C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Warnasena RASAPUTRAM consulate(s): New York
[1] (202) 232-7181 telephone: Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
E. Ashley WILLS embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address:
P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345

Flag description: 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 around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview: In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies
and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies
and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications,
and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of
exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted
for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s
until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth
to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth
of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history,
due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems,
the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services:
52% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 6.6 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: services 45%,