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.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Hambantota District is part of the traditional south known as Ruhuna. In ancient times this region, especially Hambantota and the neighboring areas was the centre of a flourishing civilization. Historical evidence reveals that the region in that era was blessed with fertile fields and a stupendous irrigation network. Hambantota was known by many names ‘Mahagama’ ‘Ruhuna’ and ‘Dolos dahas rata’
About 200BC, the first Kingdom of Sri Lanka was flourishing in the north central region of Anuradhapura.
After a personal dispute with his brother, King Devanampiyathissa of Anuradhapura, King Mahanaga established the kingdom of Ruhuna in the south of the island. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well as nurturing the Sri Lankan Buddhist culture.