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North Central Province උතුරු මැද පළාත வட மத்திய மாகாணம்
Province
Flag
Location within Sri Lanka
Country	Sri Lanka
Created	1873
Admitted	14 November 1987
Capital	Anuradhapura
Largest City	Anuradhapura
Districts	List Anuradhapura Polonnaruwa
Government
• Type	Provincial council
• Body	North Central Provincial Council
• Governor	Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri
Area
• Total	10,472 km (4,043 sq mi)
• Rank	1st (16.31% of total area)
Population
• Total	1,266,663
• Rank	7th (5.91% of total pop.)
• Density	120/km (310/sq mi)
Gross Regional Product
• Total	Rs. 232 billion
• Rank	7th (4.8% of total)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (Sri Lanka)
ISO 3166 code	LK-7
Vehicle registration	NC
Official Languages	Sinhalese Tamil
Website	www.nc.gov.lk

North Central Province (Sinhala: උතුරු මැද පළාත Uturumæda Paḷāta, Tamil: வட மத்திய மாகாணம் Vada Mattiya Mākāṇam) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. The province has an area of 10,472 km, making it the largest province by area, and a population of 1,266,663, making it the 3rd least populated province. The city of Anuradhapura is the capital of the province.

History

The North Central province is home to the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, both of which were historical capitals of Sri Lanka during ancient times. The two cities were the capitals of the Anuradhapura kingdom (437 BCE–1017 CE) and the Polonnaruwa kingdom (1070–1232) respectively.

The provinces of Sri Lanka were established by the British in 1833. In independent Sri Lanka, provinces did not have any legal status or power until 1987, when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils.

The centralised system of Sri Lanka, which is a unitary state, failed to satisfy the aspirations of the people. There was growing insistence on decentralisation of administrative processes to achieve rapid economic and social development of the country.

The North Central Provincial Council is the main administrative and control body in the North Central Province.

Geography

The province has an area of 10,472 km and a population of 1,266,663. It is the largest province by area, covering 16% of the total land area of Sri Lanka. The province consists two districts, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura; the Anuradhapura district is the largest district in Sri Lanka by area.

The province has a semi-arid climate and most forests situated in the province are Sri Lankan dry-zone dry evergreen forests.

The province is also referred to as Wew Bendi Rajje due to the sheer amount of medium and large scale tanks situated in the province, with more than 3000. More than 65% of the province’s population depend on basic agriculture and agricultural based industries.

The North Central province has innumerable potential for investors to start their businesses, specially agriculture, agricultural based industries and livestock sectors.

Demographics

Ethnicity

Ethnic groups in North Central province (2012 census)

Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils.

Religion

Religion in North Central province (2012 census)

Employment

Administrative divisions

The North Central Province is divided into two districts and 29 divisional secretariats.

Districts

Divisional secretariats

Major population centres

• Aralaganwila
• Bakamuna
• Eppawala
• Giritale
• Habarana
• Hingurakgoda
• Horowpothana
• Kahatagasdigiliya
• Kebithigollewa
• Kekirawa
• Mahailuppallama
• Manampitiya
• Maradankadawala
• Medawachchiya
• Mihintale
• Minneriya
• Nochchiyagama
• Padaviya
• Polonnaruwa-Kaduruwela
• Rambewa
• Thalawa
• Thambuttegama
• Welikanda

Education

Anuradhapura

• Anuradhapura Central College
• Niwaththaka Chethiya National School. Anuradhapura
• Anuradhapura Technical College
• Buddhsravaka Bhiksu University
• K. B. Rathnayake MW
• Open University of Sri Lanka
• Rajarata University of Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education
• St. Joseph's College
• Teachers Training School
• University College of Anuradhapura (University of Vocational Technology)

Polonnaruwa

• Polonnaruwa Royal Central College
• Pulathisipura National College of Education
• Technical College-Polonnaruwa

See also

• Provinces of Sri Lanka
• Districts of Sri Lanka

References

1. ^ :.News Line : North, East record highest GDP growth rate Archived 2012-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
2. "Provinces of Sri Lanka". Statoids.
3. "Provincial Councils". Government of Sri Lanka.
4. "A3 : Population by religion according to districts, 2012". Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
5. "Population by religion and district, census 1981,2001,2012". Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.
6. "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex" (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-29.
7. "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex" (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-29.
8. "Sri Lanka Census of Population and Housing, 2011". Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
9. "Population of principal towns by sex, census years" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka.

External links

• North Central Province Provincial Council
• Cities in North Central province

v t e Places adjacent to North Central Province, Sri Lanka
Northern Province Northern Province Eastern Province North Western Province North Central Province Eastern Province North Western Province Central Province Eastern Province

• North Central Province, Sri Lanka
• Provinces of Sri Lanka
• Kingdom of Kandy