puttalam
{{About|the town in Sri Lanka}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name =
| native_name =
| image_skyline = Sri Lanka, Puttalam street scene (5).jpg
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Sri Lanka
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Sri Lanka
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = North Western
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Vacant since May 2021{{Cite web|url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_21A/May23_1621793658CH.php| title = The Chairman of puttalam urban council died following a road accident}}
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 25.6
| area_total_sq_mi =
| area_land_km2 = 119.0
| area_land_sq_mi =
| area_water_km2 = 327
| area_water_sq_mi =
| population_as_of = 2012
| population_total = 45,511 (Urban Council)
| population_metro = 82,443 (Puttalam Division)
| population_density_km2 = 400
| timezone = Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone
| utc_offset = +05:30
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| coordinates = {{coord|08|02|03|N|79|50|07|E|region:LK|display=inline,title}}
| website =
| footnotes =
| name = Puttalam
{{lang|si|පුත්තලම}}
{{lang|ta|புத்தளம்}}
| settlement_type = Town
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Puttalam District
| subdivision_type3 = Divisional Secretariat
| subdivision_name3 = Puttalam Division
| translit_lang1 =
| government_type = Puttalam Urban Council
| leader_party =
| population_urban =
| area_urban_km2 =
| population_density_urban_km2 = 1,778
| population_density_metro_km2 = 471.1
| population_footnotes = {{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/srilanka/|title=Sri Lanka: Provinces, Districts, Divisional Secretariats, Cities - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts }}
| area_footnotes =
| government_footnotes =
}}
Puttalam ({{langx|si|පුත්තලම|translit=Puttalama}}; {{langx|ta|புத்தளம்|translit=Puttaḷam}}) is the largest town in Puttalam District, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. Puttalam is the administrative capital of the Puttalam District and governed by a municipal council.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Pattalam has a tropical savanna climate (As) with a short dry season from June to September and a second dry season from January to March. The wet season is mainly from October to December. Temperatures remain steady throughout the year with little variations in between.
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| collapsed = yes
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Puttalam (1991–2020)
| Jan record high C = 34.4
| Feb record high C = 36.4
| Mar record high C = 38.5
| Apr record high C = 38.5
| May record high C = 36.2
| Jun record high C = 35.4
| Jul record high C = 34.9
| Aug record high C = 35.5
| Sep record high C = 35.7
| Oct record high C = 35.5
| Nov record high C = 34.5
| Dec record high C = 33.1
| year record high C =
| Jan high C = 30.7
| Feb high C = 32.3
| Mar high C = 33.5
| Apr high C = 33.2
| May high C = 32.5
| Jun high C = 31.7
| Jul high C = 31.5
| Aug high C = 31.7
| Sep high C = 31.8
| Oct high C = 31.3
| Nov high C = 30.7
| Dec high C = 30.0
| year high C = 31.8
| Jan mean C = 26.2
| Feb mean C = 27.0
| Mar mean C = 28.6
| Apr mean C = 28.9
| May mean C = 29.5
| Jun mean C = 29.2
| Jul mean C = 28.9
| Aug mean C = 28.9
| Sep mean C = 28.9
| Oct mean C = 28.1
| Nov mean C = 27.1
| Dec mean C = 26.4
| year mean C = 28.1
| Jan low C = 21.4
| Feb low C = 21.7
| Mar low C = 23.4
| Apr low C = 24.7
| May low C = 26.5
| Jun low C = 26.7
| Jul low C = 26.3
| Aug low C = 26.2
| Sep low C = 25.9
| Oct low C = 24.7
| Nov low C = 23.5
| Dec low C = 22.6
| year low C = 24.5
| Jan record low C = 15.6
| Feb record low C = 16.2
| Mar record low C = 17.0
| Apr record low C = 20.5
| May record low C = 19.7
| Jun record low C = 22.7
| Jul record low C = 22.0
| Aug record low C = 22.5
| Sep record low C = 21.4
| Oct record low C = 21.3
| Nov record low C = 17.4
| Dec record low C = 15.7
| year record low C =
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 50.5
| Feb precipitation mm = 42.1
| Mar precipitation mm = 56.9
| Apr precipitation mm = 154.4
| May precipitation mm = 101.8
| Jun precipitation mm = 32.1
| Jul precipitation mm = 23.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 23.3
| Sep precipitation mm = 69.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 230.6
| Nov precipitation mm = 254.6
| Dec precipitation mm = 143.7
| year precipitation mm = 1182.6
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 5.6
| Feb precipitation days = 4.2
| Mar precipitation days = 4.5
| Apr precipitation days = 9.5
| May precipitation days = 6.5
| Jun precipitation days = 4.2
| Jul precipitation days = 2.1
| Aug precipitation days = 3.4
| Sep precipitation days = 5.8
| Oct precipitation days = 12.8
| Nov precipitation days = 15.3
| Dec precipitation days = 10.8
| year precipitation days = 84.7
| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/SriLanka/CSV/Puttalam_43424.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Puttalam
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = January 20, 2024}}
}}
Points of interest
Energy
Seguwantivu Wind Power (Private) Limited, an Indian firm, invests US$37 million and maintains 25 wind turbines which produce 20 MWs of electricity in Puttalam Seguwantivu region.[https://www.thewindpower.net/windfarm_en_14263_seguwantivu.php]
Education
= National schools =
- Zahira National College, Puttalam
- Ananda National School, Puttalam
= Provincial schools =
- President's Science College
- Fathima Muslim Ladies College{{Cite web |title=புத்தளம் பாத்திமாவின் புதிய அதிபராக கல்லூரியின் பழைய மாணவி பதவியேற்பு – Puttalam Online |url=https://puttalamonline.com/%e0%ae%aa%e0%af%81%e0%ae%a4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%b3%e0%ae%ae%e0%af%8d-%e0%ae%aa%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%a4%e0%af%8d%e0%ae%a4%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%ae%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%b5%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%a9%e0%af%8d-%e0%ae%aa%e0%af%81/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |language=en-US}}
- Science High School, Puttalam
- Puttalam Hindu Central College
- Thillayadi Muslim Maha Vidhyalaya
- Zahira Primary School
- Manal Kundru Muslim Maha Vidhiyalaya
- Zainab Muslim Girl's Primary
- Assenkudhoos Government Muslim Vidyalayam
- St. Mary's National College
- St. Andrew's Central College
= International schools =
- Phoenix International School
- Puttalam Primary school and child care centre
- KEC
- St. Joseph Vaz College
- Ikra International School
- School of Excellence
- Mercy Education Center
Puttalam also has an open university.
Religion
Puttalam is a multi-cultural and multi-religious town. Islam is the major religion in Puttalam town while Buddhists and Christians are significant minorities; there is also a small Hindu population.http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2012Visualization/htdocs/index.php?usecase=indicator&action=DSMap&indId=10&district=Puttalam&Legend=3# statistics.gov.lk
{{bar box| title = Religion in Puttalam town (2012)| titlebar = #ddd| left1 = Population| right1 = Percent| float = right| bars = {{bar percent|Islam|#009000|86.02}}{{bar percent|Buddhist|#FFFF00|12.27}}{{bar percent|Christian|Blue|7.60}}{{bar percent|Hindu|red|1.27}}{{bar percent|Others|#0080FF|0.01}}}}
= Religious places =
- Mohideen Jumma Mosque
- Buddhist Centre
- Muthu Maariamman Temple
- Mother of Refuge Catholic Church
{{Weather box
| location = Puttalam (1961–1990)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| Jan record high C = 35.0
| Feb record high C = 37.9
| Mar record high C = 38.5
| Apr record high C = 38.5
| May record high C = 36.2
| Jun record high C = 36.1
| Jul record high C = 36.7
| Aug record high C = 35.5
| Sep record high C = 35.7
| Oct record high C = 35.5
| Nov record high C = 36.1
| Dec record high C = 34.6
| year record high C =
| Jan high C = 30.5
| Feb high C = 32.1
| Mar high C = 33.2
| Apr high C = 33.1
| May high C = 32.3
| Jun high C = 31.5
| Jul high C = 31.4
| Aug high C = 31.5
| Sep high C = 31.7
| Oct high C = 31.1
| Nov high C = 30.5
| Dec high C = 29.9
| year high C = 31.6
| Jan mean C = 25.8
| Feb mean C = 26.8
| Mar mean C = 28.1
| Apr mean C = 28.8
| May mean C = 29.0
| Jun mean C = 28.8
| Jul mean C = 28.5
| Aug mean C = 28.5
| Sep mean C = 28.5
| Oct mean C = 27.6
| Nov mean C = 26.7
| Dec mean C = 26.0
| year mean C = 27.8
| Jan low C = 21.0
| Feb low C = 21.4
| Mar low C = 23.1
| Apr low C = 24.5
| May low C = 25.8
| Jun low C = 26.2
| Jul low C = 25.6
| Aug low C = 25.5
| Sep low C = 25.3
| Oct low C = 24.1
| Nov low C = 22.9
| Dec low C = 22.1
| year low C = 24.0
| Jan record low C = 15.2
| Feb record low C = 13.5
| Mar record low C = 14.9
| Apr record low C = 19.9
| May record low C = 19.7
| Jun record low C = 20.4
| Jul record low C = 21.0
| Aug record low C = 20.2
| Sep record low C = 20.4
| Oct record low C = 19.4
| Nov record low C = 16.7
| Dec record low C = 16.7
| year record low C =
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 55
| Feb precipitation mm = 40
| Mar precipitation mm = 66
| Apr precipitation mm = 176
| May precipitation mm = 95
| Jun precipitation mm = 42
| Jul precipitation mm = 16
| Aug precipitation mm = 16
| Sep precipitation mm = 64
| Oct precipitation mm = 238
| Nov precipitation mm = 249
| Dec precipitation mm = 138
| year precipitation mm = 1195
| time day = Daytime
| Jan humidity = 70
| Feb humidity = 66
| Mar humidity = 67
| Apr humidity = 71
| May humidity = 74
| Jun humidity = 73
| Jul humidity = 73
| Aug humidity = 73
| Sep humidity = 72
| Oct humidity = 75
| Nov humidity = 76
| Dec humidity = 75
| year humidity = 72
| source 1 = NOAA {{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_II/S3/43424.TXT
| title = Puttalam Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = November 18, 2016}}
| source 2 = Department of Meteorology (records up to 2007)
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091229081618/http://www.meteo.gov.lk/Up_Date/weather/Extreme%20Values.pdf
| archive-date = December 29, 2009
| url = http://www.meteo.gov.lk/Up_Date/weather/Extreme%20Values.pdf
| title = Ever Recorded Daily Extreme Values
| publisher = Department of Meteorology
| access-date = December 8, 2016}}
{{cite web
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-1919-2007-2021.php
| title = Puttalam records from 2007 to 2021
| publisher = Meteo Climat
|language = fr
| access-date = 25 August 2021}}
| source =
| width =
| collapsed = Y
}}
Notable people
- Sahan Adeesha - cricketer born in Puttalam
- Abdul Baiz Kamardeen - politician, former Chairman of Puttalam Urban Council
- Tariq Hisny - composer, born in Puttalam
- H. S. Ismail - 5th Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
- M. H. M. Naina Marikar - first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka as member for Puttalam
- M. H. M. Navavi - politician, former Member of Parliament
- Ali Sabri Raheem - politician, Member of Parliament
- Hector Appuhamy - politician, Member of Parliament
References
{{Reflist}}