Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne  -  Speaker of the House Chamal Rajapaksa  -  Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake Independence from the United Kingdom    -  Dominion (Self rule) February 4, 1948   -  Republic May 22, 1972  Area  -  Total 65,610 km 2  ( 122nd ) 25,332 sq mi   -  Water (%) 4.4 Population  -  2010 estimate