The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Ratnapura
(rt´npr) (KEY) [Sinhalese,=city of gems], town (1995 est. pop. 46,000), SW Sri Lanka. Located in a rubber- and rice-producing area, Ratnapura is Sri Lanka’s major precious-stone center, with ruby and sapphire mines and an important gem-cutting industry. The region also has graphite deposits. It is also an administrative and commercial town. A hill topped by a Portuguese fort dominates Ratnapura. Near the town is the noted temple of Maha Saman Dewal, sacred to Buddhists and Hindus.
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