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History of Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka Country History

YEAR

EVENT

6th cent. AD	Early Sri Lankan history recorded in the Mahavamsa chronicle, running to 1815. Record of developed Sinhalese civilization (covering present-day Sri Lanka) from 3rd century BC
3rd-12th cent.	Sinhala dominated by Tamil kings and subject to invasions from southern India
1408-1438	Island occupied by Chinese forces
1517	Trading post founded at Colombo by Portuguese
1658	Control of most of island won by the Dutch
1795	Expeditionary force sent to island by the British
1798	Island, except kingdom of Kandy, made the British Crown Colony of Ceylon; Kandy annexed in 1815
19th cent.	Tea and rubber plantations established. Abortive rebellions against British rule in 1817, 1843, and 1848. Violent rivalry between Buddhist peasants and Muslim merchants
1931	Ceylon granted a new constitution by the British allowing limited self-government
1948	Independence gained, with dominion status in the Commonwealth of Nations
1955	Ceylon admitted to the UN
1960	Law passed making Sinhalese the only official language of the island, alienating Tamil-speaking minority
1972	Name changed from Ceylon to the Republic of Sri Lanka
1983	Start of civil war between Sinhalese-dominated government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
1987	Indian troops located in northern Sri Lanka, attempting to enforce peace
1993	Assassination of two leading politicians, including President Ranasinghe Premadasa, allegedly by the LTTE. Government military base in Pooneryn seized by LTTE
1997	Government offensive launched against the LTTE, Operation Jaya Sikuru (Sure Victory)
1998	Sri Lanka’s most holy Buddhist shrine at Kandy attacked by suicide bomber, killing 11. LTTE outlawed by government
1999	General election called 11 months early. Kumaratunga re-elected president

Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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