Minipe
Minipe
මිනිපේ / மினிப்பே | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Minipe left bank canal | |
Minipe | |
| Coordinates: 7°13′32″N 81°00′02″E / 7.22556°N 81.00056°E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Province | Central Province |
| District | Kandy District |
| DS Division | Minipe Divisional Secretariat |
| Area | |
• Total | 249.06 km2 (96.16 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 153 m (502 ft) |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
• Total | 55,342 |
| • Density | 222.2/km2 (575/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time) |
Minipe (මිනිපේ, மினிப்பே) is a town in Kandy District, Central Province, Sri Lanka.[1] It lies on the Mahaweli Ganga, Sri Lanka's longest river, east of Kandy. The Minipe Divisional Secretariat covers an area of 249.06 square kilometres (96.16 sq mi) and had a population of 55,342 at the 2024 census.[1]
Etymology
The name Minipe is derived from the Sinhala words for "gem district", a reference to the gems historically found in the area. When the Dutch admiral Joris van Spilbergen passed through Minipe in 1602 on his way to meet the Kandyan king, local people sold large quantities of gems to his men.[2]
Minipe Amuna
The ancient Minipe Amuna (මනිමේඛලා අමුණ, Manimekhala Amuna) is one of the oldest dams built across a major river in Sri Lanka. King Aggabodhi I (571–604 CE) built the dam on the Mahaweli Ganga and extended the canal for about 17 miles (27 km). King Sena II (853–887 CE) extended the canal further.[3]
The dam diverts water from the Mahaweli Ganga at a bend where the river enters a narrow channel formed by a natural island. The Minipe Ela carries this water northwards at a higher level than the river, irrigating land as far as Polonnaruwa.[3]
A 13th-century slab inscription preserved at the site records the dam's name as "Minibe" and states that it was breached in 1173 during the reign of Parakramabahu I and restored by General Bhama in 1208.[3] The canal scheme was restored in 1941 as a colonization project, when the anicut headworks and 17 miles (27 km) of the channel were reconstructed.[3]
Demographics
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 48,338 |
| 2012 | 51,883 |
| 2024 | 55,342 |
Population figures are for the Minipe Divisional Secretariat area. The annual population growth rate between 2012 and 2024 was 0.51%.[1]
At the 2024 census, 48.9% of the population was male (27,066) and 51.1% female (28,276). By age, 22.8% were under 15, 65.5% were aged 15–64, and 11.6% were 65 or older.[1]
The population is almost entirely Sinhalese (99.5%), with small numbers of Sri Lankan Moors (240) and Sri Lankan Tamils (41). By religion, 99.3% are Buddhist, with 252 Muslims and 125 Christians.[1]
Gallery
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Minipe left bank canal
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Minipe left bank canal
See also
- Minipe Divisional Secretariat
- Mahaweli River
- Mahaweli Development Programme
- List of towns in Central Province, Sri Lanka
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Minipe: Divisional Secretariat in Kandy District". City Population. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Brohier, R.L. (1934). Ancient Irrigation Works in Ceylon (1979 reprint ed.). Colombo: Government Publications Bureau.
- ^ a b c d Nicholas, C.W. (1963). "Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon". Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. New Series. VI (Special Number).