Sri Lanka's Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (Not Colombo)

Two Capitals, One Country

Sri Lanka has a unique dual-capital arrangement:

Administrative Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

• Location: Gampaha District, Western Province, ~10 km southeast of Colombo.
• Role: Houses Parliament, Supreme Court, key ministries.
• History: Designated 1977, formally declared 1982; purpose-built to decongest Colombo.
• Name: "Kotte" was a 15th-century kingdom; "Sri Jayawardenepura" = "Blessed Fortress City of Growing Victory."

Commercial Capital: Colombo

• Largest city, financial hub, main port, international airport (CMB), diplomatic missions.
• Remains the de facto center of business, tourism, and urban life.
• Population: ~750K (metro ~5.6M) vs. Kotte's ~115K.

Why the Split?

Post-independence Colombo became overcrowded. Moving government functions to adjacent Kotte aimed to create a planned administrative center while preserving Colombo's economic vitality. Similar models: Bolivia (Sucre/La Paz), South Africa (Pretoria/Cape Town/Bloemfontein), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya).