Kilinochchi District Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Kilinochchi District
Administrative District

Location within Sri Lanka
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Northern
Created	February 1984
Capital	Kilinochchi
Population
• Total	112,875
Official Languages	Tamil, Sinhala

Kilinochchi District is an important area in Sri Lanka. It is one of the 25 districts that make up the country. Kilinochchi District is located in the Northern Province. The main town and capital of the district is Kilinochchi. This district covers an area of about 1,279 square kilometers.

A Look at Kilinochchi's Past
People of Kilinochchi District
Images for kids
See also

A Look at Kilinochchi's Past

Kilinochchi District has a long and interesting history. For many centuries, from around 500 BC to 1300 AD, this area was part of a large kingdom called Rajarata. Later, much of what is now Kilinochchi District became part of the Jaffna kingdom.

Colonial Times in Kilinochchi

After the Jaffna kingdom, the district came under the control of European powers. First, the Portuguese ruled, then the Dutch, and finally the British. By 1815, the British had taken control of the entire island, which they called Ceylon. They divided the island into different administrative areas.

In 1936, people from the Jaffna Peninsula moved to this area. This was part of a plan to help with too many people and not enough jobs in Jaffna. When Ceylon became independent in 1948, Jaffna was one of the three districts in the Northern Province.

How Kilinochchi District Was Formed

Kilinochchi District was officially created in February 1984. It was made from the southern part of the older Jaffna District. Before that, in September 1978, some parts of Jaffna District were also moved to the new Mullaitivu District.

The Civil War's Impact

For many years, Kilinochchi District was greatly affected by the Sri Lankan Civil War. During this time, a rebel group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam controlled the district. However, the Sri Lankan military took back control of the district in late 2008 and early 2009.

People of Kilinochchi District

The population of Kilinochchi District was about 112,875 people in 2011. Most of the people living here are Sri Lankan Tamils. The civil war had a big impact on the people in this district, as it did across the north and east of Sri Lanka.

Many people from the district moved to other parts of Sri Lanka for safety. Some also moved to the capital city, Colombo. A large number of Sri Lankan Tamils also moved to countries in the West during the war. Before the war, there were also Sri Lankan Moors and Sinhalese people living in the district. Many of them also moved to other areas of Sri Lanka.