Under the 13th amendment of the constitution provincial councils were established in 1988. to expedite the process of provincial development and determine more democratic provincial administration was the main objective of setting up provincial Councils.
The Southern province of Sri Lanka includes the district of Galle ( 115 Km from colombo) Matara (160Km from Colombo) and Hambanthota (240Km from Colombo) covering and area of 5543 sq Km inclusive of 46 Kilometer of larger inland water bodies. This makes upto 8.45 percent of the total land area of Sri lanka.
Much of the Southern province has natural Boundaries. The Bentata ganga and Kumbukkan Oya in the north seperates it from the Western and Estern Provinces respectively narrow srrip of approximately 215 kilometers extending along the entire sourthern cost. A small area in the north of Galle and Matara districts with its small villages and town rises to an elevation of approximately 1,200 feet above MSL and the rest of the province is generally flat.
Galle and Matara districts are in the wet zone in the western half, wehere the climate is hot and mist in contrast to the dry and arid areas in the east. the average annual rainfall renges from approximately 300 centimeters in the wet zone which experiences its heviest rain during the period may to july to A low annual average of 80 centimeteres in Hambanthota district during the November to February rain with three fourth of the district average 50 centimeters. Mean temperature vary from 26 C in the West to 28 C in the East.
The Province is drained by seven medium rivers and 25 other small rivers. These rivers are making serious problems of flood control in Galle and Matara districts, but on the other hand sources of irrigation in the dry zone agriculture has carried out unde3r rainfed thanks in sea coast line sweeping over 190Km from bentota to Tissamaharama is a main Physical feature.
The coast is indented at frequent intervals by bays, river estuaries and inlets; the numerous inlets and the sea makes fishing an important coastal occupation.
Red yellow podzolic soils are predominant in the wet zone while in the intermediate zone the red yellow podzolic solid, with strongly motted subsoil low in humic gray solid, reddish brown earth and immature brown loams predominate. The Dry Zone Has reddish brown earth with a high amount of gravel.
