Ampara

Ampara
අම්පාර
அம்பாறை
Town

Ampara Clock Tower
Ampara
Coordinates: 7°17′0″N 81°40′0″E / 7.28333°N 81.66667°E / 7.28333; 81.66667
Country Sri Lanka
Province Eastern
District Ampara
Government
  Type Urban Council
  Chairman Indika Naleen Jayavikrama (UPFA)
Population (2012)
  Total 43,720[1]
Time zone Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30)

Ampara (Sinhalese: අම්පාර, Tamil: அம்பாறை) is the main town of Ampara District, governed by an Urban Council. It is located in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo.

Most of the civilians in the town are Sinhala. In 2001, there were 20,152 people in the town limit and 96% of them were Sinhalese. Buddhism was the predominant religion, practiced by 93%.

History

This was a hunters' resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the Galoya scheme from 1949 by the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a town. Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative town of the Galoya Valley.

Maps

References

  1. "Statistical Information". Ampara District Secretriat. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2015.


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