Jaffna District
Encyclopedia
Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts
of Sri Lanka
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
(previously known as a Government Agent
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to newly created Mullaitivu district
in September 1978. Kilinochchi district
was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district in February 1984.
. Important Hindu temples such as Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Naguleswaram, Nallur Kanthaswamy temple, Maviddapuram kanthaswamy temple, Selvachannithy, Vallipuram and Buddhist Nagadweepa Vihara are located in the Jaffna District. At the time that Sri Lanka gained independence, Jaffna was one of the three districts located in the Northern Province. Parts of the Jaffna District were redistricted with the creation of the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.
in the Northern Province
and occupies most of the Jaffna peninsula
. It has an area of 1025 square kilometres (395.8 sq mi). It is divided into four areas geographically:
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 435 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
The population of the district, like the rest of the North
and East
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 400,000, have emigrated
to the West
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
and East
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees in India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety of Colombo
. The war has also caused almost all of the Sri Lankan Moors
and Sinhalese
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of Sri Lanka
.
1 2001 Census was not carried out in Jaffna district.
2 Kilinochchi district
was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district in February 1984.
Districts of Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, districts are the second-level administrative divisions, and are included in a province. There are 25 districts organized into 9 provinces. Each district is administered under a District Secretary, who is appointed by the central government...
of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
(previously known as a Government Agent
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both...
. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to newly created Mullaitivu district
Mullaitivu District
Mullaitivu district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Mullaitivu town...
in September 1978. Kilinochchi district
Kilinochchi District
Kilinochchi district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Kilinochchi town...
was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district in February 1984.
History
The Jaffna district occupies the land that constituted the pre-colonial Jaffna kingdomJaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
. Important Hindu temples such as Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Naguleswaram, Nallur Kanthaswamy temple, Maviddapuram kanthaswamy temple, Selvachannithy, Vallipuram and Buddhist Nagadweepa Vihara are located in the Jaffna District. At the time that Sri Lanka gained independence, Jaffna was one of the three districts located in the Northern Province. Parts of the Jaffna District were redistricted with the creation of the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.
Geography
Jaffna district is located in the far north of Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and occupies most of the Jaffna peninsula
Jaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
. It has an area of 1025 square kilometres (395.8 sq mi). It is divided into four areas geographically:
- Thenmarachchi or Thenmaradchi
- Vadamarachchi or Vadamaradchi
- Valikamam or Valikamam
- Jaffna Islands
Administrative units
Jaffna district is divided into 15 Divisional Secretary's (DS) DivisionsDivisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka
The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became...
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 435 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
| DS Division Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became... |
Main Town | GN Divisions |
Area (km2) |
Population (2007 Estimate) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lankan Tamil |
Sri Lankan Moor Sri Lankan Moors The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries... |
Sinhalese Sinhalese people The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the... |
Indian Tamil |
Burgher Burgher people The Burghers are a Eurasian ethnic group, historically from Sri Lanka, consisting for the most part of male-line descendants of European colonists from the 16th to 20th centuries and local women, with some minorities of Swedish, Norwegian, French and Irish.Today the mother tongue of the Burghers... |
Other | Total | ||||
| Delft Delft Divisional Secretariat Delft Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... (Neduntivu) |
6 | 49.5 | 4,124 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,124 | |
| Islands North Island North Divisional Secretariat Island North Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Kayts Kayts Kayts , is one of the important villages in Velanai Island which is a small island off the coast of Jaffna Peninsula in the North of Sri Lanka. There are number of other villages within the Velanai Island such as Allaipiddy, Mankumpan, Velanai, Saravanai, Puliyankoodal, Suruvil, Naranthanai and... |
15 | 43.8 | 13,740 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,740 |
| Islands South Island South Divisional Secretariat Island South Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Velanai Velanai Velanai,is a small village in Velanai Island which is in off the coast of Jaffna Peninsula in the North of Sri Lanka..The majority of the people are Hindus along with a minority of Christians. There are number of Hindu Temples along with few Church. The village is also served by a dozen schools... |
30 | 98.4 | 12,243 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12,247 |
| Jaffna Jaffna Divisional Secretariat Jaffna Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical... |
28 | 21.7 | 48,570 | 283 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 48,889 |
| Karainagar (Karativu) | Karainagar Karainagar Karainagar is located 20 km from Jaffna, Sri Lanka, on the Karaitivu . In Tamil, it translates to Coastal-Town .Karainagar island is about area and the registered voters 20,000 voted in 1977 national election.... |
9 | 21.7 | 8,856 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8,860 |
| Nallur Nallur Divisional Secretariat Nallur Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Nallur Nallur Nallur is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Nallur is located at . It has an average elevation of 15 metres .-Demographics:... |
40 | 27.4 | 60,021 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 60,066 |
| Thenmarachchi Thenmaradchi Divisional Secretariat Thenmaradchi Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Chavakachcheri | 60 | 229.4 | 55,469 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55,478 |
| Vadamarachchi East Vadamaradchi East Divisional Secretariat Vadamaradchi East Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Maruthankerney | 18 | 118.5 | 16,326 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16,326 |
| Vadamarachchi North Vadamaradchi North Divisional Secretariat Vadamaradchi North Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Point Pedro Point Pedro Point Pedro is the northernmost town of the island of Sri Lanka. The agriculturally active area around Point Pedro with fertile calcic red latosols is known for its cotton production. The eastern coast of Point Pedro is a 3-mile-broad beach with huge sand dunes up to 100 feet height, extending... |
35 | 54.2 | 43,520 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43,525 |
| Vadamarachchi South‐West Vadamaradchi South-West Divisional Secretariat Vadamaradchi South-West Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Karaveddy Karaveddy Karaveddy is a town located 7 km from the City of Point Pedro, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. In local Tamil Language it translates to Coastal Strip, although it is few km from the coast.... |
35 | 65.9 | 46,322 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46,328 |
| Valikamam East Valikamam East Divisional Secretariat Valikamam East Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Kopay Kopay Kopay is a town located approximately 4 km from the city of Jaffna along Point Pedro road. It is an agricultural town consisting mainly of vegetable farms, paddy fields and coconut gardens.... |
31 | 102.2 | 71,075 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 71,095 |
| Valikamam North Valikamam North Divisional Secretariat Valikamam North Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Tellippalai Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai is a small town in the northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka.It was a mission location when the American Ceylon Mission came to Sri Lanka in the 19th century. It was known as Tillipally in ACM documents... |
45 | 61.1 | 23,997 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 24,010 |
| Valikamam South Valikamam South Divisional Secretariat Valikamam South Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Uduvil Uduvil Uduvil is an agricultural village of about 32.7 square kilometers situated along the KKS Road at about five miles to the North of Jaffna city, Sri Lanka. It is surrounded by the villages Chunnaakam, Kantharoodai, Sanguveeli, Maanippaay, Suthumalai and Inuvil... |
30 | 32.3 | 50,991 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 51,009 |
| Valikamam South‐West Valikamam South-West Divisional Secretariat Valikamam South-West Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Sandilipay Sandilipay Sandilipay is a town located 10 km from the City of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The original name of Sandilipay is Kalvalai. At this location on July 24, 1983 number of ethnic Tamil civilians were shot and killed by Sri lankan Army.... |
28 | 50.2 | 56,877 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 56,911 |
| Valikamam West Valikamam West Divisional Secretariat Valikamam West Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Jaffna District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Chankanai Chankanai Chankanai or Changanai is a town located 12 km north-west of the city of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Popular market known as Chankanai Chanthai is located in there... |
25 | 49.30 | 47,011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47,011 |
| Total | 435 | 1,025.6 | 559,142 | 350 | 67 | 46 | 8 | 6 | 559,619 | |
Population
Jaffna district's population was 650,720 in 2009. It is one of the most densely populated districts of Sri Lanka. The population of the district is almost exclusively Sri Lankan Tamil.The population of the district, like the rest of the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 400,000, have emigrated
Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
to the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees in India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. The war has also caused almost all of the Sri Lankan Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
and Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Ethnicity
| Year | Sri Lankan Tamil | Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan Moors The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries... |
Sinhalese Sinhalese people The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the... |
Others | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1881 Census | 261,902 | 98.61% | 2,648 | 1.00% | 80 | 0.03% | 953 | 0.36% | 265,583 | 100.00% |
| 1891 Census | 275,227 | 98.55% | 3,049 | 1.09% | 131 | 0.05% | 877 | 0.31% | 279,284 | 100.00% |
| 1901 Census | 296,805 | 98.66% | 3,078 | 1.02% | 226 | 0.08% | 742 | 0.25% | 300,851 | 100.00% |
| 1911 Census | 321,908 | 98.53% | 3,485 | 1.07% | 403 | 0.12% | 916 | 0.28% | 326,712 | 100.00% |
| 1921 Census | 324,874 | 98.29% | 3,748 | 1.13% | 1,042 | 0.32% | 877 | 0.27% | 330,541 | 100.00% |
| 1946 Census | 413,264 | 97.29% | 5,620 | 1.32% | 4,546 | 1.07% | 1,358 | 0.32% | 424,788 | 100.00% |
| 1963 Census | 597,920 | 97.50% | 8,600 | 1.40% | 5,630 | 0.92% | 1,080 | 0.18% | 613,230 | 100.00% |
| 1971 Census | 673,043 | 95.56% | 10,312 | 1.46% | 20,402 | 2.90% | 593 | 0.08% | 704,350 | 100.00% |
| 1981 Census | 812,247 | 97.73% | 13,757 | 1.66% | 4,615 | 0.56% | 493 | 0.06% | 831,112 | 100.00% |
| 2001 Estimate1, 2 | 541,133 | 99.95% | 201 | 0.04% | 49 | 0.01% | 0 | 0.00% | 541,383 | 100.00% |
| 2007 Estimate | 559,142 | 99.91% | 350 | 0.06% | 67 | 0.01% | 60 | 0.01% | 559,619 | 100.00% |
| Sources: | ||||||||||
1 2001 Census was not carried out in Jaffna district.
2 Kilinochchi district
Kilinochchi District
Kilinochchi district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Kilinochchi town...
was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district in February 1984.
Local government
Jaffna district has 17 local authorities of which one is a Municipality, three are Urban Councils and the remaining 13 are Pradeshya Sabhas.| Local Authority | Elected Members |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chavakachcheri Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 239.90 | 72,325 |
| Chavakachcheri Urban Council | 0 | 19.40 | 21,693 |
| Delft Pradeshya Sabha | 9 | 47.16 | 5,679 |
| Jaffna Municipal Council Jaffna Municipal Council Jaffna Municipal Council is the local authority for the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. JMC is responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities... |
23 | 20.20 | 83,563 |
| Karinagar Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 21.30 | 10,873 |
| Kayts Pradeshya Sabha | 5 | 45.11 | 14,709 |
| Nallur Pradeshya Sabha | 12 | 20.59 | 42,451 |
| Point Pedro Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 220.00 | 47,766 |
| Point Pedro Urban Council | 0 | 11.65 | 20,543 |
| Vadamarachchi South‐West Pradeshya Sabha | 18 | 68.95 | 53,541 |
| Valikamam East Pradeshya Sabha | 21 | 102.20 | 75,935 |
| Valikamam North Pradeshya Sabha | 21 | 58.50 | 26,566 |
| Valikamam South Pradeshya Sabha | 16 | 33.26 | 57,619 |
| Valikamam South‐West Pradeshya Sabha | 16 | 55.24 | 62,201 |
| Valikamam West Pradeshya Sabha | 14 | 47.30 | 47,620 |
| Valvettithurai Urban Council | 9 | 4.85 | 18,000 |
| Velanai Pradeshya Sabha | 11 | 180.00 | 19,725 |
| Source: | |||