British Ceylon

Ceylon (Sinhala: බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ලංකාව, Brithānya Laṃkāva; Tamil: பிரித்தானிய இலங்கை, Birithaniya Ilangai) was the British Crown colony of present-day Sri Lanka between 1815 and 1948. Initially the area it covered did not include the Kingdom of Kandy, which was a protectorate, but from 1817 to 1948 the British possessions included the whole island of Ceylon, now the nation of Sri Lanka.

Ceylon
1815–1948
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: God Save the King/Queen (1815–1948)
British Ceylon, ca. 1914
Status	British Colony
Capital	Colombo
Common languages	English (Official), Sinhala and Tamil
Government	Monarchy
Monarch
• 1815–20	George III (first)
• 1936–48	George VI (last)
Governor
• 1798–1805	Frederick North (first)
• 1944–48	Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore (last)
Prime Minister
• 1947–48	Don Stephen Senanayake
Legislature	Legislative Council (1833–1931) State Council (1931–47) Parliament (1947—48)
Historical era	British Ceylon period
• Kandyan Convention	5 March 1815
• Independence	4 February 1948
Area
1881	65,610 km2 (25,330 sq mi)
1891	65,610 km2 (25,330 sq mi)
1901	65,610 km2 (25,330 sq mi)
1924	65,992 km2 (25,480 sq mi)
1946	65,610 km2 (25,330 sq mi)
Population
• 1881	2,759,700
• 1891	3,007,800
• 1901	3,565,900
• 1924	4,574,550
• 1946	6,657,300
Currency	Ceylonese rixdollar (1815–28) British pound (1825–71) Ceylonese rupee (1872—1948)
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Kandy Dutch Ceylon Vannimai Dominion of Ceylon
Today part of	Sri Lanka
Source for 1924 area and population: