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Sri Lanka is divided into nine provinces and Uva Province has a distinct place among them. The natural environment and the history of the province are the main reasons for this. [1] [ clarification needed ]
When the wind blows through the mountains, a "hoo" sound is generated. It is believed from the tales that the word "hoo-wa" is later transformed into "Uva". But how and when it is used is never mentioned.[ citation needed ]
In the 19th century Governor of Ceylon, Lord Arthur Hamilton-Gordon established the Uva province. Before that the divisions Bintenna, Wiyaluwa, Wellassa, Udukinda, Yatikinda belonged to Central Province and Wellawaya and Buttala belonged to the Southern Province. [2]
The province had been divided into seven provincial financial control divisions
The word "Kinda" denotes the land. An area with a higher elevation is called "Udukinda" and an area with a lower elevation is called "Yatikinda"
The areas with a higher elevation, such as Pattipola, Ohiya, Haputale, Welimada, Gurutalawa, Ambewela and Ettampitiya were placed in "Udukinda". Areas with lower elevation such as Badulla, Passara, Lunugala, Demodara, Ella, Hali-Ela, Narangala and Spring-Vally were placed in "Yatikinda".
During the era of King Dutugemunu the path way from Northern province to the southern province passed through Buttala. A free meal was given to people who travelled from the north to the south. The place where the free meal was given called "Bath Hala", and name "Bath Hala" was later transformed into "Buttala".
When compared to the other divisions of the Uva province, Wellawaya area is very much closer to the sea. The area has a lower elevation and fewer mountains. Therefore, this area is touched with the wind from the sea, which was called "Welle Wayuwa". It is believed the name "Welle Wayuwa" later became "Wellawaya".
The large area around Mahiyangana was called "Bintenna".
Bamboo trees were called as "Wiyalu". The area with a large number of bamboo trees, was named as "Wiyaluwa".
During and after the British Ceylon period, the Uva Province was administered as several Village Councils and Town Councils. Later these administration units were transformed into Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Provincial Councils. [3]
The Western Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. The province is the most densely populated province in the country and is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte as well to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center.
The Southern Province of Sri Lanka is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. It is the 7th largest province by area and is home to 2.5 million people, the 3rd most populated province. The province is bordered by Sabaragamuwa Province and Uva Province to the North, Eastern Province to the Northeast, Western Province to the Northwest and the Indian Ocean to the South, West and East. The Province's capital is Galle.
In Sri Lanka, provinces are the first level administrative division. They were first established by the British rulers of Ceylon in 1833. Over the next century most of the administrative functions were transferred to the districts, the second level administrative division. By the middle of the 20th century the provinces had become merely ceremonial. This changed in 1987 when, following several decades of increasing demand for a decentralization, the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Currently there are nine provinces.
Uva Province is Sri Lanka's second least populated province, with 1,259,880 people, created in 1896. It consists of two districts: Badulla and Moneragala. The provincial capital is Badulla. Uva is bordered by Eastern, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces. Its major tourist attractions are Dunhinda falls, Diyaluma Falls, Rawana Falls, the Yala National Park and Gal Oya National Park. The Gal Oya hills and the Central mountains are the main uplands, while the Mahaweli and Menik rivers and the huge Senanayake Samudraya and Maduru Oya Reservoirs are the major waterways.
The Wuyi Mountains or Wuyishan are a mountain range located in the prefecture of Nanping, in northern Fujian province near the border with Jiangxi province, China. The highest peak in the area is Mount Huanggang at 2,158 metres (7,080 ft) on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi, making it the highest point of both provinces; the lowest altitudes are around 200 metres (660 ft). Many oolong and black teas are produced in the Wuyi Mountains, including da hong pao and lapsang souchong.
The Eastern Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was temporarily merged with the Northern Province to form the North Eastern Province. The capital of the province is Trincomalee.
Badulla is the main city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Badulla is a district in Uva Province, Sri Lanka. The entire land area of the Badulla district is 2,861 km² and total population is 837,000. The district is bounded by the districts of Monaragala and Rathnapura on the East & South, by Ampara and Kandy districts on the North and by Nuwara Eliya and Matale on the West. Mainly the economy of the district is based on agricultural farming and livestock.
Haputale is a town of Badulla District in the Uva Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. The elevation is 1431 m (4695 ft) above the sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Haputale is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than its surroundings, due to its elevation. The Haputale pass allows views across the Southern plains of Sri Lanka. The South-West boundary of Uva basin is marked by the Haputale mountain ridges, which continue on to Horton Plains and Adam's Peak to the west. CNN in 2010 named Haputale as one of Asia's most overlooked destinations.
The Central Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The Central Province is primarily in the central mountainous terrain of Sri Lanka. It is the 6th largest province by area and is home to 2.5 million people. It is bordered by North Central Province to the north, Uva Province to the east, North Western Province to the west and Sabaragamuwa Province to the south and west. The province's capital is Kandy.
Bogahakumbura is a rural town in Sri Lanka. It is located in Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. Majority of people in the area are involved with vegetable cultivation.
The Northern Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrative division of the country. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was temporarily merged with the Eastern Province to form the North Eastern Province. The capital of the province is Jaffna. The majority of the Sri Lankan Civil War was played out in this province.
The Mahâ Dissâvas was a Great Officer in the Amātya Mandalaya, or Sinhalese Council of State, in the Sinhalese Kingdoms of premodern Sri Lanka. Like many of the existing high offices at the time it had combined legislative and judicial powers and functioned primarily equivalent to that of a Provincial governor. The office of Dissava was retained under the successive European colonial powers, namely the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch East India Company and the British Empire. A Dissava was the governor a province known as a Disavanies. With his province, the Dissava held both executive and judicial authority.
Attanayake Mudiyanselage Kithsiri Senarath Bandara Attanayake known as Senarath Attanayake was a Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He was a recipient of the 2016 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. He was also a member of the Uva Provincial Council, Sri Lanka and was the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Land and Forestry of the Uva Provincial Council from 2000–2005 as well as the acting Chief Minister for a brief period during this tenure. Attanayake is the first person with a disability in Sri Lanka to be an elected representative and a lawyer and the only person with a disability to hold a ministerial portfolio.
Provincial council elections were held in Sri Lanka on 21 September 2013 to elect 148 members to three of the nine provincial councils in the country. 4.4 million Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election. Elections to the remaining six provincial councils were not due as they had their last election in 2009 or 2012. This was the first provincial council election in the Northern Province in 25 years.
Native headmen system was an integral part of the administration of the island of Ceylon under the successive European colonial powers, namely the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch East India Company and the British Empire. Native headmen or leaders where appointed by the European colonial administrators to function as intermediates between the Europeans and the native populous. During different periods through this system these headmen functioned in military, policing, administrative and ceremonial capacities. They served as translators, revenue collectors and wielded quasi-judicial powers. Much of the system evolved and changed over time until some of the last vestiges of it were removed in the post-independent Ceylon. The members of this group formed a unique social group called the Sri Lankan Mudaliyars and associated with older Radala caste.
Provincial governments of Sri Lanka are the devolved governments of the nine Provinces of Sri Lanka. In accordance with the Sri Lankan constitution, provinces have legislative power over a variety of matters including agriculture, education, health, housing, local government, planning, road transport and social services. The constitution also gives them powers over police and land but successive central governments have refused to devolve these powers to the provinces.
Ella is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka governed by an Urban Council. It is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 metres (3,415 ft) above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka.
Dambagalla is a village and former Union Council in Monaragala District, Uva Province, southeastern-central Sri Lanka. It lies 8.2 kilometres (5.1 mi) by road to the north of Monaragala, off the Colombo-Batticaloa highway (A4).
