Colombo

Colombo being a model city in Asia, a caring organization looking after interests of citizens and users with an efficient quality service for creation of safe, healthy and wealthy life.

The Slave Island area of Colombo with the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in the background. Because of its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, Colombo has since Roman times been a major trading post for east-west trade.

The name Colombo, first used by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, is a possible corruption of the old Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "Port on the river Kelani". By way of various treaties and alliances possession of the port passed from the Portuguese to the Dutch and then to the last colonizers, the British.

Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

This cultural diversity is reflected in the variety of names, faces, architecture and cuisine that is evident throughout the city. The 35-km (22-mi) taxi ride from the airport gives you an idea of the urban sprawl that is Colombo. Though the 15 districts of the city itself are officially home to around 650,000 people, the Greater Colombo area houses around 1.5 million more.

Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other Municipal and Urban Councils. The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park as well as the National Museum.

Colombo's setting is a mixture of hills, marshes and flatlands. There is an extensive canal network and Beira Lake in the city centre can temper the heat of the tropical sun. The northern town border is formed by the Kelani River, which meets the ocean at the district of Modera.

To the north of Colombo is the Fort district, the city's business heart, full of bookshops, cafes and department stores as well as the modern high-rise World Trade Centre and the Bank of Ceylon. If you journey south you will enter Galle Face Green, Colombo's seaside.

Travel south again and you will reach Cinnamon Gardens, the city's most elegant district with its tree-lined streets and fashion-conscious residents - great for people watching. Colombo is undoubtedly the island's premier city for shopping - with numerous shopping malls and trendy boutiques, located within a few kilometres from one another.

The city is teeming with restaurants serving a variety of cuisine ranging from spicy local dishes to international favourites. As the day ends, Colombo's nightlife comes alive and party lovers are seen dancing till dawn.