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Moratuwa

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Moratuwa is a large municipality on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. It sits near a place called Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. The town is located on the Galle-Colombo highway. It lies just south of the center of Colombo. Water surrounds the town on three sides. The Indian Ocean is to the west. Lake Bolgoda is on the east side. The Moratu river flows along the southern edge.

Many different things happen in this busy area. Moratuwa is a center for fishing and trading. It is very famous for making furniture. People there also make rubber products and batteries. They also make transformers and wood handicrafts. The town is a place for learning too. The University of Moratuwa is a top school for technology. It sits on the banks of Bolgoda Lake.

This place has a very long history. A poem from the 15th century mentions Moratuwa. It also mentions a place called Lakshapathiya. Lakshapathiya was land given to a commander named Lak Vijaya Singu. The name Moratuwa comes from the words "Mura Atuwa." This means "sentry turret" in the Sinhalese language. Such a turret once stood at Kaldamulla.

There are many important facts about the people here. In 2012, the population was 168,280 people. Most people in Moratuwa are Buddhist. However, it has a very high number of Christians. The town is home to famous musicians like W. D. Amaradeva. It also produces many great cricket players. The De Soysa Stadium is a large place for cricket.

Traveling through Moratuwa is quite easy. The Galle Road connects the town to the north and south. There is also a railway line that runs along the coast. This line has five different stations. You can find stations at Angulana, Lunawa, Moratuwa, Koralawella, and Egodauyana. Four bridges cross Lake Bolgoda to help people move around. The town also has a public library built with Japanese architecture.

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