Ella (Sinhala: ඇල්ල, lit. 'fall'; Tamil: எல்ல) is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka governed by an Urban Council. It is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 metres (3,415 ft) above sea level.[2] The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka.[3]
Ella
ඇල්ල எல்ல | |
|---|---|
 Ella Railway Station | |
  Ella | |
| Coordinates: 6°52′31″N 81°2′18″E / 6.87528°N 81.03833°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Uva Province |
| District | Badulla District |
| Elevation | 1,041 m (3,415 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 44,763[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+6 (Summertime) |
| Post Code | 90090 |
| Website | www |
Transport
editRoad
editLocated on the Colombo-Badulla railway line, and the A16 highway (Beragala-Hali Ela) a part of the Colombo-Badulla road.
Rail
editElla railway station is the 75th station on the Main Line and is located 271.03 km (168.41 mi) from Colombo. The station has one platform and all trains running on the Main Line stop at the station. The station opened in July 1918.[4]
Facilities
editNotable government institutions are :
- Police station
- Railway station
- Main post office
Attractions
edit- Dhowa temple, a 2,000-year-old rock temple, is located on the Badulla-Bandarawela Road. It contains a 12 metres (39 ft) unfinished Buddha statue carved into the surrounding rock.
- Bambaragala Peak
- Ella Rock, a lookout point
- Little Adam's Peak, a 1,141 m (3,743 ft) pyramidal-shaped hill, located to the southeast of the town. Named after the larger Adam's Peak.
- Ravana Ella Falls, a 25 m (82 ft) waterfall, located approximately 6 km (4 mi) away from the town
- Nine Arches Bridge, Demodara
- Diyaluma Falls, a 220 m (720 ft) waterfall
- Yahalamadiththa temple
- Ravana cave
- Nildiya Pokuna
Demographics
edit| Ethnicity | Population[5] | % Of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhalese | 29,822 | 66.62 |
| Indian Tamils | 12,084 | 27 |
| Sri Lankan Tamils | 802 | 1.8 |
| Sri Lankan Moors | 1,994 | 4.45 |
| Other (including Burgher, Malay) | 61 | 0.14 |
| Total | 44,763 | 100 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Brinkhoff, Thomas (13 October 2012). "Ella (Divisional Secretariat)". City Population. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
- ^ "Ella". Sri Lanka Heritages Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ Cook, Elsie Kathleen (1953). Ceylon: Its Geography, Its Resources and Its People. MacMillan. p. 90.
- ^ Perera, G. F. (1925). The Ceylon Railway: The Story of Its Inception and Progress. Ceylon Observer. p. 284.
- ^ "Population by ethnicity and district according to Divisional Secretary's Division, 2012" (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics - Sri Lanka. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2016.