Sri Lanka is endowed with resplendent scenic beauty and a physical environment of wide-ranging diversity. As the home of several ethnic groups, each with its own cultural heritage, the country features a highly varied cultural landscape. This publication takes on a geographical perspective to highlight the development and change that has taken place in the country over the years. It encompasses themes such as territory and people; the physical resource base; environmental hazards; land distribution programmes; institutional reforms and rural development; manufacturing and service industries; social welfare services; and the problems and prospects that exist for the country on a macro level.