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| Kegalle District | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kegalle District |
| Settlement type | Administrative District |
| Coordinates | 7.25°N 80.35°E |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Sri Lanka |
| Subdivision type1 | Province |
| Subdivision name1 | Sabaragamuwa Province |
| Area total km2 | 1,693 |
| Population total | 837179 |
| Population as of | 2012 |
| Seat type | Largest city |
| Seat | Kegalle |
Kegalle District is an administrative district in Sri Lanka located within Sabaragamuwa Province between the Western Province and the Central Province. The district contains a mix of lowland plains, mid-country hills, and river valleys dominated by the Kelani River catchment and includes notable sites such as the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and the trade town of Kegalle. It serves as a corridor linking the populous Colombo District to the tea and spice highlands around Nuwara Eliya District.
The name is believed to derive from the Sinhalese terms used in regional chronicles connecting to local geographic features and historical settlements referenced in sources linked to Sri Lankan chronicles and regional toponyms such as Ruwanweli Maha Seya and Anuradhapura. Colonial cartographers from the era of the Portuguese colonization of Sri Lanka, Dutch Ceylon, and British Ceylon recorded variants that appear alongside names of neighboring administrative units like Kandy District and Gampaha District in gazetteers and maps produced by institutions such as the Royal Geographical Society.
The district lies predominantly in the Kelani River catchment with upland terrain rising toward the Knuckles Mountain Range and foothills proximate to Hanthana Range and Pidurutalagala corridors. Major rivers include the Kelani River and tributaries that irrigate paddy fields near towns like Mawanella and Alawwa. The southern reaches approach the wet-zone rainforests linked to Sinharaja Forest Reserve biodiversity and corridors to protected areas such as the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary. Climatic influences include Southwest Monsoon patterns and orographic rainfall seen in adjacent districts like Ratnapura District. Key natural landmarks include the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and waterfalls accessible from centers such as Aranayake.
Pre-colonial settlement patterns in the area reflect connections with the early political centers of Kotte Kingdom and Kandy Kingdom, and references appear in the context of trade routes between Colombo and the highlands used by caravans and messengers documented alongside events like the Uva Rebellion. During the colonial era the district was traversed by administrators from Portuguese Ceylon, Dutch Ceylon, and British Ceylon who mapped plantations and introduced cash crops similarly to developments in Nuwara Eliya District and Ratnapura District. Post-independence reforms under leaders such as D. S. Senanayake and later legislative changes in the Soulbury Constitution era shaped municipal boundaries comparable to reorganizations in Galle District and Matale District.
Administratively the district is part of Sabaragamuwa Province and subdivided into divisional secretariats comparable to systems used across districts such as Colombo District and Gampaha District. Local bodies include urban councils and pradeshiya sabhas similar in structure to those in Kaduwela and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council frameworks, with representation in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Political dynamics have featured parties like the United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna competing for seats alongside national coalitions such as the United People's Freedom Alliance and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in provincial council elections.
Population composition reflects ethnic groups including Sinhalese people, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lankan Moors, with religious affiliations including Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. Settlement patterns concentrate in urbanizing towns like Kegalle, Mawanella, and Aranayake, while rural villages maintain paddy cultivation and smallholder plantations similar to communities in Ratnapura District and Kegalle District (historical)-era records. Census practices align with national exercises carried out by the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka.
Economic activities center on agriculture, plantation crops such as rubber and cocoa following models seen in Ratnapura District and Badulla District, small-scale gem trading linked historically to routes used in Sabaragamuwa gem markets, and light manufacturing around municipal centers comparable to economic clusters in Negombo and Gampaha District. Tourism driven by attractions like the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage brings visitors from ports such as Colombo Port, and contributes to hospitality businesses similar to those in Nuwara Eliya. Market towns host traders and cooperatives engaged with institutions such as the Central Bank of Sri Lanka-monitored microfinance schemes.
Transport links include the A1 road (Sri Lanka) corridor and secondary roads connecting to Kandy and Colombo, rail services on lines akin to the Main Line (Sri Lanka) and junctions servicing stations such as Mawanella railway station. Infrastructure projects have mirrored national investments in highways like the Colombo–Kandy Road and provincial bus networks operated alongside operators similar to Sri Lanka Transport Board. Utilities, healthcare facilities, and telecommunication services follow national standards overseen by agencies such as the Ceylon Electricity Board and Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka.
Cultural life features festivals tied to Buddhist temples, Hindu kovils, and Christian churches reflective of traditions found across Sri Lanka, with ritual observances linked to sites near Kandy Esala Perahera circuits and local temple pages documenting regional lore. Educational institutions range from government schools to private colleges influenced by national curricula administered by the Ministry of Education (Sri Lanka), and further education pathways connect to universities such as the University of Peradeniya and vocational training centers similar to those under the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission. Arts and crafts, including traditional mask making and plantation-era crafts, continue alongside cultural ensembles that perform at venues modeled on those in Colombo and Kandy.
Category:Districts of Sri Lanka