Debt - external:
$10.52 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:
$577 million (1998)
Currency:
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Currency code:
LKR
Exchange rates:
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 96.521 (2003), 95.6621 (2002),
89.383 (2001), 77.0051 (2000), 70.6354 (1999)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Sri Lanka
Telephones - main lines in use:
881,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
931,600 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly
in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national
telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good
international service (1999)
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)