Northern Province
வட மாகாணம் උතුරු පළාත | |
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![]() Sunset over a lagoon | |
![]() Location within Sri Lanka | |
![]() Districts of the Northern Province | |
Coordinates: 09°12′N 80°25′E / 9.200°N 80.417°E | |
Country | Sri Lanka |
Created | 1 October 1833 |
Provincial council | 14 November 1987 |
Capital | Jaffna |
Largest City | Vavuniya |
Districts | |
Government | |
• Type | Provincial council |
• Body | Northern Provincial Council |
• Governor | Maj Gen G. A. Chandrasiri |
• Chief Minister | C. V. Vigneswaran |
• MPs | |
Area | |
• Total | 8,884 km2 (3,430 sq mi) |
• Land | 8,290 km2 (3,200 sq mi) |
• Rank | 3rd (13.54% of total area) |
Population (2012 census)[2] | |
• Total | 1,058,762 |
• Rank | 9th (5.22% of total pop.) |
• Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (Sri Lanka) |
Post Codes | 40000-45999 |
Telephone Codes | 021, 023, 024 |
ISO 3166 code | LK-4 |
Vehicle registration | NP |
Official languages | Tamil, Sinhala |
Flower | Kaanthal |
Tree | Maruthu |
Bird | Seven sisters |
Animal | Male deer |
Website | Northern Provincial Council |
The Northern Province (Tamil: வட மாகாணம் Vaṭakku Mākāṇam; Sinhala: උතුරු පළාත Uturu Paḷāta) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. The capital of the province is Jaffna. The Sri Lankan Civil War began in this province. It where most of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka live.[3]
Provinces in Sri Lanka were created in the 19th century. Provincial councils were created in 1987 by a change to the Constitution.[4][5] Between 1988 and 2006 the Northern Province and the Eastern Province were temporarily put together to make the North Eastern Province.