Region:  Sri Lanka

Historical Overview

Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon)

• 1602: the Dutch arrive
• 1636–1658: struggle with the Portuguese (the Portuguese had ruled the coastline only, from 1505)
• 1640–1656: Galle the capital of Dutch Ceylon
• 1656: Dutch capital switched to Colombo
• 1796: the British take over Ceylon
• 1802: signature of Treaty of Amiens formalizes cession