Sri Lanka

Fossils on stamps of Sri Lanka

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Contents:
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon), is an island country in South Asia located about 31 km off the southern coast of India.
Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and the Maldives to the southwest.
Sri Lanka's documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years.
After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before control of the entire island passed to Britain in 1815.
As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972.
Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to World War II. [R1]

The first stamps for Ceylon were issued on 1 April 1857. The stamp features a portrait of Queen Victoria and is brown in colour.
Sri Lanka is the only country to include details in a stamp in three languages viz. Sinhala, Tamil and English.
The first stamps marked Sri Lanka were issued on 22 May 1972. [R2]



Official stamps of Sri Lanka related to Paleontology and Paleoanthropology: fossils

21.12.2005 "Ancient Sri Lanka"
Fossils of prehistoric animals and humans on stamps of Sri Lanka 2005



References:
  •   [R1] Sri Lanka: Wikipedia, Flag Counter
  •   [R2] Postal History and Philately of Sri Lanka: Wikipedia,
              Links to official website of the Post Authority, stamp catalog and a list of new stamps of Sri Lanka are here.


Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, for reviewing the draft page and his very valuable comments.


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