Here is a comprehensive summary of the Wikipedia article on Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic and formerly known as Ceylon, is an island nation in South Asia strategically located in the Indian Ocean, often called the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean." While Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte serves as its legislative capital, Colombo is the largest city and the administrative, financial, and cultural heart. The island boasts over 3,000 years of documented history and a diverse population of approximately 22 million, with Sinhala and Tamil being the predominant languages and ethnic groups.
Its pivotal location with deep harbors made it a significant trading hub since the ancient Silk Road, attracting various powers. This led to periods of Portuguese, Dutch, and ultimately British colonial rule, with British Ceylon lasting from 1815 to 1948. Sri Lanka gained independence as a dominion in 1948 and became a republic in 1972.
More recently, the nation endured a 26-year Civil War from 1983 to 2009, which ended with the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Today, Sri Lanka is a developing country, ranking as the highest in South Asia on the Human Development Index and playing an active role in international organizations like SAARC and the United Nations.