Issues

More than two decades of civil war between government forces and Tamil separatists has cost at least 65,000 lives and seriously damaged the economy.

About 600,000 displaced people are living in refugee camps in India and parts of Sri Lanka as a result of the civil war.

Political instability, resulting in a number of early elections and political assassinations.
The separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been criticised by international human rights groups for the alleged recruitment of child soldiers.

Sri Lanka's southern and eastern coastal regions were devastated by a tsunami on December 26, 2004. Tens of thousands of people on the island were killed and an estimated one million others were left homeless. Recovery from the tragedy is expected to take Sri Lanka many years.