Because of her position at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka is often referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. In a recorded history for over two thousand years, travelers from all over the world came upon Sri Lanka or made the happy discovery by accident. Thus, this Island Paradise was also called Serendib, giving rise to the word serendipity meaning "making happy discoveries by accident". In the more recent times the strategic position of Sri Lanka (or Ceylon) became a magnet for the Western travelers or explorers to visit Sri Lanka.

In the early 16th century the Portuguese were the first European power to realize the importance of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka became a centre of the spice trade between the East and the West and the Portuguese were the first Europeans to set up their trading posts in Sri Lanka. They came in as explorers and traders and in due course schemed their way into becoming the masters of the maritime areas of the Island. The Dutch followed them in the 18th century, but both these European nations could not control the whole Island.

The core or heart of the Sri Lankan nation survived the onslaught of these two European powers until the beginning of the 19th century. It was only the British who came in the late 18th century and replaced the Dutch, who were able to take control of the whole island in 1815. Thus Ceylon became the first Crown Colony of the British Empire in the East.

The lion though not native to Sri Lanka is the most important animal to the Sri Lankans. The national flag of Sri Lanka proudly displays the picture of a lion holding a sword.

The legend goes that the first settlers of the Island of Lanka, who came from north India had their ancestry with a tribe or group of people who venerated the lions. The majority community of Sri Lanka are called "Sinhalese" meaning descended from a lion (or "Sinha" the Sinhalese word for lion). Whilst the lion represents the Sinhalese community on the flag, the green and orange strips represent minority communities in the Island. Sri Lanka has always been a modern secular democracy, with a written constitution safeguarding the rights and privileges of every citizen irrespective of their ethnic origin, colour, creed or religion.