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A Private Letter to President Mahinda Rajapakse R.Cholan, 18 February 2006
"Look at the big picture. If the �New
Sri Lanka� and �Thamileelam� stop fighting each other we both will be
fairly big guys in the word scene.I realize that your constituents have
a tendency to think of Sri Lanka as small. They learned to think this
way from the Mahavamsa story of Duttu Gemunu lying curled-up on his bed.
He couldn�t stretch out, he explained to his mother according to
Mahavamsa, because �over there beyond the river are the Tamils; here on
this side is the sea; how can I lie with outstretched limbs?� You see,
they (and you too) need to get out of this way of thinking. Sri Lanka is
not so small after all..."
Psst! Hey Presidente!
You made a bit of a �BOOBOO� this week in
your interview with the Reuters [13 February 2006] and I was quite
embarrassed, you being the President of my old country and all that. You had
said, �[Sri Lanka] is a small country, where you can�t have two states��
You are an educated man (a lawyer, I am told) and I am surprised at your lack of
knowledge on such matters. The fact is � Sri Lanka is not a small country as you
claim. I have listed below data on 138 countries smaller in population than Sri
Lanka, all full-fledged members of the United Nations. The total membership of
the UN is only 191 countries. What I found most interesting in studying this
list is that, when Sri Lanka gets split into �New Sri Lanka� and �Thamileelam�,
the New Sri Lanka will still be larger than 134 UN members nations (Thamileelam
will be larger than 70 of them). Look at the big picture. If the �New Sri Lanka�
and �Thamileelam� stop fighting each other we both will be fairly big guys in
the world scene.
I realize that your constituents have a tendency to think of
Sri Lanka as small. They learned to think this way from the
Mahavamsa story of Duttu Gemunu lying curled-up on his bed. He couldn�t
stretch out, he explained to his mother according to Mahavamsa, because
�over there beyond the river are the Tamils; here on this side is the sea;
how can I lie with outstretched limbs?� You see, they (and you too) need to
get out of this way of thinking. Sri Lanka is not so small after all.
I am sending this to you so that you don�t make the same blunder
again. Please give it to your advisors and speech-writers. Tell them that an
anonymous friend of yours sent it to you so that they don�t give you bad advice
in the future. Tell them to study it carefully, and maybe even post it on their
bulletin-boards for future reference.
Keep this communication under the wraps please, and don�t tell anyone I sent
this to you. My Tamil friends here will �kill me� if they find out that I am
helping you.
Respectfully submitted.
Sincerely,
R. Cholan
17 February 2006
UN Member States smaller than Sri Lanka (in order of Population)
|
|
Country |
Date of Admission to UN |
Area * |
Population ** |
|
1 |
Tuvalu |
(5 Sept. 2000) |
26 |
11,636 |
|
2 |
Nauru |
(14 Sept. 1999) |
21 |
13,048 |
|
3 |
Palau |
(15 Dec. 1994) |
458 |
20,303 |
|
4 |
San Marino |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
61 |
28,880 |
|
5 |
Monaco |
(28 May 1993) |
2 |
31,987 |
|
6 |
Liechtenstein |
(18 Sep. 1990) |
160 |
33,717 |
|
7 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
(23 Sep. 1983) |
261 |
38,958 |
|
8 |
Marshall Islands |
(17 Sep. 1991) |
181 |
59,071 |
|
9 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
(11 Nov. 1981) |
443 |
68,722 |
|
10 |
Dominica |
(18 Dec. 1978) |
754 |
69,029 |
|
11 |
Andorra |
(28 July 1993) |
468 |
70,549 |
|
12 |
Seychelles |
(21 Sep. 1976) |
455 |
81,188 |
|
13 |
Grenada |
(17 Sep. 1974) |
344 |
89,502 |
|
14 |
Kiribati |
(14 Sept. 1999) |
811 |
103,092 |
|
15 |
Micronesia, Federated States of |
(17 Sep. 1991) |
702 |
108,105 |
|
16 |
Tonga |
(14 Sep. 1999) |
748 |
112,422 |
|
17 |
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
|
(16 Sep. 1980) |
389 |
117,534 |
|
18 |
Saint Lucia |
(18 Sep. 1979) |
616 |
166,312 |
|
19 |
Samoa |
(15 Dec. 1976) |
2,944 |
177,287 |
|
20 |
Sao Tome and Principe
|
(16 Sep. 1975) |
1,001 |
187,410 |
|
21 |
Vanuatu |
(15 Sep. 1981) |
12,200 |
205,754 |
|
22 |
Barbados |
(9 Dec. 1966) |
431 |
279,254 |
|
23 |
Belize |
(25 Sep. 1981) |
22,966 |
279,457 |
|
24 |
Iceland |
(19 Nov. 1946) |
103,000 |
296,737 |
|
25 |
Bahamas, The |
(18 Sep. 1973) |
13,940 |
301,790 |
|
26 |
Maldives |
(21 Sep. 1965) |
300 |
349,106 |
|
27 |
Brunei |
(21 Sep. 1984) |
5,770 |
372,361 |
|
28 |
Malta |
(1 Dec. 1964) |
316 |
398,534 |
|
29 |
Cape Verde |
(16 Sep. 1975) |
4,033 |
418,224 |
|
30 |
Suriname |
(4 Dec. 1975) |
163,270 |
438,144 |
|
31 |
Luxembourg |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
2,586 |
468,571 |
|
32 |
Djibouti |
(20 Sep. 1977) |
23,000 |
476,703 |
|
33 |
Equatorial Guinea |
(12 Nov. 1968) |
28,051 |
535,881 |
|
34 |
Solomon Islands |
(19 Sep. 1978) |
28,450 |
538,032 |
|
35 |
Comoros |
(12 Nov. 1975) |
2,170 |
671,247 |
|
36 |
Bahrain |
(21 Sep. 1971) |
665 |
688,345 |
|
37 |
Guyana |
(20 Sep. 1966) |
214,970 |
765,283 |
|
38 |
Cyprus |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
9,250 |
780,133 |
|
39 |
Qatar |
(21 Sep. 1971) |
11,437 |
863,051 |
|
40 |
Fiji |
(13 Oct. 1970) |
18,270 |
893,354 |
|
41 |
East Timor |
(27 Sep. 2002) |
15,007 |
1,040,880 |
|
42 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
(18 Sep. 1962) |
5,128 |
1,088,644 |
|
43 |
Swaziland |
(24 Sep. 1968) |
17,363 |
1,173,900 |
|
44 |
Mauritius |
(24 Apr. 1968) |
2,040 |
1,230,602 |
|
45 |
Estonia |
(17 Sep. 1991) |
45,226 |
1,332,893 |
|
46 |
Gabon |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
267,667 |
1,389,201 |
|
47 |
Guinea-Bissau |
(17 Sep. 1974) |
36,120 |
1,416,027 |
|
48 |
Gambia, The |
(21 Sep. 1965) |
11,300 |
1,593,256 |
|
49 |
Botswana |
(17 Oct. 1966) |
600,370 |
1,640,115 |
|
50 |
Lesotho |
(17 Oct. 1966) |
30,355 |
1,867,035 |
|
51 |
Slovenia |
(22 May 1992) |
20,273 |
2,011,070 |
|
52 |
Namibia |
(23 Apr. 1990) |
825,418 |
2,030,692 |
|
53 |
Macedonia |
(8 Apr. 1993) |
25,333 |
2,045,262 |
|
54 |
Bhutan |
(21 Sep. 1971) |
47,000 |
2,232,291 |
|
55 |
Latvia |
(17 Sep. 1991) |
64,589 |
2,290,237 |
|
56 |
Kuwait |
(14 May 1963) |
17,820 |
2,335,648 |
|
57 |
United Arab Emirates
|
(9 Dec. 1971) |
82,880 |
2,563,212 |
|
58 |
Jamaica |
(18 Sep. 1962) |
10,991 |
2,731,832 |
|
59 |
Mongolia |
(27 Oct. 1961) |
1,565,000 |
2,791,272 |
|
60 |
Congo, Rep. of the |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
342,000 |
2,958,448 |
|
61 |
Armenia |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
29,800 |
2,982,904 |
|
62 |
Oman |
(7 Oct. 1971) |
212,460 |
3,001,583 |
|
63 |
Panama |
(13 Nov. 1945) |
78,200 |
3,039,859 |
|
64 |
Mauritania |
(27 Oct. 1961) |
1,030,700 |
3,086,859 |
|
65 |
Liberia |
(2 Nov. 1945) |
111,370 |
3,288,198 |
|
66 |
Uruguay |
(18 Dec. 1945) |
176,220 |
3,415,920 |
|
67 |
Albania |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
28,748 |
3,563,112 |
|
68 |
Lithuania |
(17 Sep. 1991) |
65,200 |
3,596,617 |
|
69 |
Central African Republic
|
(20 Sep. 1960) |
622,984 |
3,799,897 |
|
70 |
Lebanon |
(17 Oct. 1966) |
10,400 |
3,826,018 |
|
71 |
Ireland |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
70,280 |
4,015,676 |
|
72 |
Costa Rica |
(2 Nov. 1945) |
51,100 |
4,016,173 |
|
73 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
(22 May 1992) |
51,129 |
4,025,476 |
|
74 |
New Zealand |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
268,680 |
4,035,461 |
|
75 |
Singapore |
(21 Sep. 1965) |
693 |
4,425,720 |
|
76 |
Moldova |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
33,843 |
4,455,421 |
|
77 |
Croatia |
(22 May 1992) |
56,542 |
4,495,904 |
|
78 |
Eritrea |
(28 May 1993) |
121,320 |
4,561,599 |
|
79 |
Norway |
(27 Nov. 1945) |
324,220 |
4,593,041 |
|
80 |
Georgia |
(31 July 1992) |
69,700 |
4,677,401 |
|
81 |
Turkmenistan |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
488,100 |
4,952,081 |
|
82 |
Kyrgyzstan |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
198,500 |
5,146,281 |
|
83 |
Finland |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
337,030 |
5,223,442 |
|
84 |
Slovakia |
(19 Jan. 1993) |
48,845 |
5,431,363 |
|
85 |
Denmark |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
43,094 |
5,432,335 |
|
86 |
Nicaragua |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
129,494 |
5,465,100 |
|
87 |
Papua New Guinea |
(10 Oct. 1975) |
462,840 |
5,545,268 |
|
88 |
Togo |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
56,785 |
5,681,519 |
|
89 |
Jordan |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
92,300 |
5,759,732 |
|
90 |
Libya |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
1,759,540 |
5,765,563 |
|
91 |
Sierra Leone |
(27 Sep. 1961) |
71,740 |
6,017,643 |
|
92 |
Laos |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
236,800 |
6,217,141 |
|
93 |
Israel |
(11 May 1949) |
20,770 |
6,276,883 |
|
94 |
Paraguay |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
406,750 |
6,347,884 |
|
95 |
Burundi |
(18 Sep. 1962) |
27,830 |
6,370,609 |
|
96 |
El Salvador |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
21,040 |
6,704,932 |
|
97 |
Honduras |
(17 Dec. 1945) |
112,090 |
6,975,204 |
|
98 |
Tajikistan |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
143,100 |
7,163,506 |
|
99 |
Bulgaria |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
110,910 |
7,450,349 |
|
100 |
Benin |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
112,620 |
7,460,025 |
|
101 |
Switzerland |
(10 Sep. 2002) |
41,290 |
7,489,370 |
|
102 |
Azerbaijan |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
86,600 |
7,911,974 |
|
103 |
Haiti |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
27,750 |
8,121,622 |
|
104 |
Austria |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
83,858 |
8,184,691 |
|
105 |
Rwanda |
(18 Sep. 1962) |
26,338 |
8,440,820 |
|
106 |
Somalia |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
637,657 |
8,591,629 |
|
107 |
Bolivia |
(14 Nov. 1945) |
1,098,580 |
8,857,870 |
|
108 |
Dominican Republic |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
48,730 |
8,950,034 |
|
109 |
Sweden |
(19 Nov. 1946) |
449,964 |
9,001,774 |
|
110 |
Guinea |
(12 Dec. 1958) |
245,857 |
9,467,866 |
|
111 |
Chad |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
1,284,000 |
9,826,419 |
|
112 |
Hungary |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
93,030 |
10,006,835 |
|
113 |
Tunisia |
(12 Nov. 1956) |
163,610 |
10,074,951 |
|
114 |
Czech Republic |
(19 Jan. 1993) |
78,866 |
10,241,138 |
|
115 |
Belarus |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
207,600 |
10,300,483 |
|
116 |
Belgium |
(27 Dec. 1945) |
30,510 |
10,364,388 |
|
117 |
Portugal |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
92,391 |
10,566,212 |
|
118 |
Greece |
(25 Oct. 1945) |
131,940 |
10,668,354 |
|
119 |
Serbia and Montenegro |
(1 Nov. 2000) |
102,350 |
10,829,175 |
|
120 |
Senegal |
(28 Sep. 1960) |
196,190 |
11,126,832 |
|
121 |
Angola |
(1 Dec. 1976) |
1,246,700 |
11,190,786 |
|
122 |
Zambia |
(1 Dec. 1964) |
752,614 |
11,261,795 |
|
123 |
Cuba |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
110,860 |
11,346,670 |
|
124 |
Niger |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
1,267,000 |
11,665,937 |
|
125 |
Malawi |
(1 Dec. 1964) |
118,480 |
12,158,924 |
|
126 |
Mali |
(28 Sep. 1960) |
1,240,000 |
12,291,529 |
|
127 |
Zimbabwe |
(25 Aug. 1980) |
390,580 |
12,746,990 |
|
128 |
Ecuador |
(21 Dec. 1945) |
283,560 |
13,363,593 |
|
129 |
Cambodia |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
181,040 |
13,607,069 |
|
130 |
Burkina Faso |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
274,200 |
13,925,313 |
|
131 |
Guatemala |
(21 Nov. 1945) |
108,890 |
14,655,189 |
|
132 |
Kazakhstan |
(2 Mar. 1992) |
2,717,300 |
15,185,844 |
|
133 |
Chile |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
756,950 |
15,980,912 |
|
134 |
Netherlands |
(10 Dec. 1945) |
41,526 |
15,980,912 |
|
135 |
Cameroon |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
475,440 |
16,380,005 |
|
136 |
Cote d'Ivoire |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
322,460 |
17,298,040 |
|
137 |
Madagascar |
(20 Sep. 1960) |
587,040 |
18,040,341 |
|
138 |
Syria |
(24 Oct. 1945) |
185,180 |
18,448,752 |
|
139 |
Sri Lanka |
(14 Dec. 1955) |
65,610 |
20,064,776 |
|
|
New Sri Lanka |
Future |
46,777 |
16,064,776 |
|
|
Thamileelam |
Future |
18,833 |
3,966,012 |
* Area is in square kilometers.
** The populations are July 2005 Estimates.
PS: I got all this information from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
website.
If you want to check it here is the URL
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
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