Group
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, native to the island of Sri Lanka.
They constitute 74% of the Sri Lankan population and number approximately 15 million.
The Sinhalese identity is based on language, historical heritage and religion.
The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language, and are predominantly Theravada Buddhists, although a small but significant percentage of Sinhalese follow branches of Christianity.
The Sinhalese are mostly found in North central, Central, South and West Sri Lanka.
According to legend they are the descendants of the exiled Prince Vijaya who arrived from North-East India to Sri Lanka in 543 BCE.
Member Cities
- Ambalantota Southern Sri Lanka Location
- Anuradhapura North Central Sri Lanka Location
- Avissawella > Sitawaka Western Sri Lanka Location
- Cochin > Kochi Kerala India Location
- Colombo Western Sri Lanka Location
- Dambulla cave temple Central Sri Lanka Location
- Jaffna North Eastern Sri Lanka Location
- Kandy Central Sri Lanka Location
- Kegalla Sabaragumuwa Sri Lanka Location
- Korkai Tamil Nadu India Location
- Kotte > Sri Jayawardenapura Western Sri Lanka Location
- Madras > Chennai Tamil Nadu India Location
- Madurai Tamil Nadu India Location
- Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port Southern Sri Lanka Location
- Nallur North Eastern Sri Lanka Location
- Pagan Mandalay Myanmar Location
- Polonnaruwa North Central Sri Lanka Location
- Tanjore > Thanjavur Tamil Nadu India Location
- Trincomalee North Eastern Sri Lanka Location