Kinniya


Kinniya is a town on the east coast of Sri Lanka, in the Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province. It is about from the city of Trincomalee and from Colombo. Located in Sri Lanka's dry zone, the Kinniya region often experiences hot and dry weather with very little precipitation. Kinniya Bridge is Sri Lanka's longest bridge, which attracts many tourists to the town. Being adjacent to the Trincomalee Harbour, Kinniya was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

History

Kinniya has over 500 years of history. A 400-year-old Grand Masjid in Kinniya was demolished and a new one built in its place in 2002 by the Saudi Arabian government. The name "Kinniya" denotes the kinni tree, which was part of the identity of the people of Kinniya.

Demographics

Kinniya has a Moorish majority. There are small minorities of other ethnic groups, such as Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese.
EthnicityPopulation% Of Total
Sri Lankan Moors61,86996.01
Sri Lankan Tamils2,3904.06
Sinhalese2450.40
Other 320.03
Total75,674100

Source: .
2012Percentage
Islam61,88095.77%
Hindu2,4393.77%
Buddhist2530.39%
Catholic390.06%
Other20.003%
Total64,613100.0%

Source: .

Economy

The fishing industry plays a key role in both the economy and society of Kinniya.

Education

Kinniya has well-educated groups from many sectors, including medicine, law, engineering, academic staff, and the public sector. Many schools, both private and public, have been established in the town. Higher education centres have also been established, as during the Sri Lankan Civil War, it was difficult to travel to established higher education institutions elsewhere.