Go next

Dambulla

human settlement

210km

7.85666780.649167

Madurai

city of Tamil Nadu in southern India

211km

9.9256578.11425

Kandy

Capital city in Central Province, Sri Lanka

269km

7.29638980.635

Negombo

city in Sri Lanka

269km

7.211179.8386

Kochi

city in Kerala, India

418km

9.9450176.25134
Sights (2)

Jaffna Public Library

This magnificent library built in 1933 once housed the largest collection in Asia with over 97,000 individual books. It was however burnt in 1981 by an ethnic mob. As a precursor to the Sri Lankan Civil War, the burning of Jaffna Library remains a controversial and traumatic issue among many in Jaffna. Restored and reopened, it now houses a much smaller collection.

1.3km

9.6620611180.01183611

Nagadeepa Purana Vihara

25km

9.6127579.77397222
Nature

we will see

Jaffna

Sri Lanka
Someday we will visit Jaffna or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Jaffna

Jaffna District, the northernmost region of the island of Sri Lanka, is one of the oldest inhabited places in lower South Asia and populated mainly by Tamil speaking people. Jaffna is within ten degrees of latitude to the north of the equator and separated from the sub-continent of India by the Palk Strait and the Bay of Bengal.

The city is surrounded by Jaffna Lagoon to its west and south, Kokkuvil and Thirunelveli to the north, and Nallur to the east. Jaffna peninsula is made of limestone as it was submerged under sea during the Miocene period. The limestone is grey, yellow and white porous type. The entire land mass is flat and lies at sea level. Within one mile (1.6 kilometres) of the city center is the island of Mandativu which is connected by a causway. Palmyrah groves can be seen where land has not been used for construction. Other notable vegetation is a leafless shrub called talai (alae africana) and koddanai (oleander).

Jaffna city was founded as a trading town by European merchants. Although a historic port used by the native Jaffna kingdom was already in existence when the Portuguese arrived, it was the European mercantile activity that made it prominent. In colonial times, production of clothes, items of gold and silver, processing of tobacco, rice and other related activities formed an important part of the economic activities. In modern times, the port was its principal source of revenue but it has declined drastically. Currently it survives as a fishing port. The city had a wide range of industries, including food processing, packaging, making of household items, and salt processing, but most ceased after 1995. Since then, most industrialists, entrepreneurs, and business people have relocated to the rest of Sri Lanka and abroad. After 2009, foreign governments within the EU, US, India, and investors from the south of the island and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora have shown an interest in making investments in Jaffna district in general and Jaffna city in particular. Shopping malls such as the Cargills Square and hotels such as Jetwing Jaffna, Tilko Jaffna City Hotel have been built boosting the tourism industry in the city.

Your notes (private)

What's on your mind? (you can type here notes just for you and they will show on your dashboard)

Information for getting there

When someday comes you'll need to get in.

Information for getting around

When someday comes you'll need to be able to get around.

Your tips and questions

Let us know your best tips about Jaffna.

Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

28.5°C23
Precipitation: 69.6 mm

Feb

29.9°C22.6
Precipitation: 37.2 mm

Mar

31.8°C23.4
Precipitation: 19.1 mm

Apr

33.4°C25.6
Precipitation: 43.4 mm

May

33.3°C26.9
Precipitation: 46.3 mm

Jun

32.7°C26.9
Precipitation: 23.2 mm

Jul

32.6°C26.2
Precipitation: 40.5 mm

Aug

32.4°C25.9
Precipitation: 47.8 mm

Sep

32.1°C25.7
Precipitation: 75.4 mm

Oct

30.8°C24.7
Precipitation: 249.8 mm

Nov

29.3°C23.9
Precipitation: 356.1 mm

Dec

28.3°C23.6
Precipitation: 294.5 mm
Useful links