List of islands of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Pigeon Island

Nainativu

Bone Island, Batticaloa

Kakaraitivu Island

17th century Dutch map of Sri Lanka with the Dutch names of the Jaffna islands

This is a list of islands of Sri Lanka. There are number of islands around Sri Lanka. The most prominent islets are west of the Jaffna Peninsula in the Northern Province. These group of islands also had Dutch names during the Dutch colonial period but only a few of those names are still in use today.

The nation has a total area of 65,610 km², with 64,740 km² of land and 870 km² of water. Its coastline is 1,340 km long. The main island of Sri Lanka has an area of 65,268 km² – it's the twenty-fifth largest island of the world by area. Dozens of offshore islands account for the remaining 342 km² area.

The old Prakrit-Pali-Sinhala names, found in the Pali chronicles like the Mahavamsa, have been discussed by toponymists and historians. Although they are infrequently used, we have included them in the table (under notes) due to their touristic and historical interest.

Island	Province	District	Divisional Secretariat	Coordinates	Area (km2)	Population (approx)	Notes
Ambanttativu	North Western	Puttalam		8°12′40″N 79°46′06″E	0.17		In Puttalam Lagoon Sinhala: Sambanda-doova.
Analaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands North (Kayts)	9°40′01″N 79°46′32″E	4.82	2,200	Dutch: Rotterdam, Annelletivo Sinhala: annaladoova.
Bone Island	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai North	7°45′12″N 81°41′24″E	0.02		In Batticaloa Lagoon.
Buffalo Island	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai North	7°41′23″N 81°41′58″E	5.02		In Batticaloa Lagoon.
Challitivu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Koralai Pattu North	8°06′40″N 81°27′49″E	0.09		Sinhala: Galdoova
Chirutivu (Sirutivu)	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°38′36″N 80°00′37″E	0.28		Between Mandativu and Jaffna Peninsula. Sinhala: Hiridoova
Clappenburg Island	Eastern	Trincomalee	Town & Gravets	8°31′50″N 81°12′37″E	0.05		In Koddiyar Bay.
Elephant Island	Eastern	Trincomalee	Town & Gravets	8°31′59″N 81°14′00″E	0.06		In Koddiyar Bay.
Eluvaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands North (Kayts)	9°42′03″N 79°48′38″E	1.40	800	Sinhala: Eluvadoova
Erumaitivu	Northern	Kilinochchi	Poonakary	9°20′15″N 80°03′20″E	1.04		Sinhala: Mahisadoova
Erumaitivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°16′07″N 79°46′44″E	0.90		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Mahisadoova
Great Sober Island	Eastern	Trincomalee	Town & Gravets	8°32′39″N 81°12′34″E	0.62		Wildlife sanctuary in China Bay.
Henativu/Havativu	North Western	Puttalam		7°58′22″N 79°49′09″E	0.78		In channel between Puttalam Lagoon and Mundal Lagoon. Sinhala: Haavadoova.
Ippantivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°19′49″N 79°48′22″E	0.76		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Ibbandoova.
Iranaitivu North	Northern	Kilinochchi	Poonakary	9°17′31″N 79°58′54″E	4.22		Dutch: Enkhuizen. Sinhala: Erandoova.
Iranaitivu South	Northern	Kilinochchi	Poonakary	9°16′50″N 80°00′04″E	1.71		Dutch Hoorn. Sinhala: Uoona doova.
Kachchatheevu	Northern	Jaffna	Neduntivu (Delft)	9°23′16″N 79°31′37″E	0.68		Pali: Kachchatheetha. Sinhala: Kachchadoova.
Kakaraitivu Island	Northern	Jaffna?	Neduntivu (Delft)?	9°26′23″N 79°53′14″E	0.14	Uninhabited	Dutch: Calienye. Sinhala: Sakkaradoova.
Kakkativu	Northern	Kilinochchi	Poonakary	9°19′01″N 80°04′51″E	1.10		Sinhala: Kaakadoova
Kalliaditivu	Northern	Mannar		8°56′54″N 79°54′42″E	1.71		Sinhala: Galadi doova
Kanantivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°37′33″N 79°51′26″E	1.22		Between Kayts and Pungudutivu. Sinhala: Kaennadoova.
Karaditivu	North Western	Puttalam		7°54′42″N 79°48′54″E	0.09		In channel between Puttalam Lagoon and Mundal Lagoon. Sinhala: Karadiva
Karaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°36′27″N 79°49′48″E	0.97		Adjacent (north) of Pungudutivu.
Karaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Karaitivu (Karainagar)	9°44′03″N 79°52′33″E	22.95	8,600	Dutch: Amsterdam.
Karaitivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°27′45″N 79°47′15″E			West of Portugal Bay.
Velanai	Northern	Jaffna	Islands North (Kayts) atuvan& Islands South (Velanai)	9°39′09″N 79°54′11″E	64.01	16,300	Named Leiden by Dutch. Sinhala: Uruthota (Kayts); Bellana (Velanai)
Kurikadduvan	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°35′43″N 79°47′40″E	0.38		Adjacent (north west) of Naduturitti. Sinhala: Kiralakatuvana
Little Sober Island	Eastern	Trincomalee	Town & Gravets	8°32′35″N 81°12′54″E	0.07		Wildlife sanctuary in China Bay.
Mandaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°36′48″N 79°59′44″E	7.56	900	Sinhala: Mandadoova
Mannar	Northern	Mannar	Mannar Town	9°03′10″N 79°49′42″E	126.46		Sinhala: Mannaram doopatha
Mantivu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai North	7°42′03″N 81°39′43″E	0.38		In Batticaloa Lagoon. Sinhala: Maandoova
Mantivu	North Western	Puttalam		7°55′57″N 79°49′12″E	0.50		In channel between Puttalam Lagoon and Mundal Lagoon. Sinhala: Maandoova
Maripututivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°10′33″N 79°44′59″E	0.10		In Puttalam Lagoon. Sinhala: Maliputhu diva
Marthand	Eastern	Batticaloa	Koralai Pattu North	8°06′51″N 81°26′34″E	0.18		Sinhala: Malkadola.
Mattutivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°13′02″N 79°47′00″E	0.12		In Puttalam Lagoon. Sinhala: Maddu doova
Nachuvantivu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Koralai Pattu	7°56′13″N 81°32′18″E	2.11		In Vandeloos Bay. Sinhala: Naapitadoova.
Naduturitti	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°35′05″N 79°47′54″E	0.88		Adjacent (south west) of Pungudutivu. Sinhala: Madduriththa
Nainativu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°36′15″N 79°46′04″E	4.22	2,700	Dutch: Haarlem Sinhala: Naga Deepa.
Neduntivu	Northern	Jaffna	Neduntivu (Delft)	9°30′48″N 79°41′22″E	47.17	4,200	Dutch: Delft. Sinhala: Maedundoova.
Neduntivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°14′06″N 79°46′45″E	0.10		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Maedundoova.
Oddakarentivu	North Western	Puttalam		8°16′37″N 79°45′54″E	0.20		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Uddakadoova.
Palaitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°37′22″N 79°49′10″E	0.16		Adjacent (north) of Pungudutivu.
Palaitivu	Northern	Kilinochchi	Poonakary	9°28′39″N 80°00′45″E	1.81		Named Galue by Dutch. Sinhala: Paludoova.
Paratitivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands North (Kayts)	9°41′06″N 79°47′32″E	0.38	Uninhabited	Between Analativu and Eluvaitivu. Sinhal: Sinhala: Paludoova.
Periya Arichchal	North Western	Puttalam		8°17′59″N 79°47′45″E	0.32		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Maha Arakgala.
Periya Kayankerni (Periyawattava)	Eastern	Batticaloa	Koralai Pattu	7°57′20″N 81°32′20″E	1.81		In Vandeloos Bay. Sinhala: Kaayamkaenna.
Periyativu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai South West	7°38′22″N 81°43′39″E	0.13		In Batticaloa Lagoon. Sinhala: Mahadoova.
Periyativu	North Western	Puttalam		7°56′57″N 79°48′58″E	1.10		In channel between Puttalam Lagoon and Mundal Lagoon. Sinhala: Mahadoova.
Pigeon Island (Large & Small)	Eastern	Trincomalee	Kuchaveli	8°43′20″N 81°12′15″E	0.01	Uninhabited	One of the two marine national parks of Sri Lanka.
Puliyanthivu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai North	7°42′37″N 81°41′41″E	1.56	7,034	Batticaloa city Sinhala: Kotidoova.
Puliyantivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands North (Kayts)	9°38′52″N 79°46′28″E	0.44		Adjacent (south east) of Analativu. Sinhala: Kotidoova.
Puliyantivu	Northern	Mannar		8°57′19″N 79°54′01″E	0.90		Sinhala: Kotidoova.
Pullupiddi	North Western	Puttalam		8°11′21″N 79°46′40″E	0.11		In Puttalam Lagoon. Sinhala: Kotipitiya.
Pungudutivu	Northern	Jaffna	Islands South (Velanai)	9°35′08″N 79°50′05″E	22.56	3,600	Dutch: Middleburg. Pali/Sinhala: Punguthdeepa
Round Island	Eastern	Trincomalee	Town & Gravets?	8°30′46″N 81°13′34″E	0.04		In Koddiyar Bay.
Serayativu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai West	7°39′08″N 81°42′04″E	0.46		In Batticaloa Lagoon. Sinhala: Seradoova
Sinna Arichchal	North Western	Puttalam		8°17′02″N 79°47′32″E	0.16		In Dutch Bay. Sinhala: Podi Arakgal.
Siriyativu	Eastern	Batticaloa	Manmunai Pattu	7°38′06″N 81°43′55″E	0.03		In Batticaloa Lagoon. Sinhala: Seruvadoova.
Thimilathiu west	Eastern	Batticaloa		7°42′17.40″N 81°40′37.40″E			Location of SLAF Batticaloa. Sinhala: Kevuldoova
Thorattapputti	Northern	Jaffna	Valikamam West (Chankanai)	9°44′55″N 79°54′23″E	0.14		Between Karaitivu and Jaffna Peninsula. Sinhala: Doratumukka.
Udayurputi	North Western	Puttalam		8°10′07″N 79°48′31″E	0.42		In Puttalam Lagoon. Sinhala: Udukurupoththa.

See also

• List of islands

References

• Bassett, Ralph Henry. "12 The Islands". Romantic Ceylon: its history, legend, and story. pp. 274–310. ISBN 81-206-1274-4.
• Yapa, Vijitha (1996). Francis Dorai (ed.). Insight Pocket Guides: Sri Lanka. APA Publications (HK). ISBN 962-421-644-4.
• "Sri Lanka – Island". SatelliteViews.net.
• "LK0000956 DISTRICT : Jaffna DS Division : Velanai" (PDF). Administrative Map. UN OCHA. 13 August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2007.
• "LKM0088 DISTRICT : Jaffna DS Division : Kayts" (PDF). Administrative Map. UN OCHA. 20 May 2008.