Sri Lanka is an island country located off the southern coast of India. Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives. The geography of Sri Lanka includes coastal plains in the north and hills and mountains in the interior. Sri Lankan culture is a rich blend of the interaction of diverse cultural patterns both indigenous and derived from, trade, religions, as well as, western colonization. The cultural patterns of Sri Lanka today show the lasting impact of a diverse range of cultures.