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Province North Central Province
Largest City Anuradhapura
Total Area 7,179 km2 (2,772 sq mi)
Total Population 856,232
Density 120/km2 (310/sq mi)
Sinhalese 676,073 (90.66%)
Sri Lankan Tamil 5,073 (0.68%)
Sri Lankan Moor 61,989 (8.31%)
Indian Tamil 443 (0.06%)
Burgher 179 (0.02%)
Sri Lankan Malay 279 (0.04%)
Other 1,657 (0.22%)
Buddhism 670,963 (89.98%)
Hinduism 3,459 (0.46%)
Islam 62,797 (8.42%)
Roman Catholic 6,266 (0.84%)
Other Christian 2,073 (0.28%)
Other 135 (0.02%)

Anurathapura

Description

Anuradhapura is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. The city lies 205 km north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malvathu River.

About

Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of an ancient Sinhala civilization. It was the third capital of the kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara.

The city, now a World Heritage site, was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. The city lies 205 km (127 mi) north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malvathu River. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

Special places in Anuradhapura:

Sri Maha BodhiyaRuwanweliseyaThuparamayaLovamahapayaAbhayagiri DagabaJetavanaramaMirisavetiya ViharayaLankaramayaIsurumuniya

The population according to the 2001 census is 745,693, of whom 90.7% were Sinhalese, 8.3% Sri Lankan Moors, 0.7% native Sri Lankan Tamils and 0.1% Tamils of Indian origin. 90.0% of the population are Buddhists, 8.4% Muslim, 1.1% Christian and 0.5% Hindu.