Sri Lankan independence movement

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Sri Lankan independence movement" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Part of a series on the
History of Sri Lanka
Chronicles
Dipavamsa Mahavamsa Cūḷavaṃsa Rajavaliya Pujavaliya
Periods
Prehistory Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age 300,000 BP –543 BC Pre Anuradhapura Indo-Aryan settlement 543–377 BC Anuradhapura Arrival of Buddhism Dutthagamani's campaign Fall of Anuradhapura 377 BC–1017 Polonnaruwa Chola conquest Sinhalese Resistance Invasion of Kalinga Magha 1017–1232 Transitional Vijayabā Kollaya Crisis of the Sixteenth Century 1232–1597 Kandy Kandyan Wars 1597–1815 British Ceylon Great rebellion Matale rebellion Buddhist revival World War II Independence 1815–1948 Sri Lanka Dominion Republic 1948–present
By Topic
Agriculture Armed Forces Army Air Force Navy Economy Education Geography Politics Tamil immigration World Heritage Sites
Sri Lanka portal Bibliography Glossary Timeline
v t e

Politics of Sri Lanka
Constitution Previous constitutions: 1931 · 1947 Law of Sri Lanka Human rights Law enforcement
Government Executive President (List) Prime Minister (List) Cabinet of Ministers Ministers of the Government Ministries of the Government Legislature Parliament Speaker Deputy Speaker Leader of the House Leader of the Opposition Member of Parliament Judiciary Constitutional Council Supreme Court Chief Justice Court of Appeal High Courts District Courts Magistrate's Courts Primary Courts Labour Tribunal
Elections Election Commission Recent elections Presidential: 2019 2022 2024 Parliamentary: 2015 2020 next Political parties
Administrative geography Provinces Districts Municipalities Wards Grama Niladhari divisions
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister Diplomatic missions of / in Sri Lanka Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Related issues Civil War Taxation Sri Lanka Portal
Sri Lanka portal Other countries
v t e

The Sri Lankan independence movement was a peaceful political movement which was aimed at achieving independence and self-rule for the country of Sri Lanka, then British Ceylon, from the British Empire. The switch of powers was generally known as peaceful transfer of power from the British administration to Ceylon representatives, a phrase that implies considerable continuity with a colonial era that lasted 400 years.^[1] It was initiated around the turn of the 20th century and led mostly by the educated middle class. It succeeded when, on 4 February 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status within the British Commonwealth was retained for the next 24 years until 22 May 1972 when it became a republic and was renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka.