# Anuradhapura

> city in North Central Province, Sri Lanka

**Wikidata**: [Q5724](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5724)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuradhapura)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/anuradhapura

## Summary
Anuradhapura is a sacred city and archaeological site located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It serves as the capital of both the North Central Province and the Anuradhapura District. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 under the name "Sacred City of Anuradhapura," the city had a population of 63,208 as of 2011.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** City, Sacred Place, Archaeological Site
- **Location:** North Central Province, Sri Lanka; situated within the Anuradhapura District
- **Administrative Role:** Capital of the North Central Province and the Anuradhapura District
- **Area:** 7,179 square kilometres
- **Population:** 63,208 (recorded in 2011)
- **Elevation:** 81 metres above sea level
- **Coordinates:** 8.335°N, 80.410833333333°E
- **Timezone:** UTC+05:30
- **Postal Code:** 50000
- **World Heritage Status:** Designated in 1982 as the "Sacred City of Anuradhapura" (ID: 200); meets criteria (ii), (iii), and (vi)
- **Member Organizations:** World Tourism Cities Federation; Organization of World Heritage Cities
- **Global Digital Presence:** Covered in 77 Wikipedia language editions

## FAQs
**What is the historical significance of Anuradhapura?**
Anuradhapura is classified as a "sacred place" and an "archaeological site." Its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 1982, underscores its global cultural, historical, and spiritual importance.

**Where is Anuradhapura located and what are its geographic details?**
The city is located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka at coordinates 8.335°N, 80.410833333333°E. It sits at an elevation of 81 metres above sea level and covers an area of 7,179 square kilometres.

**What administrative functions does Anuradhapura serve?**
Anuradhapura acts as the capital city for both the North Central Province and the Anuradhapura District.

**Which international organizations recognize Anuradhapura?**
Anuradhapura is a member of the World Tourism Cities Federation and the Organization of World Heritage Cities.

## Why It Matters
Anuradhapura is a critical center of cultural and religious heritage in Sri Lanka. Its dual classification as a sacred place and an archaeological site highlights its role in preserving the ancient history and spiritual traditions of the region. The city's inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list ensures international recognition and protection of its historical artifacts and structures, which meet multiple criteria for outstanding universal value. Furthermore, its administrative role as a provincial capital underscores its continued political and social relevance in modern Sri Lanka.

## Notable For
- Being a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site (1982) under the official name "Sacred City of Anuradhapura."
- Meeting three UNESCO World Heritage criteria: (ii), (iii), and (vi).
- Serving as a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities.
- Being recognized as a "sacred place" in addition to being a city and archaeological site.
- Holding membership in the World Tourism Cities Federation.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Anuradhapura is situated in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Geographically, it is positioned at 8.335° latitude and 80.410833333333° longitude. The city spans a total area of 7,179 square kilometres and rests at an elevation of 81 metres above sea level. Administratively, it functions as the capital of the North Central Province and the Anuradhapura District. The city falls within the UTC+05:30 timezone and utilizes the postal code 50000.

### Demographics
According to population data recorded in 2011, the city of Anuradhapura has a population of 63,208.

### Heritage and Cultural Classifications
Anuradhapura is formally classified as an instance of a "city," a "sacred place," and an "archaeological site." In 1982, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the official name "Sacred City of Anuradhapura" and the identification number 200. This designation was awarded based on three specific criteria: (ii), (iii), and (vi). The city is also an active member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and the World Tourism Cities Federation.

### Academic and Encyclopedic Sources
The entity is described by a variety of historical and academic sources. These include the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947), the Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition, Larousse Encyclopedia online, and Otto's encyclopedia. It is also indexed in the Grove Art Online database with the ID T003374 and the Art & Architecture Thesaurus with the ID 300019080.

### Digital Identifiers and Global Presence
Anuradhapura maintains a extensive digital and global presence through numerous identifiers and databases:
- **Library Identifiers:** Library of Congress Authority ID (n82237721), Bibliothèque nationale de France ID (12650697c), National Library of Israel J9U ID (987007557423305171), and National Library of Israel ID (old) (000997190).
- **Encyclopedia IDs:** Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Anuradhapura-Sri-Lanka), Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017) (702574), and Online PWN Encyclopedia ID (3870210).
- **Geo and Database IDs:** GeoNames ID (1251081), VIAF ID (144277769), GND ID (4321066-1), Pleiades ID (49863), and Freebase ID (/m/01p_k3).
- **Web and Mapping:** OpenStreetMap Node ID (566574942), Who's on First ID (421195427), Curlie ID (Regional/Asia/Sri_Lanka/North_Central/Anuradhapura/), and a Google Play Store ID (Anuradhapura).

### Media and Linguistics
The city has a sitelink count of 77 across various Wikipedia languages, including but not limited to English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese. A pronunciation audio file for the city's name is available in Tamil. The main category for the entity on Wikimedia Commons is "Category:Anuradhapura," and it hosts various media files including images of the Ruwanwelisaya Stupa.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. [Source](https://cn.wtcf.org.cn/citys/3417-2.html)
4. [Source](https://www.ovpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/liste-villes-en-regle-pour-page-web12-03-2024.pdf)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
7. GeoNames
8. World Heritage Site