Asia Economy

While the Republic of Indonesia is just over seven decades old in its current form, the South-east Asian nation of more than 17,000 islands has a much longer history. The name Indonesia was first used in 1850 by British anthropologist James Richardson Logan in reference to the extensive group of islands that was known at the time as the Indian or Malay Archipelago. Archaeological analysis...

Sri Lanka’s economy has been making progress in recent years, which should stand it in good stead during the potentially difficult times ahead. Major efforts have been made to instil greater fiscal discipline, and modernise monetary and exchange rate policy, while steps have also been taken in the management of government expenditure and the maximising of public sector revenue. Meanwhile, trade...

Trade and investment activities in Sri Lanka benefit from the country’s location along busy Indian Ocean trade routes, abundant agricultural and industrial exports, and a young, skilled workforce. Just 19 km separate its southern-most port from a global shipping lane carrying two-thirds of the world’s oil and half of its container shipments. This makes local ports a natural staging post for...

Sri Lanka has long served as an important strategic destination in the Indian Ocean, catering to merchants and travellers from South-east Asia, India, the Middle East and East Africa. While much of the country’s recent history has been tainted by a decades-long civil war, post-conflict euphoria brought with it a sense of renewal and optimism. A coalition administration elected in 2015 pledged...

This chapter contains selected listings of some of the country’s top hotels, contact details for embassies, ministries and organisations, helpful tips for business and leisure travellers and other useful suggestions for travel to Sri Lanka.