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| Polonnaruwa District | |
|---|---|
| Name | Polonnaruwa District |
| Native name | පොල්ොන්නරුව දිස්ත්රික්කය |
| Settlement type | Administrative District |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | North Central Province |
| Capital | Polonnaruwa |
| Area total km2 | 3,293 |
| Population total | 403335 |
| Population as of | 2012 |
| Timezone | Sri Lanka Standard Time |
Polonnaruwa District is an administrative district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka, with its administrative capital at Polonnaruwa. The district encompasses a mix of ancient urban centers, irrigated agricultural plains, and protected wildlife areas, and it forms part of national narratives involving Anuradhapura Kingdom, Chola dynasty, British Ceylon, and post-independence Sri Lankan civil conflict. Its landscape, cultural sites, and infrastructure link it to national projects such as the Mahaweli Development program and institutions like the Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka).
The district contains the medieval city of Polonnaruwa, which served as the second capital of the Sinhalese polity after Anuradhapura during the reigns of rulers like Parakramabahu I and Nissanka Malla, and features monuments recorded in chronicles such as the Culavamsa and Mahavamsa. Early settlement in the region relates to prehistoric sites comparable to finds at Lenadora and influences from South Indian polities including the Chola dynasty during invasions under Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I. Successive periods saw interactions with regional actors such as the Kalinga, Pallava dynasty, and later European colonial powers including the Portuguese Empire, Dutch East India Company, and British Empire in Asia. Modern administrative formation traces to reforms implemented under Donoughmore Commission and subsequent provincial arrangements following the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
Polonnaruwa District lies within the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka and forms part of the Minneriya national park–Kaudulla National Park ecological corridor that supports megafauna like the Sri Lankan elephant and bird species documented by organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society. Major riverine features include the Mahaweli River and reservoirs like Parakrama Samudra, integrated into ancient and modern irrigation systems linked to the Minneriya Tank and Kaudulla Tank. Topographically, the district is characterized by flat plains interspersed with low lateritic elevations and seasonal wetlands recognized by conservation groups including IUCN projects and studies by the University of Peradeniya.
Census figures show a multi-ethnic population comprising communities identified in national statistics such as the Sinhala people, Sri Lankan Tamil people, Sri Lankan Moors, and small numbers of Burgher people and Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka. Religious composition includes adherents of Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, with pilgrimage and worship centers administered by entities like the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. Population distribution reflects urban concentrations around Polonnaruwa and rural settlements tied to historic villages cataloged in surveys by the Archaeological Survey of India influences and local administrative divisions.
Administratively the district is one of the two districts of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and is subdivided into divisional secretariats such as Polonnaruwa Divisional Secretariat, Hingurakgoda Divisional Secretariat, and Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat, which operate under the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. Local governance includes elected bodies like municipal councils and divisional secretariats interacting with provincial authorities seated in Anuradhapura and national agencies including the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Irrigation for management of watershed and reservoir projects.
The district's economy centers on irrigated agriculture, particularly paddy cultivation supported by reservoirs such as Parakrama Samudra and national irrigation schemes linked to the Mahaweli Development program and agencies like the Irrigation Department (Sri Lanka). Cash crops include varieties associated with markets in Polonnaruwa and export corridors via ports such as Trincomalee Harbour and Colombo Harbour, while small-scale industries relate to agro-processing, eco-tourism around sites like Parakrama Samudra and Minneriya National Park, and handicrafts promoted through initiatives by the Ceylon Artisan Association and provincial development programs coordinated with the Ministry of Finance (Sri Lanka).
The district is a UNESCO-linked heritage area because of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa with monuments such as the Gal Viharaya, Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu I, and the Vatadage, maintained by the Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). Cultural life includes festivals that draw devotees from across Sri Lanka, associated with institutions like the Buddhist and Pali cultural organizations and ceremonies reflecting traditions recorded in texts such as the Ragavatha and regional liturgical practices found in monasteries studied by scholars from University of Kelaniya. The district's archaeological sites feature iconography and inscriptions that inform studies by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka.
Transport links include the A11 road (Sri Lanka) and the A6 road (Sri Lanka) connecting to regional centers such as Anuradhapura and Trincomalee, and the Polonnaruwa Railway Station on routes administered by Sri Lanka Railways. Infrastructure projects encompass reservoir rehabilitation under the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka, rural electrification overseen by the Ceylon Electricity Board, and water management programs coordinated with the Irrigation Department (Sri Lanka) and environmental planning by the Central Environmental Authority (Sri Lanka). Air access for tourism and emergency services utilizes nearby airstrips and airports including Sigiriya Airport and facilities managed by the Airports Authority of Sri Lanka.
Category:Districts of Sri Lanka Category:North Central Province, Sri Lanka