Trincomalee (District)

Trincomalee district ; තිරිකුණාමළය දිස්ත්රික්කය ; திருகோணமலை மாவட்டம்
Province :	Eastern Province
Administrative headquarters :	Trincomalee
Area :	2,727 km²
of which land area:	2,529 km²
of which inland waters:	198 km²
Residents :	379541
Population density :	150 people / km²

8.57508 81.229477Coordinates: 8 ° 35 ' N , 81 ° 14' E

Trincomalee ( Sinhala තිරිකුණාමළය දිස්ත්රික්කය Trikuṇāmalaya distrikkaya ; Tamil திருகோணமலை மாவட்டம் Tirukŏṇamalai Māvaṭṭam ) is a district in the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka . The main town is Trincomalee .

geography

The Trincomalee district is located on the east coast of Sri Lanka on the Bay of Bengal and is part of the Eastern Province . Neighboring districts are Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa in the south, Anuradhapura in the west, Mullaitivu in the north and the Indian Ocean in the east.

The Trincomalee District covers an area of 2,727 square kilometers (of which 2,529 square kilometers are land and 198 square kilometers are inland water). This makes it the eleventh largest district in Sri Lanka in terms of area.

population

According to the 2012 census, the Trincomalee district has 379,541 residents. With 150 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density is well below the Sri Lankan average (325 inhabitants per square kilometer). Of the residents, 187,472 (49.39%) were male and 192,069 (50.61%) 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	80,659	76,955	60,597	55,693	43,153	33,421	26,774	2,289
proportion of	21.25%	20.28%	15.97%	14.67%	11.37%	8.81%	7.05%	0.60%

Historical population development

Until the end of the British colonial era, Hindu Tamils formed the majority of the population in what is now the district. The Moors, who also speak Tamil, made up a significant minority. Smaller minorities were the Sinhalese and Burgher.

District population by ethnic group

Historical population development of the Trincomalee district by ethnic group from 1827 to 1971

Year ¹	Muslims ²		Tamils ³		Sinhalese		Other		Total
Year ¹	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1827	3,245	16.94%	15,663	81.76%	250	1.30%	0	0.00%	19,158	100.00%
1881	5,746	25.89%	14.304	64.44%	935	4.21%	1,212	5.46%	22,197	100.00%
1891	6,426	24.96%	17.117	66.49%	1.105	4.29%	1,097	4.26%	25,745	100.00%
1901	8,258	29.04%	17,060	59.98%	1,203	4.23%	1,920	6.75%	28,441	100.00%
1911	9,700	32.60%	17,233	57.92%	1,138	3.82%	1,684	5.66%	29,755	100.00%
1921	12,846	37.66%	18,580	54.47%	1,501	4.40%	1,185	3.47%	34,112	100.00%
1946	23,219	30.58%	33,795	44.51%	11.606	15.29%	7,306	9.62%	75,926	100.00%
1953	28,616	34.10%	37,517	44.71%	15,296	18.23%	2,488	2.96%	83.917	100.00%
1963	40,775	29.43%	54,452	39.30%	39,925	28.82%	3,401	2.45%	138,553	100.00%
1971	59,924	31.83%	71,749	38.11%	54,744	29.08%	1,828	0.97%	188.245	100.00%
Source:

¹ except 1827 all census results ² Moors and Malays together ³ Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils together

District population by ethnic group in 1981, 2007 and 2012

The two Tamil-speaking ethnic groups, the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Moors, together make up the clear majority of the total population (72.57%). The number of Sinhalese has increased significantly since independence.

Moors The Moors, or Tamil-speaking Muslims, are the largest population group. They form the majority of the population in the divisions Kinniya (95.75%), Kuchchaveli (64.10%), Muttur (61.92%) and Thambalagamuwa (56.79%). They make up significant minorities in the Seruvila (17.83%), Kanthale (Kantalai; 16.25%), Morawewa (15.78%) and Trincomalee Town and Gravets (13.38%) divisions. In contrast, only a few members of their ethnic group live in three of the eleven divisions. Their share ranges between 0.01% in Padavi Sri Pura and 95.75% in Kinniya.

Sri Lankan Tamils The Sri Lankan Tamils make up the second largest population group. In the two administrative areas (divisions) Verugal (Echchilampattu; 98.88%) and Trincomalee Town and Gravets (62.86%) they are the majority population. They are each significant minorities in Muttur (36.99%) and Kuchchaveli (31.62%). They make up noteworthy but smaller minorities in the Morawewa, Seruvila and Thambalagamuwa divisions. In four of eleven areas, however, only a few members of their ethnic group live. Their share ranges between 0.17% in Padavi Sri Pura and 98.88% in Verugal (Echchilampattu).

Sinhalese Only a small minority of the inhabitants of the Trincomalee district were formerly Sinhalese . Today they are the third largest ethnic group. They make up the majority of the population in the administrative areas (divisions) Padavi Sri Pura (99.81%), Gomarankadawala (99.53%), Kanthale (Kantalai; 80.19%), Morawewa (72.31%) and Seruvila (65, 03%). They are significant minorities in Thambalagamuwa (23.87%) and Trincomalee Town and Gravets (21.75%). There are only a few members of their ethnic group in the remaining four divisions. Their share ranges between 0.38% in Kinniya and 99.81% in Padavi Sri Pura.

Burgher There are only a few members of this ethnic group in almost all divisions. Their share fluctuates between 0% in two divisions and 0.08% in Thambalagamuwa. An exception is the Trincomalee Town and Gravets, where they make up 863 of the 97,487 residents and make up 0.89% of the total population.

Indian Tamils The Tamils of Indian origin are a small minority. They make up a significant proportion of the population only in the Trincomalee Town and Gravets division with 731 people (0.75%).

year	Sinhalese ¹		Sri Lankan Tamils ²		Tamils ²		Moors ³		Burgher		Malays		Other		Total
year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1981	85.503	33.41%	87,760	34.29%	5,372	2.10%	75,039	29.32%	1,169	0.46%	831	0.32%	274	0.11%	255.948	100.00%
2007	84,766	25.35%	95,652	28.61%	490	0.15%	151,692	45.37%	967	0.29%	327	0.10%	469	0.14%	334.363	100.00%
2012	101,483	26.74%	116.646	30.73%	1,227	0.32%	158,771	41.83%	966	0.25%	356	0.09%	92	0.02%	379,541	100.00%
Source: Sri Lankan censuses in 1981 and 2012

¹ lowland and Kandy Sinhalese together ² Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils separately ³ only Sri Lankan moors

Since parts of the district were under the control of the LTTE in 2001, no district-wide census took place at the time. This was made up for in 2007.

Population of the district by confession

The distribution of creeds is a reflection of ethnic relationships. The Islam , which includes the Moors and Malays, the majority religion. The second largest religious group is Hinduism , to which the majority of Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils belong. Almost all Sinhalese residents of Trincomalee are Buddhist . The only exception is Christianity , which besides the Burghern a minority of the Tamils belong. But only in the Trincomalee Town and Gravets division is there a significant minority of 16.36%.

year	Buddhists		Hindus		Muslims		Catholics		other Christs		Other		Total
year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1981	82,602	32.27%	80,843	31.59%	76,404	29.85%	14.303	5.59%	1,280	0.50%	516	0.20%	255.948	100.00%
2012	99,344	26.17%	98,442	25.94%	159,418	42.00%	14,493	3.82%	7,774	2.05%	70	0.02%	379,541	100.00%
Source: Sri Lankan censuses in 1981 and 2012; no data for 2001 and 2007

Population development

Significant places

The only large towns are Trincomalee (2012: 48,351 inhabitants) and Kinniya (2012: 36,772 inhabitants).

Local administration

The head of the district holds the title of District Secretary. The district is further divided into eleven divisions (under a Division Secretary). The cities and larger towns have their own administration (municipal parliament or council). There are 230 village administrations (Grama Niladharis) for the 542 villages in the entire district.

The DS Divisions in Trincomalee District
Surname	main place	Residents 2012	Area in km²	density	GN	Villages
Eachchalampaththu (Verugal)	Verugal	11,409	98.0	116	9	21st
Gomarankadawala	Gomarankadawala	7,382	285.0	26th	10	41
Kanthalai	Kanthalai	46,802	397.3	118	23	38
Kinniya	Kinniya	64,613	146.9	440	31	68
Kuchchaveli	Kuchchaveli	33,218	313.3	106	24	64
Morawewa	Morawewa	7,968	322.4	25th	10	34
Mutthur	Mutthur	56,621	179.4	316	42	90
Padavi Padavi Sri Pura	Siripura	11,882	217.1	55	10	22nd
Seruwila	Seruwila	13,632	377.0	36	17th	32
Thambalagamuwa	Thambalagamuwa	28,527	244.4	117	12	49
Trincomalee Town & Gravets	Trincomalee	97,487	148.0	659	42	83
Trincomalee District	Trincomalee	379,541	2,529	150	230	542

history

Because of its location on the east coast, the 2004 earthquake-triggered tsunami hit the coast with full force. According to official reports, 967 people died in Batticaloa district at that time. Another 126,679 were left homeless and some injuries were caused.