Working with Sri Lanka
The UK has close and long-standing ties with Sri Lanka. Since Sri Lanka (or Ceylon as it was then known) gained independence from the UK in 1948, the two countries have built on their historical links to develop a close partnership across a wide range of issues including politics, economics, trade, culture, and education.
In addition to these ties, the bilateral people-to-people links are very strong. Many Sri Lankans have studied or worked in the UK and regard it as their second home. Up to 500,000 residents in Britain are of Sri Lankan origin. These links are a driver behind the 30,000 plus visa applications received by the British High Commission in Colombo each year for travel to the UK. At the same time, more Britons visit Sri Lanka as tourists than any other nationality . Some 60-80,000 British nationals come to Sri Lanka annually.
