Sri Lanka: Timeline

459   Dathusena becomes king of Sri Lanka

807   Dhappula III becomes king of Sri Lanka making the capital city Anuradhapura.

898   Accession of King Kasyapa IV of Sri Lanka

948   The Nallur Kandaswamy temple, one of the most significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna district of Sri Lanka, was built. ''

1190   In Myanmar Myanmar

Myanmar, officially the Union of Myanmar is the largest country in geographical area in mainland ... 

, Anawrahta Anawrahta

Anawrahta, also spelled Aniruddha or Anoaraht or Anoa-ra-ht-soa, was a ruler of the ki... 

's lineage regains control with the assistance of Sri Lanka. Pagan has been in anarchy. The new regime reforms Burmese Buddhism Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

 on Sri Lankan Theravada Theravada

Theravada is the oldest surviving Buddhist [i] school, and for many centuries has been the predominant ... 

 models.

1409   Cheng Ho (or Zheng He Zheng He

Zheng He , was a famous Chinese [i] mariner, explorer [i], diplomat [i] and fleet admiral [i] ... 

) the admiral of the fleet of the Ming empire, deposes the king of Sri Lanka.

1505   Portuguese Portugal

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe [i] on the Iberian Peninsula [i] ... 

 under Dom Lourenço d'Almeida reach Colombo Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka [i], located on the southwest coast adj ... 

, Sri Lanka and send envoys to King of Kotte.

1656   The Portuguese capture city of Colombo Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka [i], located on the southwest coast adj ... 

 in Sri Lanka

1848   Matale Rebellion against British rule British Empire

The British Empire was the most extensive empire [i] in world history and for a ... 

 in Sri Lanka.

1935   Samuel Hoare resigns as British United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

 foreign secretary; replaced by Anthony Eden Anthony Eden

Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG [i], MC [i], PC [i] ... 

. The socialist party of Sri Lanka, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party founded.

1942   World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

: Japanese Navy attacks Colombo Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka [i], located on the southwest coast adj ... 

 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Royal Navy Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom [i] is the oldest of the British armed services [i] ... 

 Cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk southwest of the island.

1948   Ceylon (later renamed Sri Lanka) becomes independent within the British Commonwealth Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association [i] of ... 

. King George VI George VI of the United Kingdom

George VI became the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [i] ... 

 becomes King of Ceylon; Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier), hard rock singer and musician born.

1960   July 20 — Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) elects Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister, the world's first elected female head of government.

1966   World Buddhist Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

 Sangha Council convened by Theravadins Theravada

Theravada is the oldest surviving Buddhist [i] school, and for many centuries has been the predominant ... 

 in Sri Lanka with the hope of bridging differences and working together.

1972   Ceylon becomes the republic of Sri Lanka under prime minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike when its new constitution Constitution

A constitution is a system, often codified [i] as a written document, which establishes the rules and pr ... 

 is ratified.

1983   The Black July massacre of Tamils occurs in Sri Lanka.

1983   Anti-Tamil riots break out in Sri Lanka which leaves over 3,000 Tamils massacred and millions of dollars worth of their property destroyed. This genocide Genocide

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [i] Article 2 as "any of the following a ... 

 is the beginning of a deadly civil war Civil war

A civil war is a war [i] in which parties within the same culture [i], society [i] or nationality [i] fi ... 

 and ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka.

1983   Anti-Tamil riots break out in Sri Lanka which leaves over 3,000 Tamils massacred and millions of dollars worth of their property destroyed. This genocide Genocide

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [i] Article 2 as "any of the following a ... 

 is the beginning of a deadly civil war Civil war

A civil war is a war [i] in which parties within the same culture [i], society [i] or nationality [i] fi ... 

 and ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka.

1984   The Tamil Tigers begin the purge of the Sinhalese from North and East Sri Lanka; 127 are killed.

1990   Tamil Tigers kill 168 Muslims in Colombo Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka [i], located on the southwest coast adj ... 

, Sri Lanka.

1993   A Tamil Tigers suicide bomber assassinates President Ranasinghe Premadasa of Sri Lanka.

1996   Sri Lanka wins the Cricket World Cup by storming to a famous victory against the tournament favourite Australia Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere [i] c ... 

.

1997   In Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers overrun a military base and kill more than 200.

2001   Tamil Tigers attack Bandaranaika International Airport in Sri Lanka, causing estimated $500 million of damages.

2002   A Norwegian-facilitated ceasefire Ceasefire

A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war [i], or any armed conflict [i], where each side of the conf ... 

 begins in Sri Lanka.

2004   One of the worst natural disaster Natural disaster

A natural disaster is the consequence of the combination of a natural hazard and human activities... 

s in recorded history hits southeastern Asia Asia

Asia is the largest and most populous continent [i] or region, depending on the definition.... 

 when the strongest earthquake in 40 years 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake... 

 hits the entire Indian Ocean region. The massive 9.3 magnitude earthquake Earthquake

An earthquake is a phenomenon [i] that results from and is powered by the sudden release of stored energ ... 

, epicentered just off the west coast of the Indonesian Indonesia

Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a nation of islands [i] consist ... 

 island of Sumatra Sumatra

Sumatra is the sixth largest island [i] of the world and is the largest island ... 

, generates enormous tsunami Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of waves [i] when a body of water [i], such as an ocean [i] ... 

 waves that crash into the coastal areas of a number of nations including Thailand Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia [i], bordering Laos [i] and Cambodia [i] to the e ... 

, India India

India , officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia [i]. ... 

, Sri Lanka, the Maldives Maldives

Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation [i] consisting of a group of atoll [i] ... 

, Malaysia Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation [i] of 13 states [i] in Southeast Asia [i], formed in 1963. ... 

, Myanmar Myanmar

Myanmar, officially the Union of Myanmar is the largest country in geographical area in mainland ... 

, Bangladesh Bangladesh

Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia [i]. ... 

, Burma Myanmar

Myanmar, officially the Union of Myanmar is the largest country in geographical area in mainland ... 

 and Indonesia Indonesia

Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a nation of islands [i] consist ... 

. The official death toll in the affected countries stands at 186,983 while more than 40,000 people are still missing.