| Mannar மன்னார் මන්නාරම |
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| — Town — | |
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Mannar
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Northern |
| District | Mannar |
| DS Division | Mannar |
| Government | |
| • Type | Urban Council |
| • Chairman | Santhanpillai Gnanaprgasam (TNA) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.85 km2 (10.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 22,581 |
| • Density | 811/km2 (2,091/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) |
Mannar (Tamil: மன்னார், Sinhala: මන්නාරම), formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.
Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior is largely destroyed. Formerly the town was renowned as a center of pearl fishing, mentioned in the 2nd-century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.[1] Visually, the modern town is dominated by its mosques and churches.[2]
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