Galle District

Galle District
Galle (gālla distrikkaya; Kāli māvattam) is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary (previously known as a Government Agent) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka.
Geological background
Its area is : is water and is land. Galle District bounded on the north by Benthara river, south and west by the Indian Ocean and east by Matara and Ratnapura districts. The topography of Galle District is very much dissent. The climatic condition of Hiniduma Patthuwa is very similar to the central hill country of Sri Lanka. This area consists of rainforests, which is the water catchment area for most of the rivers and lakes flows across Galle District. Sinharaja Forest Reserve is one of them. Galle district lies in a temperate climatic zone.
Annual rainfall is between 2000–2500mm. The river Gin River ("Gin Ganga") starts from Gongala Hill of Hiniduma Patthuwa and in its long journey of . It passes Neluwa, Thawalama, Nagoda Baddegama and Thelikada areas. The river nourishes the land in extent of . It flows to the Indian Ocean in Ginthota area of Galle District. The river Madu Ganga starts from Polathu Kanda and flows to the sea from Balapitiya and helps to maintain ecological balance in the Galle district.
Historical background
In the ancient Sri Lanka, Galle District secured an important place in the battles against enemies as the capital city of Southern Province. Ancient legends reveal that in 1072 A.C. king Vijayabahu I started his battle against "Soli" in Thambalagamuwa of Hinidum Pattu. According to legends, during the reign of king Dambhadeniya Parakramabahu carried out his battle agents Queen Sugala in the Galle District. Galle was a very important area during the reign of King Maha Parakramabahu and it very much helped the Dutch, Portuguese and English establish their kingdoms.
Galle was called "Gimhathitha." The Sinhalese pronunciation "Gaala" derived from the word "gala" (stone). Gala implies meeting place of bullock carts. Later it was pronounced as "Gaala" as there were large rock and hills in the district.
Cultural background
A number of individuals from the Galle district have made significant contributions to Sinhala literature. Thotagamuwa Vijayaba pirivena, which was a famous educational institute in Kotte era, produced a number of notable scholars. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera, Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera, Martin Wickramasinghe, Ediriweera Sarachchandra, Seneka Bibile Nandadasa Kodagoda, Edwin Ariyadasa, M. B. Ariyapala, Gunadasa Amarasekera, D. J. Wimalasurendra, Senarath Paranavithana, A. T. Ariyaratne, Sirimal Ranawella and Ariyapala Gurunnanse are a number of notable residents of Galle.
The Galle Literary Festival is run each January.
Demographics
Religion
94% of the population are Buddhists, 4.7% Muslim, 1.5% Hindu and 0.9% Christian.
Major cities
Galle (Galle Municipal Council)
Suburbs of Galle
Karapitiya
Unawatuna
Urban Councils
Ambalangoda (Ambalangoda Urban Council)
Hikkaduwa (Hikkaduwa Urban Council)
Main Towns
Ahangama
Ahungalla
Ambalangoda
Baddegama
Balapitiya
Batapola
Bentota
Boossa
Elpitiya
Habaraduwa
Hiniduma
Hikkaduwa
Imaduwa
Karandeniya
Koggala
Kosgoda
Mapalagama
Nagoda
Neluwa
Pitigala
Rathgama
Thawalama
Udugama
Uragasmanhandiya
Unawatuna
Wanduramba
Yakkalamulla
World Heritage Sites
Galle fort
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Forest reserves
Hiyare Forest Reserve
Kanneliya Forest Reserve
Maps
Galle and vicinity in map of Sri Lanka
References
External links
Thelikada
Districts of Sri Lanka