Sri Lanka is a deeply spiritual, multi-faith society where religion plays a central role in daily life.
* **Demographics:** Buddhism is the majority religion (approx. 70%), followed by Hinduism (12%), Islam (9%), and Christianity (7%). * **Buddhism:** Theravada Buddhism shapes much of the island's culture. The **Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic** (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy, housing a tooth of the Buddha, is the most sacred site. * **Hinduism:** Flourishing primarily in the north and east, major pilgrimage sites include the magnificent **Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil** in Jaffna and the ancient **Koneswaram Temple** in Trincomalee. * **Islam:** The Muslim community is served by historic mosques, most visually striking of which is the red-and-white striped **Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque** in Pettah. * **Christianity:** The Catholic faith has deep roots here; the **Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu** and **St. Anthony's Shrine** in Colombo are major pilgrimage sites for devotees of all backgrounds. * **Adam's Peak:** This sacred mountain is universally revered; Buddhists believe the footprint at the summit belongs to Buddha, Hindus to Shiva, and Muslims/Christians to Adam.