Ratnapura
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Ratnapura
Ratnapura (rŭtˈnəpo͝orə) [Sinhalese,=city of gems], town (1995 est. pop. 46,000), SW Sri Lanka. Located in a rubber- and rice-producing area, Ratnapura is Sri Lanka's major precious-stone center, with ruby and sapphire mines and an important gem-cutting industry. The region also has graphite deposits. It is also an administrative and commercial town. A hill topped by a Portuguese fort dominates Ratnapura. Near the town is the noted temple of Maha Saman Dewal, sacred to Buddhists and Hindus.
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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Ratnapura
a city in southwestern Sri Lanka. Capital of Sa-baragamuwa Province; population, 29,000 (1971). Ratnapura has for a long time been a center for the mining and processing of gemstones (sapphires, rubies, aquamarines) and graphite. It is also the trade and transportation center for a region producing rubber and tea. The city is linked by railroad and highway with Colombo.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.