owing the formation of the People's Alliance Party (PEP)
Other political or pressure groups:
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other smaller Tamil
separatist groups; other radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups; Buddhist
clergy; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups; labor unions
Member of:
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ananda W.P. GURUGE
chancery:
2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 483-4025 through 4028
FAX:
(202) 232-7181
consulate(s):
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Teresita C. SCHAFFER
embassy:
210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address:
P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone:
[94] (1) 44-80-07
FAX:
[94] (1) 57-42-64
Flag:
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal
vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a
large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there
is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a
border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two
panels

@Sri Lanka, Economy

Overview:
Industry - dominated by the fast-growing apparel industry - has
surpassed agriculture as the main source of export earnings and
accounts for over 16% of GDP. The economy has been plagued by high
rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth, which has
been depressed by ethnic unrest, accelerated in 1991-93 as domestic
conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment
brightened.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $53.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$3,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
15% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$2.3 billion
expenditures:
$3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (1993)
Exports:
$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
garments and textiles, teas, gems, petroleum products, coconuts,
rubber, other agricultural products, marine products, graphite
partners:
US 33.4%, Germany, UK, Ne