Balangoda

Balangoda is a town in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an urban council located away from Colombo and from Ratnapura on Colombo - Batticaloa Highway. It is one of the largest towns of the Sabaragamuwa Province. According to the 2001 census, Balangoda has a population of 16,875 and area of.
According to 2012 census data Balangoda DS Division's religious composition is as follows Buddhists 63,203-77.49%, Hindus 9,528-11.68%, Islam 6,211-7.61%, Roman Catholics 1,834-2.25%, Other Christians 782-0.96%, Others 5-0.01%.
Balangoda is notable due to the discovery of skeletal Hominini remains from the late Quaternary period. The town is also the birthplace of Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero and Sirimavo Bandaranaike the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
Balangoda is situated in the hilly central region of central Sri Lanka on Sabaragamuwa Mountain Range. The main livelihoods of this region are farming, rice cultivation for mainly local consumption, tea cultivation for international markets as a commercial crop and gem mining.

Education

The main schools in the area are:

R/Balangoda Ananda Maithreya Central College - The Best School in Balangoda Area.Founded by Balangoda Ananda Maithreya Thero.
Jeilani Central College
Balangoda Kanaganayagam Tamil Central College
Vidyaloka Maha Vidyalaya
R/B/C.C.Tamil Maha Vidyalyam
Meddakanda Maha Vidyalaya
Meddekanda Tamil Vidyalaya
R/Bulathgama Vidyalaya
R/Rassagala Maha Vidyalaya
R/Rathamalavinna M.V.
Sri Buddha Jayanthi Central College
Sri Shariputhra Maha Vidyalaya
St Agnes Balika Maha Vidyalaya
Udagama Maha Vidyalaya
Walagamba Maha Vidyalaya-Weligepola