Part of the country series of articles.
| Socialist Republic of Ceylon | |
|---|---|
| Socialist Republic | |
 |
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| Capital | Colombo |
| Languages | Sinhala, Tamil, English |
| Population | 19,500,000 |
The Socialist Republic of Ceylon (also ΕrΔ« LaαΉ kΔ in Sinhala and IlaαΉ kai in Tamil) is an island republic in the Indian Ocean, situated off the southern coast of India. Ceylon is a member of the non-aligned movement and the COMOC, and has developed an active diplomatic presence across South and Southeast Asia and East Africa.
The country is a net exporter of tea, garments and textiles, precious stones and has a growing shipbuilding industry. Manufacturing has expanded significantly since independence, and Ceylon functions as an industrial hub within the COMOC trading network. It maintains close ties with Britain, its former colonial power, and with Vekllei, whose development model has influenced several aspects of Ceylon’s economic policy.