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