The North Central Province, comprising the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa district extends over 10,723 sq. kilo meters of Sri Lanka's North-Central plains. Known over the centuries as Rajarata (which means land of kings), it was the seat of Sri Lanka's ancient kingdoms from pre-Christian times to the mid-12th century A.D. The North Central Province, often referred to simply as the NCP, nourished Sri Lanka's classic civilization and Buddhism, its bed-rock and inspiration, from its very beginnings. It sustained a thriving and robust agrarian economy, vibrant trade and a society of wealth and elegance, where architecture, art, sculpture, learning and knowledge flourished and reached great heights. Sri Lanka's highly sophisticated ancient irrigation system of networked storage reservoirs and feeder and distribution channels (many still in everyday use), a timeless engineering marvel, reached its zenith in the NCP during its ancient golden age. It transformed the dry-Zone plains of the NCP into a fertile land of plenty. These include the Tissawewa, Nuwarawewa, Basawakkulama, Kalawewa, Minneriya and Parakkrama Samudra with ingenious networks of channels which feed and regulate water levels
Today, the NCP has much to fascinate visitors. It is the proud guardian of many of Sri Lanka's classic archaeological monuments at ancient cities and heritage sites at Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mihintale, Aukana and many others. The province contains two of Sri Lanka's six archaeological UNESCO world Heritage sites.
Described as Sri Lanka's lake land due to its numerous irrigation lakes, the NCP's gently undulating plains and rock outcrops have a serene and tranquil beauty.
Its irrigation lakes, (also called tanks), are a dominant and picturesque feature of its landscape, the spreading waters adding unique charm to the rural environment of fields of rice and other crops, tree-dotted parkland and thick jungle. Its irrigation reservoirs, both ancient and modern, are still the backbone of its mainstay, agriculture, supplying vital water to its fields, farms and orchards, especially during its dry season from May to September. The province receives adequate rain from November to April.
The NCP was the granary of Sri Lanka's early civilization, a proud record it maintains today, with rice production totaling 575,092 metric tons in 2002. Combining ancient skills with modern progress, the NCP's many agricultural research stations and model farms assist farmers with contemporary know-how and technology. Apart from rice, the province's other products include sesame, millet, chilies, peanuts, fruit, vegetables and dairy produce.
A province where modern development and progress live happily with a distinguished past, the NCP has good road and rail networks which link its capital, Anuraabapura and its other principal towns such as Polonnaruwa, Medawachcbiya, Kekirawa, and Habarana to Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo, and to principal towns, cities and tourist resorts island-wide. The province is also served with modern communication, comprehensive health and other public services and utilities and has a literacy rate or 90.6%. The province has a total population of 1,105,673. The Cultural Triangle and UNESCO Heritage sites.
Tourism - a priority in the NCP
The NCP's wealth of tourist assets made tourism a major generator of income and employment for the province. Its heritage sites, sacred and historic Buddhist shrines, tranquil, unspoiled natural environment, many national parks and sanctuaries, age-old traditional life-styles and hospitable people make the NCP a prime tourist resort region and a major destination in tour programmes and circuits. The province has well-developed and professional tourist infrastructure which includes a range of accommodation from luxury hotels, tasteful theme resorts, chalet complexes set in extensive parklands and lake-shores and economy accommodation; many offer meeting facilities and in-house ayurvedic (herbal) therapy.
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