World > Asia > Sri Lanka > Colombo

Colombo is the commercial centre of Sri Lanka. The city is small by any standard. The Colombo's population is less than two million, and it takes just forty minutes from one end of the city to another. That too in the rush hour. Yet Colombo is home to some of the tallest buildings in South Asia.

The city is made up of 15 small towns, each of them being unique. One such town Maradana is perhaps the most densly populated areas within the whole country. In stark contrast the Fort area is almost completely devoid of houses or apartments

In the 16th Century when the Portu-guese arrived, Colombo was a small trading post. They immediately realised the impor-tant strategic value of Colombo in order to dominate the coastal region. Protected by an impressive fortress they developed the harbour and the town. From those fortifica-tions nothing much its left. The Dutch connected the lakes and lagoons around Colombo with canals like in Holland and laid out many more spice gardens, as they were very keen to increase the lucrative spice trade. Under the British rule the harbour was considerably enlarged and Colombo gained more and more in importance. After the opening of the Suez Canal the city be- came an important port for transit and catering between Europe and the Far East. To- day Colombo has a population of more than one million, which is rapidly increasing as many people from the rural areas come daily to Colombo looking for work and employment in order to participate in the fame and wealth of the city.

It has a great collection of 5-star hotels on the beach-front. The pace is very relaxed but there are lots of clubs and casinos where the night never ends.