North Western Province (Sinhala: වයඹ පළාතWayamba Paḷāta, Tamil: வட மேல் மாகாணம்Vada Mael Mākāṇam) is a province of Sri Lanka. It is the fourth-largest province by land area, covering 7,888km2 (3,046sqmi), and the fourth-most populated province with a population of over 2,592,000 people. The majority of the population is concentrated in the urban centres of Kurunegala, and Puttalam, the provincial capital. Kurunegala is the larger city in the province and serves as a commercial hub. Puttalam, located on the western coast, is known for its lagoon, and being a centre for salt production.
North Western Province had nineteen seats in the Sri Lankan Parliament in last General elections. The provincial council consists of the Chief Minister, the Provincial Council, and the Governor. As of the most recent General elections, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is the dominant political party in the province. The Governor of North Western Province, the representative of the President of Sri Lanka, is currently Tissa Kumarasiri Warnasuriya.
Puttalam district in the North Western Province is especially known for its cultural heritage, with numerous festivals, traditional dances, and local crafts. It is home to several important religious sites, including the Munneswaram temple and the St. Anne's Church in Thalawila, which attract pilgrims from across the country. The province's natural attractions, such as the Wilpattu National Park and the Puttalam Lagoon, are popular with tourists.
The province is characterised by a variety of topographical and climatic conditions, ranging from coastal regions with a tropical climate to inland areas that experience a more varied climate. The region features several prominent water bodies, including the Puttalam Lagoon, Mundal Lagoon, and the Deduru Oya. Other significant rivers in the province include the Mee Oya and the Kala Oya rivers. The province also contains a portion of the Wilpattu National Park, one of the largest and oldest national parks in Sri Lanka, known for its diverse wildlife and natural beauty.
The region's highest point is the Dolukanda range, which is part of the central hills that gently slope towards the coastal plains. The plains are predominantly used for agriculture, with key crops including paddy, coconut, and various spices. The province also has significant limestone deposits, which contribute to the local cement industry.
The climate of Wayamba is tropical, with a marked dry season, and temperatures averaging between 20°C (68°F) in January to 25°C (77°F) in March. The south of the province is wetter, with almost 2,000mm (79in) of rainfall per year, but the north of the province is one of the driest regions in Sri Lanka, averaging under 1,100mm (43in) of rain in parts.
The population of North Western Province in the year 2021 was 2,592,000. The majority of the population belongs to the Sinhalese majority. Sri Lankan Moors community represent a large portion in population. There is a smaller Sri Lankan Tamils community and they are scattered all over the Province but a larger population reside in the North of Puttalam District.
The following Table summarises the population of the province according to their ethnicity:
Buddhism is the main and the most widely practiced religion in North Western Province. It is also home to a wide range of other religious faiths and sects including Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism.
Even among them almost all Muslim population follows Sunni Islam and the preponderance of Christians follow Catholicism, predomantly in Puttalam District.
The Road and Passenger Transport Authority – North Western Province provides bus services in the province. As of 2026, it operated 1,419 buses and had an average daily patronage of approximately 363,000 passengers.
Railway lines
The Northern line travels through the eastern part of the province, serving Kurunegala and nearby towns.
The 133 km long Puttalam line was completed in 1926. It follows the coast and connects Colombo with Chilaw and Puttalam via Negombo.
Industries
This region's economy is driven by agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and service industries.
Agriculture is the cornerstone of the North Western Province's economy, employing a significant portion of the population. With over 150,000 hectares dedicated to paddy fields, the region produces around 700,000 metric tonnes of rice annually, or 18% of the national total. The province is one of the largest coconut-producing regions, accounting for about 1 billion coconuts per year, which is 25% of the national coconut output. Approximately 10,000ha (25,000 acres) are used for growing spices like pepper and cardamom, producing around 12,000 metric tonnes annually. There are two main cultivation seasons. The Maha Season (October–January) or the wet season, and the Yala Season (April–August) the dry season.
Cashew Nut is also cultivated on a large scale. The northernmost dry region is ideally suited for Cashew cultivation.
Fisheries Industry and Prawn Farming - The major varieties found in abundance off the coast are tuna, prawns, lobsters and cuttlefish. The country's export-oriented commercial prawn farming industry is concentrated in the coastal areas of the Puttalam district.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing in the North Western Province is diverse, playing a crucial role in the region's economic growth. The textile and garment industry employs over 50,000 workers. The region hosts several factories, contributing to around 20% of Sri Lanka's total garment exports.The province is home to multiple food processing plants. The food and beverage sector contributes approximately LKR 20 billion to the provincial GDP annually. Puttalam has the second largest cement factory in Sri Lanka, producing about 1.3 million tonnes of cement each year.
Mining
The North Western Province's limestone deposits are crucial for the cement industry. Annually, around 3 million tonnes of limestone are mined in Puttalam. The province is a significant source of silica sand, essential for the glass industry, with annual production reaching approximately 200,000 tonnes. Other minerals mined include clay, ilmenite, beach mineral sands, mica and graphite.
Service Industry
The healthcare sector employs over 15,000 workers and includes major hospitals and numerous healthcare facilities across the province. This includes variety of private hospitals mainly located in Kurunegala. The education sector is robust, with numerous schools, vocational training centers, and higher education institutions. Over 200,000 students are enrolled in educational institutions within the province. The province has seen a steady increase in tourism, Major attractions include the Wilpattu National Park, cultural heritage sites in Kurunegala, and the coastal areas of Puttalam. Tourism however is considered very poor compared to other provinces.
Energy Production
Energy production is a significant industry in the North Western Province, particularly in Puttalam. Puttalam is home to one of the largest wind farms in Sri Lanka, contributing over 100 MW of renewable energy to the national grid. Norochcholai Power Plant, also located in Puttalam, is the largest coal-fired power plant in Sri Lanka, generating around 900 MW of electricity.
Attractions
Archaeological sites
The province is a treasure house of archaeology having been the seat of four medieval kingdoms between the mid 12th and mid 14th centuries. These kings built magnificent citadels at Yapahuwa, Panduwasnuwara, Dambadeniya and Kurunegala.
Rock temples
There are also other ancient Buddhist rock temples, mostly with 1st century BCE roots, with wall and ceiling frescos, colossal Buddha images, stone inscriptions and sculptures dating from early medieval to 18th century period.
Beaches
The western shores of the Wayamba province feature 240 kilometers of beaches extending from Waikkal in the south to Dutch Bay in the Puttalam district, bordered by the Indian Ocean and tropical lagoons.
Marawila, Talwila, Kalpitiya, and Waikkal host several resort beaches in the Wayamba province, frequently featuring lagoon or river frontages suited for beach holidays. Additional local attractions include coral formations near Kandakuliya and Karaitivu, alongside numerous surrounding fishing villages.
European colonial monuments
The well-preserved DutchFort in Kalpitiya (Puttalam district) dating back to 1670 is an evidence of the Wayamba's European colonial period. The fort is complete with barracks, store houses and living quarters, Dutch colonial pillars and ancient tombstones. Kurunegala has many 19th-century relics of the British colonial period, including the government Agent's residence and the Rajapihilla rest house.
Festivals
The people of Wayamba celebrate many traditional festivals centred on sacred shrines of diverse faith.
All Buddhist temples celebrate the Vesak, Poson and Esela festivals commemorating the events of great importance to the Buddhists. These festivals feature colourful decorations, lanterns, illuminations and pageants where traditional dancing, drumming, costumed dignitaries and elephants are paraded. Two noteworthy colourful Buddhist processions are organised by the Wilbawa Raja Maha Viharaya (major temple) and Athanda Raja Maha Viharaya and are paraded in the Kurunegala city.
The St Anne's Roman Catholic church is located on a magnificent beach stretch in Talawila in the Puttalam district. The church draws thousands of pilgrims for its main festivals in March and July.
The Munneswaram and Udappu Hindu temples are pilgrim centres of many devotees. People gather to worship deities and seek favours. The main temple of God Shiva at Munneswaram, comprises the shrines and has been built according to traditional Hindu style. Munneswaram celebrates its major festival in August where fire-walking is practiced. Udappuwa, a sea side shrine complex of three shrines, also has a colourful festival held in the month of August.
The Ramazan, Haj and Milad-un-Nabi festivals are also celebrated by the minority Muslims of Wayamba especially at historic and famed mosques in Puttalam, Kurunegala and Chilaw. These celebrations are mainly of religious character, recitations of Koran and distribution of cooked food and sweets.
All three shrines are easily accessible from Kurunegala, - Munneswaram approximately 70km, Udappuwa 95km and St. Anne's about 110km respectively.
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