Polonnaruwa District (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව දිස්ත්රික්කය; Tamil: பொலன்னறுவை மாவட்டம்) is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. It is also one of the two districts of North Central Province and has an area of 3,293 km2.
The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary (previously known as a Government Agent) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The capital of the district is the city of Polonnaruwa.
Administrative Units
| DS Division | Main Town | Divisional Secretary | GN Divisions |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thamankaduwa | Polonnaruwa | Mr.H.S.K.J Bandara | 55 | 468.78 | 94254 |
| Hingurakgoda | Hingurakgoda | Mr.H.S.K.J Bandara(Acting) | 53 | 709.04 | 77202 |
| Medirigiriya | Medirigiriya | Mr.W.M.I Karunarathne | 45 | 574.04 | 78654 |
| Lankapura | Thalpotha | Miss.R.W.R.M.C Ranawarna | 27 | 184 | 43365 |
| Welikanda | Welikanda | Mrs.M.M Hairunnisha | 29 | 548 | 42700 |
| Dimbulagala | Manampitiya | Mr.P.T.M Irfan | 56 | 581.83 | 95807 |
| Elahera | Bakamuna | Mr.C.M Karunarathne | 28 | 227.31 | 49924 |
Demographics
Ethnicity
The majority of the population are Sinhalese with a minority Sri Lankan Moor and Sri Lankan Tamil population.
Religion
According to the 2011 census[10] 89.7% of the population were Buddhists, 7.5% Muslim, 1.7% Hindu and 1% Christian.
Politics and government
Local government
| Local Authority | Registered Electors |
Elected Members | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLPP | SLFP | UNP | JVP | Other | Total | ||
| Dimbulagala Divisional Council | 64142 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| Elahera Divisional Council | 36567 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| Hingurakgoda Divisional Council | 50546 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 33 |
| Lankapura Divisional Council | 28369 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| Medirigiriya Divisional Council | 52530 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 34 |
| Polonnaruwa Divisional Council | 38459 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Polonnaruwa Municipal Council | 24809 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Welikanda Divisional Council | 21182 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Total | 316604 | 62 | 57 | 44 | 8 | 3 | 174 |
Education
Following are some of the schools in the Polonnaruwa District.
- Royal Central College, Polonnaruwa
- Thopawewa National School, Polonnaruwa
- Polonnaruwa Muslim Central College,Kaduruwela
- Ananda Balika National School, Hingurakgoda
- Minneriya National School, Minneriya
- Medirigiriya National School, Medirigiriya
- Diulankadawala Central College, Diulankadawala
- Mahasen National School, Bakamuna
- Vilayaya Nationala School, Aralaganwila
Towns
- Kaduruwela
- Hingurakgoda
- Minneriya
- Bakamuna
- Aralaganwila
- Medirigiriya
- Giritale
- Elahera
- Jayantipura
- Galamuna
- Lankapura
- Sungavila
- Manampitiya
- Siripura
- Welikanda
- Dimbulagala
- Thambala
- Pulastigama