Sri Lanka

State · 1948–2026 CE · at its largest around 1948 CE

An island nation off southern India that gained independence from Britain in 1948 as Ceylon and adopted the name Sri Lanka in 1972. A civil war with Tamil separatists lasted from 1983 to 2009.

On its lands while it lasted

Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1916 CE – 2000 CE): Sri Lankan politician who in 1960 became the world's first female prime minister.
Independence of Ceylon (1948 CE): Ceylon became independent from Britain on 4 February 1948; it became the Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (c. 1972 CE): Capital of Sri Lanka (1972–today).
Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009 CE): Conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, ending with the LTTE's defeat in 2009.