Ampara

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Ampara
අම්පාර
அம்பாறை
Ampara.jpg
Ampara Clock Tower
Sri Lanka adm-2 location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Ampara
Coordinates: 7°17′0″N81°40′0″E / 7.28333°N 81.66667°E / 7.28333; 81.66667
Country Sri Lanka
Province Eastern
District Ampara
Government
  Type Urban Council
  ChairmanM. A. Chaminda Sugath (UPFA)
Population
 (2012)
  Total
43,720 [1]
Time zone UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone)

Ampara (Sinhala : අම්පාර, Tamil : அம்பாறை) is the main town of Ampara District, governed by an Urban Council.

It is located in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, about 360 km (224 mi) east of Colombo and approximately 60 km (37 mi) south of Batticaloa.

History

This was a hunters' resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the Gal Oya scheme from 1949 by the Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a town. [2] Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative town of the Gal Oya Valley.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gal Oya Dam</span> Dam in Gal Oya National Park

The Gal Oya Dam is an embankment dam in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The dam creates one of the largest reservoirs in the country, the Gal Oya Reservoir. Water from the reservoir is used primarily for irrigation in the Uva and Eastern provinces, in addition to powering a small hydroelectric power station. Construction of the dam and reservoir began in August 24, 1949, completing four years later in 1953.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovagiriya</span> Archeological site

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Konduwattuwana Wewa or Kondawattuwana Wewa is an ancient reservoir located in Ampara, Sri Lanka. The reservoir lies on the Ampara – Inginiyagala main road, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) away from the town of Ampara. The site with ancient Buddhist ruins belonging to the Konduwattuwana reservoir area is formally recognised as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galmaduwa Raja Maha Vihara, Ampara</span>

Galmaduwa Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Galmaduwa, Sri Lanka. The temple is located on Hingurana – Ampara road approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) distance from Hingurana. It is believed that this temple complex was constructed during the reign of king Saddha Tissa. The temple has been formally recognised by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on 26 December 2014 under the government Gazette number 1895.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonagolla</span> Town in Sri Lanka

Gonagolla is a town in the Ampara District, Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

Mahaoya is a town in the Ampara District, Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It is located in 64 km (40 mi) north-west of Ampara, at the intersection of the Peradeniya-Badulla-Chenkalady Highway (A5) and the Manampitiya - Aralaganwila - Maduru Oya Road (B502).

Uhana is a town in the Ampara District, Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

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References

  1. "Statistical Information". Ampara District Secretriat. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  2. Statistical Pocket Book of the Republic of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Department of Census and Statistics. 1977. p. 137.