Shirt a Phobia

Sample Page

This article is about the district in Sri Lanka. For the city, see Matale.

Matale District (Sinhala: මාතලේ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය, Tamil: மாத்தளை மாவட்டம்) is a district in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, and one of the country’s 25 districts. The administrative capital and largest city is Matale. Covering 1,993 km2 (770 sq mi), the district is considered the centremost region of the island, sharing borders with six other districts: Anuradhapura to the north, Polonnaruwa to the northeast, Badulla and Ampara to the east, Kurunegala to the west, and Kandy to the south.[2]

The district contains three UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Sigiriya rock fortress, the Dambulla cave temple, and the Knuckles Conservation Forest (inscribed as part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka)—and was the site of the first written recording of the Pali Canon at the Aluvihare Rock Temple in the 1st century BCE. The Matale Rebellion of 1848, a significant episode of anti-colonial resistance, was centred here.

Agriculture forms the backbone of the district’s economy, with particular importance for spice cultivation—including pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg—alongside tea and paddy. As of 2012, the population was 484,531, the majority of whom are Sinhalese and Buddhist.[1]

History

Archaeological findings at Ibbankatuwa (near Dambulla) place early Iron Age settlement in the district to approximately 750–400 BCE.[3] One of the most significant events in Buddhist history occurred in the district at the Aluvihare Rock Temple in the 1st century BCE, where the Pali Canon (Tripitaka) was first committed to writing on palm leaves by a council of monks during the reign of King Valagamba.[4]

The district is home to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, built by King Kashyapa (477–495 CE) as his royal capital, and the Dambulla cave temple, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[5] During the British colonial era, Matale was a centre of resistance; the Matale Rebellion of 1848, led by Gongalegoda Banda and Puran Appu, was centred in the district and marked a transition from feudal anti-colonial revolt to broader popular resistance.[6]

Geography

The landscape of the Matale District is highly diverse, transitioning from the rugged Knuckles Mountain Range in the south to flat, dry plains in the north. Elevations range from 100 metres to over 1,900 metres. The district spans all three major climatic zones of Sri Lanka: the Wet, Dry, and Intermediate zones. The region receives rainfall from both the North-East and South-West monsoons and features significant water resources, including the Suduganga river and major reservoirs such as Kandalama and Dewahuwa.[2]

Flora and fauna

The district contains significant portions of the Knuckles Conservation Forest (Dumbara Hills), inscribed as part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka UNESCO World Heritage Site.[7] The range features tropical montane humid evergreen forests and specialised pygmy forests at upper elevations, with high rates of endemism. Notable fauna native to the area include the Knuckles Rock Frog (Nannophrys marmorata) and endemic bird species such as the Sri Lanka hanging parrot.[8] The Knuckles Conservation Forest is strictly protected by the Forest Department of Sri Lanka to mitigate threats from deforestation and shifting cultivation.[9]

Administration

Matale District is administered by a District Secretary (formerly known as the Government Agent) and is divided into 11 Divisional Secretariats (DS Divisions). These include: Ambanganga Korale, Dambulla, Galewela, Laggala-Pallegama, Matale, Naula, Pallepola, Rattota, Ukuwela, Wilgamuwa, and Yatawatta. These are further subdivided into 540 Grama Niladhari divisions.[10] Local government services are managed by 13 local authorities, consisting of two Municipal Councils (Matale and Dambulla) and 11 Pradeshiya Sabhas.

Economy and agriculture

Agriculture forms the backbone of the district’s economy.[2] Matale is a primary producer of spices, including pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and vanilla.[11] The district is among the priority agricultural zones identified under the World Bank-funded Agriculture Sector Modernization Project for the commercialisation of spices, fruits, and vegetables.[12] Large-scale plantations for tea, rubber, and cocoa are prevalent in the wetter, higher-elevation areas such as Rattota.[13] In the lowlands, paddy (rice) is the primary commercial crop, alongside vegetables and fruits.[2]

The economy is further supported by tourism, driven by the district’s location within Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle,[14] and by mineral extraction; the district contains commercially significant deposits of feldspar, mica, vein quartz, gems, and limestone, concentrated particularly in the Rattota area.[15] Matale is also noted for traditional handicrafts such as lacquer work (Laksha), wood carving, and batik, with the village of Hapuvida in the district being a historically significant centre of lac craft in Sri Lanka.[16]

Transport

The district is a major transit node within the Central Province. The A9 Highway, one of the country’s primary arterial routes connecting Kandy to Jaffna, passes directly through Matale and Dambulla.

Rail transport is facilitated by the Matale line, a 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad-gauge railway operated by Sri Lanka Railways. Inaugurated in 1880, it functions as a single-track branch line diverging from the Main Line at Peradeniya Junction and terminating at the Matale Railway Station, serving regional commuter and freight traffic.[17]

Education

The district’s educational infrastructure operates under the purview of the Central Province Department of Education and is divided into four educational zones: Matale, Naula, Galewela, and Wilgamuwa.[18] The district hosts numerous national and provincial schools, with notable institutions including Zahira College, Matale.

Ethnicity and religion

Ethnicity in Matale District (2012)[19]
  1. Sinhala (80.8%)
  2. Sri Lankan Moors (9.24%)
  3. Sri Lankan Tamils (5.01%)
  4. Indian Tamils (4.80%)
  5. Others (0.19%)
Religion in Matale district (2012)[20]
Religion Percent
Buddhism
 
 79.49%
Islam
 
 9.43%
Hinduism
 
 8.96%
Christianity
 
 2.11%
Other or not stated
 
 0.01%
Religion Population (2012)
Buddhism 385,151
Islam 45,682
Hinduism 43,432
Christianity 10,241
Other religions 25

Cities

Towns

Villages

Heritage sites

Tourist attractions

References

  1. ^ a b “Census of Population and Housing 2012: Matale District” (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d “An Environmental Profile of the Matale District” (PDF). Central Environmental Authority. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  3. ^ “Ibbankatuwa Ancient Burial Site”. AmazingLanka.com. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  4. ^ “Aluvihara”. Lonely Planet. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  5. ^ “Sigiriya, the ‘Lion Fortress’ of Sri Lanka”. National Geographic. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  6. ^ “The Matale Rebellion of 1848: When Peasants Defied an Empire”. Ceylon History Stories. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  7. ^ “Central Highlands of Sri Lanka”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  8. ^ “A Guide to the Biodiversity of Knuckles Forest Region” (PDF). IUCN. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  9. ^ “Updated Baseline and Landscape Strategies of Knuckles & its Buffer Zone” (PDF). UNDP. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  10. ^ “Grama Niladhari Divisions Statistics – 2020: Matale District” (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  11. ^ “Organic product suppliers”. Department of Export Agriculture, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ^ “Sri Lanka Agriculture Sector Modernization Project”. World Bank. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. ^ “Land Use Map of Matale District” (PDF). Survey Department of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ^ “Cultural Heritage”. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  15. ^ “Feldspar and vein quartz mineralization in Sri Lanka”. Journal of the Geological Society of Sri Lanka. 2009. pp. 83–96. Retrieved 30 March 2026 – via Scribd.
  16. ^ “Lac and Sesat Craft”. Global InCH Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  17. ^ “Railway Route Map”. Sri Lanka Railways. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  18. ^ “Provincial Director of Education – Central Province”. Department of Education, Central Province. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  19. ^ “Table A3: Population by divisional secretariat division, ethnic group and sex” (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. 2012.
  20. ^ “Table A6: Population by religion, sex and sector” (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. 2012.
  21. ^ “Ancient City of Sigiriya”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  22. ^ “Golden Temple of Dambulla”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  23. ^ “Central Highlands of Sri Lanka”. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 March 2026.