Sri Lanka: Sinhalese mother and child, late 19th century

The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, forming the majority in Sri Lanka. They constitute 74% of the Sri Lankan population, numbering approximately 15 million. They live mainly in central, south and west Sri Lanka. According to legend they are the descendants of the exiled Prince Vijaya who arrived from North-East India to Sri Lanka in 543 BCE.

The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The vast majority of Sinhalese are Theravada Buddhists and speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language.

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