Eastern Province

Eastern Province bears the deepest scars of Sri Lanka's civil war (1983-2009), its mixed Tamil, Muslim, and Sinhalese populations living in uneasy coexistence after decades of ethnic violence. Trincomalee hosts one of the world's finest natural harbors—strategic enough that British, Japanese, and Indian navies all sought control—yet the province remains among Sri Lanka's most vulnerable economically. The LTTE (Tamil Tigers) controlled portions of Eastern Province before military defeat, and post-war reconciliation proceeds slowly. Batticaloa and Trincomalee anchor the province's urban economy, with fishing, agriculture, and modest tourism. The province shows higher poverty rates (4%+) and vulnerability compared to Western Province, reflecting both war damage and persistent underinvestment. By 2026, Eastern Province's trajectory depends on whether post-war reconstruction can create economic opportunity sufficient to prevent renewed ethnic tensions, while Trincomalee's port development could transform the region's strategic position.