Colombo

Colombo, the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka, is a bustling urban center on the island’s western coast. Serving as the country’s principal port since ancient times, it became the administrative capital under British colonial rule until 1982. The city’s name is believed to have been derived from the Sinhalese “Kolon thota” (“port on the Kelani River”). Colombo’s architecture, from colonial-era buildings to modern skyscrapers, reflects Portuguese, Dutch, and British influences. Today, it remains Sri Lanka’s main economic hub and cultural melting pot.