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The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
Online visa or authorisation · up to 30 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United Kingdom passport
Online visa or authorisation · up to 30 daysSource: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Airport SIMs: ~€9 for 50-60GB, 30 days, unlimited social, calls, texts. Dialog, Airtel, Mobitel, Hutch.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
PickMe: hail tuk-tuks and taxis at a set price, with wide coverage beyond the cities.Uber: book rides with your existing account and saved card.Rivernet: watch river and reservoir levels when travelling in flood-prone areas.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 2 of 5: Most things are paid in cash; cards are accepted in some places.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Rupee · Rs · LKR
Shops refuse torn, marked or damp notes, so check your change carefully.
People's Bank and Bank of Ceylon ATMs appear to be the ones that add no withdrawal fee.
Packaged goods show a maximum retail price including tax; never pay more than that.
At state-run sights, ask for a printed ticket; if none is issued, you don't have to pay.
Collect Sri Lankan Rupee in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpen02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Sri Lanka say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 13 Oct 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 21 Sept 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 21 Sept 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Card skimming
Use ATMs inside banks or hotels, check for tampering, keep your card in sight when paying.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid; rabies for some. Malaria in some areas; altitude sickness risk.
Vaccinations
Be current on routine shots; vaccines against Japanese encephalitis and typhoid are advised, and rabies protection for some travellers.
Malaria
In some regionsAltitude
Parts of the island are high enough for altitude sickness to be a risk.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: U.S. Department of State
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
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What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $108.8 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $5,002Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | garments, tea, precious stones, used rubber tires, rubber products (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 21.8 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 76.8 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2012 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 65,610 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interiorSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +94Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 1 Nov 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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