Hambantota district is located in southern province of and the dry agro-ecological zone of Sri Lanka. Western parts of the istrict are located in the intermediate zone, and a small part of the more mountainous north-west is located in the wet zone. The district has an area of 2525 square km and a shoreline of 115 square km and inland water area covers approximately 113 square km. Hambantota district accounts for 4% of the country’s total land area. Hambantota ranks as the third poorest district in the country and the poorest coastal district in the country, recording 32 percent of its people as poor.


Hambantota has remained a dry and poor district in Sri Lanka for many decades with vast areas of land unutilized. It is a district with open land area and sparse greenery. But, with initiation of the new government more attention has been given to Hambantota and it is good to see an effort being made to change the earlier perception-a district with a dead central city, with dry, salty and windy conditions, where the major coastal cities and villages devastated and almost wiped off by raging

Tsunami waves,where people lost their lives during natural hazards. The present government is making every effort to narrow the persistent gap between the centre ( Colombo ) and the periphery ( Districts such as Hambantota ).Therefore , the government selected Hambantota as it is a district where huge potential is available for development. Specially, Land and natural resources.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Physical Features

With an altitude of 804m Rammale Kanda is the highest point which situated in the Northern edge of the district. There are a number of major and minor rivers and streams in the area that either originate in the highlands adjacent to the Hambantota District or from the central and Uva hills of the island and flow in south & southeastern direction. Kumbukkan Oya in the Northeast and Manik ganga and its tributaries in the west flow through the Yala National Park providing a source of water to the animals even during the driest months of the year. These rivers and streams show very high fluctuations in the runoff between wet and dry seasons. For example, the Udawalawa river, Menik Ganga and Kumbbukkan Oya carries much water to the sea in the rainy season than it does during the dry season. Other major rivers are Uru bokka Oya, Uda Walawa River, kirindi Oya, Kirama Oya and Kuchigal-Ara which flows southwardly. At the western edge of the district, creates few waterfalls and the highest water fall is about 40 ft (Sapugahadola Ella).

Reservoirs such as Muruthawela and Weeravila, Lunugamvehera, Yoda wewa, Tissa Wewa, Ridiyagama tank and Debarawewa located within the district. Some of the significant coastal physical features are the large sand dune which lies along the coastal belt from Bundala to Yala.

Katuwana & Walasmulla DS division s in the district have small tea plantations which show the ecological diversity in the District.

Some of the major geological formations in the district are blow hole which located in Tangalle divisions and the hot springs near Madunagala in Sooriyawewa Division

The Lagoon

Mangrove vegetation is widespread in the estuaries of Manik Ganga and Kumbukkan Oya. Some of the important lagoons in the Hambantota district are Rekawa, Lunama, Kalametiya, Bundala, Koholankala, Palatupana, and the lagoons within the Yala National park are Buthuwa, Udapothana, Mahirawa, Etiliu and Udagajaba.

Apart from the lagoons there are number of large man made ancient tanks in the district namely, Debarawewa, Tissa Wewa, Weeravila, Yoda Wewa, Lunugamvehera which provides the water for the agricultural activities. There are large numbers of small tanks surrounded by these larger tanks with an irrigation network.

Forest

Hambantota district provides refuges to large number of fauna & flora while three major National Parks in the country located in the district namely, Yala NP (97,880.0ha.), Bundala NP (6,216ha.), Lunugamvehera NP (23,498.8ha.). Additionally, there number of sanctuaries located within the district namely, Weeravila (4,164.2ha.), Ridiyagama (4,273.5ha.), Pallemalala (13.7ha.), Kalametiya (2,525.2ha.), Nimalawa (1,065.8ha.), Madunagala (995.2ha.).

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