Matara, Sri Lanka
| Matara මාතර மாத்தறை |
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 Matara
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| Coordinates: 5°57′N 80°32′E / 5.950°N 80.533°ECoordinates: 5°57′N 80°32′E / 5.950°N 80.533°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Southern |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Council |
| • Mayor | Sosindra Handunge |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 13 km2 (5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2 m (7 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • City | 68,244 |
| • Density | 5,841/km2 (15,130/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Matarians |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
| Postal code | 81xxx |
| Area code(s) | 041 |
Matara (Sinhala: මාතර, Tamil: மாத்தறை) (originally Mahathota) is a major city in Sri Lanka, located in the southern coast of Southern Province, Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the major commercial hubs in the country and it is the administrative capital of Matara District. [1] It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.
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History [edit]
Matara historically belongs to the area called Ruhuna, one of the three kingdoms in Sri Lanka (Thun Sinhalaya). The temple in the middle of the town is also built by ancient kings and now it is a very popular sacred place among the Buddhists in the area. In 16th and 18th centuries Matara was ruled by Portuguese and Dutch respectively. The culture and architecture can be still seen in the area. The popular light house in Point Dondra was built by the Dutch and it is considered as one of the most beautiful and oldest light houses in Sri Lanka. The two fortresses built by Portuguese and Dutch can be found inside the city of Matara. Other important works done by Dutch are the St. Marie's church and the market place in Nupe junction.
Most famous intellects lived in the area are Kumaratunga Munidasa and Gajaman Nona. The ethnic majority of Matara is Sinhala, during 16th and 17th centuries Moors arrived into the area as traders from Arabia, and today their descendants coexist with Sinhalese peacefully as an ethnic minority.
Education [edit]
Universities [edit]
Schools [edit]
- St.Thomas' College, established in 1844.
- St. Servatius College, established in 1897.
- St. Mary's Convent Matara established in 1908. Private school.
- Sujatha Vidyalaya, established in 1929.
- Rahula College, established in 1923.
- Matara Central College, Matara, Sri Lanka, established in 1932.
- St. Thomas' Girls' High School
- Ilma College
Economy and Infrastructure [edit]
Transport [edit]
Matara is the terminus of Sri Lanka Railways' Coast line, though an extension to Kataragama is under construction.
Matara is a major transport hub in the country. It is served by the A2 highway, which runs through the city. It is also planned to be the southern terminus of stage 2 of the E01 expressway.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
External links [edit]
- Matara in Sri Lankan Village Directory
- History of Matara City
- District Secretariat - Matara
- MSN Map
- Matara in Viki.lk
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