.87%

District population by ethnic group

The Indian Tamils ​​make up the majority of the population of the Nuwara Eliya district. But there are large minorities of other ethnic groups.

Indian Tamils

The Tamils ​​of Indian descent are descendants of immigrants from India during British colonial rule. At the 1946 census, their population in Nuwara Eliya District was 57.3%. At the next census in 1953, their proportion was even higher at 192,578 people or 59.2%. In contrast to many other Sri Lankan districts, the members of the ethnic group remained in the country to this day. Only in 1981 they did not form the majority of the population. Today they make up the majority of the population in the Ambagamuwa (71.60% Indian Tamils) and Nuwara Eliya (70.48%) divisions. They are also strongly represented in the Kothmale (36.40% Indian Tamils) and Walapane (33.81%) divisions. Only in the Hanguranketha division (9.97%) is their share very well below the average. Their share ranges between 9.97% in Hanguranketha and 71.60% in Ambagamuwa.

Sinhalese

Almost 40% of the residents belong to the Sinhalese ethnic group . In three of the five divisions they make up the majority of the population. But only in the Hanguranketha division are they clearly dominant with 86.35% of the population. In the Walapane (62.98% Sinhalese) and Kothmale (52.58%) divisions, their majority is smaller. They are only the second largest ethnic group in the divisions Ambagamuwa (21.59% Sinhalese) and Nuwara Eliya (20.00%). The Sinhala population ranges from 20.00% in Nuwara Eliya to 86.35% in Hanguranketha.

Sri Lankan Tamils

The Sri Lankan Tamils are only the third largest ethnic group. They are represented above average in the divisions Ambagamuwa (4.42% Sri Lankan Tamils) and Nuwara Eliya (6.55%). However, numerous members of their ethnic group also live in the other three divisions. Their share ranges between 2.38% in Walapane and 6.55% in Nuwara Eliya.

Moors

Only the fourth largest ethnic group are the Moors or Tamil-speaking Muslims. They are a significant group of the population in the Kothmale division (6.80% Moors). Only a few members of their ethnic group live in the two divisions Hanguranketha and Walapane. Their share ranges between 0.15% in Hanguranketha and 6.80% in Kothmale.

Other ethnic groups

The Malays, Burghers, Sri Lankan Chetties and Bharathas are small minorities. They live in all divisions of Nuwara Eliya District. However, numerous members of the Burgher (422 people or 55.5% of their ethnic group) and Malays (323 people or 59.5% of their ethnic group) are at home in the Nuwara Eliya division. The ethnic group of the Indian Moors has almost completely disappeared (in 1946 0.46% of the inhabitants or around 1,200 people).

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 254.375 42.14% 76,449 12.67% 257.478 42.66% 12.163 2.02% 696 0.12% 1,136 0.19% 1,280 0.21% 603,577 100.00%
2001 282,621 40.17% 46,066 6.55% 355.830 50.57% 16,555 2.35% 632 0.09% 1,059 0.15% 847 0.12% 703.610 100.00%
2012 282.053 39.63% 32,563 4.58% 377,637 53.07% 17,652 2.48% 761 0.11% 543 0.08% 435 0.06% 711,644 100.00%
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 108 Sri Lankan Chetties and 26 Bharathas; 2012 75 Sri Lanka Chetties and 11 Bharathas

Population of the district by confession

The distribution of creeds is largely a reflection of ethnic relationships. The Hinduism , the Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils, the majority of plays, is in the district of Nuwara Eliya today the strongest faith. The Buddhism , which belongs to the majority Sinhalese after, follows on rank two. 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 entire district. Over 70% of these Sinhala Christians live in the Nuwara Eliya Division. The number of Tamil Christians is significantly higher across the district with almost 50,000 people. Nearly 20,000 Tamil Christians each live in the Nuwara Eliya and Ambagamuwa divisions. Because of you, Christianity is the third largest religious community in the district. Only fourth is Islam , to which the Moors and Malay belong.

year Buddhists Hindus Muslims Catholics other Christs Other Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 251.247 41.63% 303,571 50.30% 14,902 2.47% 28,382 4.70% 5,312 0.88% 163 0.03% 603,577 100.00%
2001 279.139 39.67% 359.135 50.10% 19,099 2.71% 35.008 4.98% 10,741 1.53% 488 0.07% 703.610 100.00%
2012 278.254 39.10% 363.163 51.03% 21,116 2.97% 33,476 4.70% 15,508 2.18% 127 0.02% 711,644 100.00%
Source: Sri Lanka censuses in 1981, 2001 and 2012

Population development

The population of the Nuwara Eliya district has barely increased since the turn of the millennium. In the period from 2001 to 2012 (the last two census years) the increase was only 8,034 people. This is a growth of 1.14%. Since independence, however, the population has increased significantly (+ 165%).

Significant places

The district is rural. The only place of importance is Nuwara Eliya with (2012) 23,804 inhabitants.

administration

The head of the district holds the title of District Secretary. The district is further divided into five divisions (under a Division Secretary). The cities and larger towns have their own administration (municipal parliament or council). There are 491 village administrations (Grama Niladharis) for the 1,134 villages in the entire district.

The DS Divisions in Nuwara Eliya District
Surname main place Residents
2012		 Area
in km²		 density GN Villages
Ambagamuwa Ginigattena 205.723 489 421 67 196
Hanguranketha Hanguranketha 88,528 229 387 131 296
Kothmale Kothmale 101.180 225 450 96 249
Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya 212.094 478 444 72 99
Walapane Nildandahinna 104.119 320 325 125 294
Nuwara Eliya District Nuwara Eliya 711,644 1,706 417 491 1,134

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Final result of the 2012 census
  2. ^ Map of the ethnic distribution after the 2012 census
  3. ↑ Nuwara Eliya District Data after the 2012 Census, page 3
  4. ^ Map of religious distribution after the 2012 census
  5. ↑ Nuwara Eliya district data based on the 2012 census
  6. ↑ Nuwara Eliya District Handbook 2011, Table 1.1
  7. ^ Statoids, Administrative Areas of Sri Lanka

Web links

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