Ceylon (later to become the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka), situated in the Indian Ocean 18 miles (29 km.) southeast of India, has an area of 25,332 sq. mi. (65,610 sq. km.) and a population of 18.82 million. Capital: Colombo. The economy is chiefly agricultural. Tea, coconut products and rubber are exported. ,The earliest known inhabitants of Ceylon, the Veddahs, were subjugated by the Sinhalese from northern India in the 6th century B.C. Sinhalese rule was maintained until 1498, after which the island was controlled by China for 30 years. The Portuguese came to Ceylon in 1505 and maintained control of the coastal area for 150 years. They were supplanted by the Dutch in 1658, who were in turn supplanted by the British who seized the Dutch colonies in 1796, and made them a Crown Colony in 1802. In 1815, the British conquered the independent Kingdom of Kandy in the central part of the island. Constitutional changes in 1931 and 1946 granted the Ceylonese measure of autonomy and parliamentary form in government. Ceylon became a self-governing dominion of the British Commonwealth pm February 4, 1948. On May 22, 1972, the Ceylonese adopted a new constitution which declared Ceylon to be the Republic of Sri Lanka ? ?Resident Island.? Sri Lanka is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The president is Chief of State. The prime minister is Head of Government.,, ,For later issues, see Sri Lanka.,, Rulers:,,, ,Dutch to 1796,, ,British, 1796-1972,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Rix Dollar = 48 Stivers,, ,1 Rupee = 100 Cents,,