The capital city of beautiful Sri Lanka, it also serves as its main port for both trade and tourism. It is located on the west coast of the island nation, and also lies at the mouth of the River Kelani. The population is approximately 800,000 people. The name Colombo is derived from the city's original title, Kola-Amba-Thota, and altered by the Portuguese in honor of Christopher Columbus. Home to the University of Colombo, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and a range of consumer and chemical industries, it is a modern, built up metropolis. It has recently suffered tragedy, as Sri Lanka was one of the worst affected nations (second only to Indonesia) in the colossal 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake. While it did not suffer the worst the damage, the relatively small nation of Sri Lanka lost almost 50,000 of its citizens and therefore the entire nation, not least the capital, was profoundly affected.
Oxford Concise Encyclopedia