|
|
|
Province
|
Southern
|
|
|
Total Area
|
2,496 km2
|
|
|
Total Population
|
526,414
|
|
|
Density
|
211/km2
|
|
|
Ethnic
|
|
Ethnicity
|
Population
|
% Of Total
|
|
Sinhalese
|
510,965
|
97.1%
|
|
Sri Lankan Tamils
|
1,869
|
0.4%
|
|
Sri Lankan Moors
|
5,646
|
1.1%
|
|
Indian Tamils
|
424
|
0.1%
|
|
Other (including Burgher, Malay)
|
7,510
|
1.3%
|
Total
|
526,414
|
100.0%
|
|
|
Hambantota District is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern
Province. It has an area of 2,593 km² and a very dry climate. The district capital
is Hambantota town; the administrative headquarters are located there as well as
the center of salt production. Other prominent towns include Tangalle, Ambalantota,
Tissamaharamaya, and Beliatta.
Before modern development took place after the country gained independence
in 1948, the agriculture in the district was characterised by swidden cultivation
(chena or slash and burn), and to some extent paddy cultivation on non-irrigated
land. In the highlands, kurakkan - a grain used to make an eatable paste - was cultivated
along with other grains such as corn. Leonard Woolf's 'Village in the Jungle' provides
a highly interesting and insightful account of the people, the land and issues of
concern during the British Colonial period as he worked as an assistant government
agent for Hambantota. |