Sri Lanka's Major Mountains (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාවේ කඳු; Tamil: இலங்கையின் மலைகள்) are located in the central part of the island popularly known as the hill country or the central massif.
The shape of the central massif over 1,500 m in height appears in the form of an inverted "T" or anchor, with a central ridge (or central backbone) forming the shank on which are some of the highest peaks in the country such as Pidurutalagala (2,524 m), Kirigalpotta (2,395 m) and Totapolakanda [(2,357 m) Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982]. The central ridge extends from Bopatalawa to Katugastota past Pidurutalagala and among the high plains of this ridge are Bopatalawa (Horton Plains), Hawa-Eliya (Moon Plains), Mipilimana (Elk Plains), Sita Eliya (Kandapola Plains) and Ambewela Plains (Vithanage, 1988). At the base of the central ridge (or the shank of the anchor) is Kirigalpotta from where one arm of the anchor extends westwards to terminate at Sri Pada while the other arm towards the east extends through Haputale and continues northeast to form Namunukula which is part of the north-south aligned Lunugala ridge (Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982).
On either side of this central ridge are two plateaux, the Ambatalawa (Hatton) Plateau to the west and Uva Basin (or Welimada Plateau) to the east averaging 1,200 m in height (Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982). There are also two regions detached from the central massif; the Dumbara massif (Matale Hills) and the Bulutota massif [(Rakwana Hills) Vithanage, 1988]. To the northwest of the central massif are Matale hills with Knuckles (1,863 m) forming the highest point (Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982). Forming the other detached portion from the central massif to the southwest lies the Rakwana hills and Bulutota massif averaging 900 m (Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982). Meanwhile, the east and southeast parts of the country are dotted with isolated hills with somewhat flat tops such as Monaragala, Govinda Hela and Kataragama.
The list of principal mountain peaks in Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982, Vithanage, 1988)
| No. | Mountain | Height (MAMSL) | District(s) | Province(s) |
| 1 | Pidurutalagala |
2,524 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 2 | Kirigalpotta | 2,395 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 3 | Totapolakanda | 2,357 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 4 | Kudahagala | 2,320 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 5 | Sri Pada/Adam's Peak | 2,243 m |
Ratnapura |
Sabaragamuwa |
| 6 | Kikilimana | 2,240 m | Nuwara Eliya | Central |
| 7 | Great Western | 2,216 m |
Nuwara Eliya | Central |
| 8 | Hakgala | 2,170 m |
Nuwara Eliya | Central |
| 9 | Conical Hill |
2,166 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 10 | One Tree Hill | 2,100 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 11 | Mahakudagala | 2,100 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 12 | Waterfall Point | 2,074 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| 13 | Namunukula | 2,036 m |
Badulla |
Uva |
| 14 | Gonmollikanda | 2,034 m | Ratnapura-Badulla | Sabaragamuwa-Uva |
| 15 | Knuckles | 1,863 m |
Ratnapura-Badulla | Sabaragamuwa-Uva |
| 16 | Kotagala | 1,753 m |
Kandy-Nuwara Eliya | Central |
Other popular mountain peaks
| Mountain | Height (MAMSL) | District(s) | Province(s) |
| Saptha Kanya | 1,571 m |
Ratnapura-Nuwara Eliya |
Sabaragamuwa-Central |
| Monaragala | 1,520 m |
Kandy |
Central |
| Kondagala | 1,511 m | Nuwara Eliya | Central |
| Kabaragala (part of the Dolosbage Mountain Range) | 1,509 m |
Nuwara Eliya |
Central |
| Riverston View Point (part of the Knuckles Mountain Range) | 1,480 m | Matale | Central |
| Madulsima | 1,480 m |
Badulla |
Uva |
| Kallebokka | 1,460 m |
Matale |
Central |
| Hanthana Peaks including Katusu Konda | 1,322 m & 1,140 m |
Kandy |
Central |
| Yahangala (part of the Knuckles Mountain Range) | 1,261 m |
Kandy |
Central |
| Lakegala | 1,255 m |
Matale |
Central |
| Little Adam's Peak | 1,151 m |
Badulla |
Uva |
| Ambuluwawa | 1,071 m |
Kandy |
Central |
| Alagalla | 1,033 m |
Kegalle |
Sabaragamuwa |
| Batalegala | 798 m |
Kegalle |
Sabaragamuwa |
| Nelligala | 771 m |
Kandy |
Central |
| Ritigala | 753 m |
Anuradhapura |
North Central |
| Pettigala | 673 m | Kandy | Central |
| Kukulugala | 673 m |
Ratnapura |
Sabaragamuwa |
| Bahirawakanda | 600 m | Kandy | Central |
| Govinda Hela | 565 m |
Monaragala |
Uva |
| Uthuwankanda | 430 m |
Kegalle |
Sabaragamuwa |
| Mawaragala | 385 m | Badulla | Uva |
| Manakanda | 378 m | Anuradhapura | North Central |
| Sigiriya | 363 m |
Matale |
Central |
| Pidurangala | 340 m | Matale | Central |
| Nuwaragala | 332 m | Ampara | Eastern |
| Jathika Namal Uyana | 320 m | Anuradhapura | North Central |
| Rajagala | 316 m |
Ampara |
Eastern |
| Danigala | 314 m | Polonnaruwa |
North Central |
References
1) Sri Lanka Year Book, 1982. Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. pp.4-5.
2) Vithanage, P.W., 1988. Relief and Drainage. The National Atlas of Sri Lanka. Survey Department of Sri Lanka. ISBN: 9559059009. pp.22-23.
This page was last updated on 10 October 2023