National Symbols, Identity and Cultural Heritage
This domain tests the symbols that represent the State, the composition of national identity, and the legal protection of heritage. Questions test exact detail, so the year and the person behind each symbol matter.
National symbols
- Flag: the lion flag, with bo leaves in the corners, orange and green vertical stripes for the minority communities, and a yellow border.
- Anthem: 'Sri Lanka Matha', words and music by Ananda Samarakoon, adopted in 1951.
- Emblem: the lion holding a sword within lotus petals, with a sheaf of rice, the sun and the moon.
- National flower: the blue water lily; national tree: the na tree; national bird: the jungle fowl, which is endemic; national sport: volleyball.
Identity and heritage
Sri Lanka's identity is multi-ethnic and multi-religious: Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Hill Country Tamils, Muslims, Malays and Burghers. Sinhala and Tamil are official languages, with English as the link language. The Antiquities Ordinance No. 9 of 1940 and the Department of Archaeology protect monuments, and eight properties are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Galle Fort, Sinharaja and the Central Highlands.
Worked example. A question asks who composed the national anthem. Reasoning: the words and melody are by Ananda Samarakoon; the frequent claim that Rabindranath Tagore composed it is a misconception, although Tagore did write the anthem of Bangladesh.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing the national flower (blue water lily) with the lotus shown on the emblem.
- Giving the wrong anthem composer.
- Missing the orange and green stripes as representation of minorities.
- Naming heritage sites that are not inscribed, or miscounting them.