Country Information

Country Code: . Phone cards are available at post offices and shops and public payphones are a common sight throughout the country.

Mobile usage is much more common than landlines, and it is possible to buy a Sri Lankan sim card which can then be topped up from any local vendors. Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage in the south and west is good; in the north and east it is average.

There are internet cafés in most towns and resorts. Whilst internet coverage is generally good, the same cannot be said for speeds, with many connections going via slower dial-up services rather than broadband.

The diverse press is divided along linguistic and ethnic lines. Many broadcasters and publications are state-owned. The Daily News is a state-run English-language daily newspaper, whilst the Daily Mirror is a private English-language daily newspaper, as is The Island. Lankadeepa is a private Sinhala daily and Uthayan is a private Tamil-language daily.

There are various state and privately-run television and radio stations available. In terms of television, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) is a state-owned network that operates two channels, Rupavahini and Channel Eye, whilst private English-language stations include MTV and TNL. With regards to radio, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is a state-owned network that operates services in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Privately owned English radio stations include TNL Rocks, Sun FM and Yes FM.

Overseas mail usually takes 10 to 14 days.

Mon-Fri, 0830-1700, and Sat, 0830-1300.