Sri Lanka Former Name: Why was Sri Lanka called Ceylon? What was called Ceylon before 1972?

Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea; it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with India and the Maldives. Sri Jayaawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo is the largest city and financial centre.

The Island has had a long history of engagement with modern international groups: it is a founding member of the SAARC and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Why was Sri Lanka called Ceylon?

From the word Arab word “saheelan” came the many variations of Ceylon. Celia in Portuguese, Selan in Spanish, Selon in French. The name was later formalized as Ceylon when the island became a British colony.

Ceylon is the name that was used to name the famous tea and many other products exported from the island.

What was called Ceylon before 1972?

Ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane. Arabs referred to it as Serendib. Later European mapmakers called it Ceylon, a name still used occasionally for trade purposes. It officially became Sri Lanka in 1972.