# data[].attributes.body
-the economy Is dominated by fishing and tourism.
-they also grow a lot of agriculture including coconuts, corn, and sweet potatoes.
-important industries include shipping, boat building, handing crafts, and coral and sand mining

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-they were first influenced by the dutch then the British.
-they obtained independence from Britain in 1965 and 3 years later, became a republic.
the government operates by secular muslim law.
-it has a president and a unicameral legislature of 50 representatives. 42 of those are elected by the people and 8 by the president.
-the same president has been president since 1978 and in 2004 they forced him to pledge reforms and greater freedom.

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-arranged marriage is still practiced
-has a republican form of government
-capital is Colombo
-rice and coconuts are 2 major food crops
-their tea is world famous
-main exports of tea and rubber
-70% are buddhist
-8% Christian

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-90% of the population is sunni muslim
-they are descendants of Sinhalese people from Sri Lanka
-the national language is Divehi which is related to Sinhalese
-they have a Christian population of less than 600 people
-the government Denys the existence of christianity and arrests any believers who are discovered.

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-Muslims in Sri Lanka bury their dead within 24 hours
-other Sri Lankans embalm their dead and keep them in the house until relatives and friends have paid all respects
-buddhists chant a verse about the brevity of life, while the nearest relative pours water into a bowl, with the water overflowing symbolizing the depositing of merit to the dead

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The walking trees in Sri Lanka are a type called banyan. These trees grow from the top down, with branches sending roots to the ground. Each root becomes a new 'leg', or trunk on the tree, which in turn grow more roots downwards.these types of roots are called aerial roots. The largest banyan tree has 350 trunks, and 3,000 smaller ones.

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-smallest nation in Asia
-the climate is hot and humid
-contains 200 islands and another 80 islands that are tourists resorts
-the north east monsoons are dry and the Southwest monsoons are rainy.
-the terrain is flat with beaches of white sand
-the highest point is 80 feet in elevation.
-islands have limited supply of fresh water

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-flat to rolling mountains in south-central interior
-climate=tropical monsoon
-rainforests
-storms cause great deal of soil erosion
*Tsunami in December 2004 left 31,000 dead, 6,300 missing, and 443,000 homeless with $1.5 billion in property damage.*