A city is a large human settlement. People are the main driving force in a city. The dynamism of a city is dependent on people and their behaviour. A preliminary understanding of the composition and diverse capabilities of the populations in a city should be the key to a successful urban study.
This section provides a description of the demographic status and trends in the city, primarily based on 2012 census data, presenting an overall view of the population. Trends and patterns of urban population are discussed including aspects of demography such as age, sex, ethnicity, education levels; and overall observations with regard to migration patterns, suburban population and gender.
Understanding the demographic and composition patterns of the population within the existing physical boundary will help in planning a livable city.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
Out of the total population within the Rathnapura Municipal Council limits, 48.61% are male and 51.39% are female.
The proportion of the total population divided by age is 23.27% for children under 15, 23.56%, for those aged 15 - 29, 40.28% for those aged 30-59 and 12.9% for the elderly population over 60 year.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
Ratnapura’s ethnic city makeup comprises a majority of 79.4 per cent Sinhalese, followed by 12.2 per cent Sri Lanka Moor, 7.0 per cent Tamil, and 1.5 otheres Other groups.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
Sex ratio is calculated using the percentage of proportion of males relative to females in a population. The graph indicates that more females than males in all age group.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
This describes how domestic leadership is divided into genders. Number of Male headed households are higher than the number of Female headed households in the municipal limit.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
The total male resident population in the Ratnapura Municipal Council area is 22470, the total female resident population is 23759 out of which the total male migrant population is 3209 and the total female migrant population is 3858. According to that the amount of female immigrants are comparatively higher than the male immigrants according to the data.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
Employment is considered as the main reason for male population migration in to the city, and the females are migrated in the city is due to marriages and also considering employments as well as accompanying with a family member.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
The graph shows language ability of ethnic groups in Ratnapura MC in 2012.
Education has always been a significant element in societal development. The development of education facilities contributes substantially to the development in an urban area.
As a developing country it is crucial to address poverty in order to attain the development goals. Education plays a major role in poverty reduction. Presently, several global cities have been implementing the concept of smart city to improve the quality of life of the society, including in the field of education.
Good educational institutions and coverage enables a population to have decent livelihoods be they self employed or part of the workforce. Understanding how a city provides primary, secondary and tertiary eductional as well as skill development through vocational centres could provide some pointers to how well a city is doing or where it needs to develop further.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
This graph provides the category of educational attainment in Ratnapura municipal council.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
The data explain the level of education in the city population. It is highlighted that highest number of students have reached the secondary education level.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
It shows the computer literacy of persons between the ages of 10 and 40 in terms of gender and it explains that 47% of men and 32% of women in the Ratnapura Municipal Council are computer literate.
Connectivity is central to key GoSL strategic aims: to promote economic growth, and to rebalance growth across the country’s 9 provinces. Higher the connectivity to any city, better is the urban growth in that city.
Detailed information on key transport aspects including bus and rail transport, freight route maps, airports and logistic systems are aspects that should be considered for a city to be properly interconnected within the bigger system. One of the SDG targets 11.2 is about access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems, road safety, public transport, and if we are to move towards being sustainble, these need to be considered in tranpsort planning. Further, the needs of people in vulnerable situations, women and children, persons with disabilities and older persons should also be considered.
ICT coverage is another way of being connected and recent technological advances enable a city to be better connected through its access to ICTs as well.
Source - SOSLC Project
Between 7 am to 9 am is the busiest traffic period in the Ratnapura MC area with peak reached at 8am due to school and work commuting traffic.
Source - SOSLC Project
This highest percentage of vehicles entering into the Ratnapura MC area between 6 am to 6pm were private vehicles such as motorcycles and car/van/jeeps totaling around 83 per cent of the modal share but Route bus only has an 6 per cent modal share of vehicles.
Source - SOSLC Project
The data elaborate the number of passengers in each transportation mode. buses are holding an attractive level of passengers even if the number of buses are limited.
Source - Sri Lanka Police Department
Accident is an undesired or unintended happening. Inevitable accident falls within the concept of fatal or an unfortunate harmful event, event without apparent cause unexpected occurring. A Motor Traffic Accident occurs on highway collision with vehicles, persons or with property.
An Accidents may occur, between a vehicle and other vehicle, vehicle colliding with a person, vehicle colliding with movable or unmovable property, when a vehicle goes off the road, A person being knocked down with another person or due to natural or man made disaster.
Here are the details of the fatal road accidents that have taken place within the Ratnapura Police Division within the last few years. In addition, the following data file contains further details covering the entire country with an accident classification in varios sub sections.
Source - SOSLC Project
The data explain the patterns in pedestrian movements in the area
Cities are the primary drivers of economic development, therefore, Sri Lanka’s cities have a decisive role to play in driving the economy forward by catalysing high value-added economic activities, as the country strives to achieve upper middle-income country status.
According the latest Word Cities report, 80 per cent of global GDP is created by cities, despite their accounting for less than 60 per cent of the world’s population (UN-Habitat, 2016).
The Government of Sri Lanka recognizes the role of urban economy in shaping the future of the country. In this respect, Vision 2025 and Public Investment Programme (PIP) 2017-2020 lays out the urban policy priority actions: to promote western region as economic hub of the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, and to promote strategic city development to secondary urban spaces as provincial economic hubs.
It is also interesting to see how competitive a city is, taking into account current and potential roles of governments, businesses and the private sector in the economic development of the city and urban settlements, best use of human capital, and labour force participation, and existing skills and the job market etc. within demarcated territory.
Source - SOSLC Project
Ratnapura is ranked as the 6th highest on the CCI along with Anuradhapura and Jaffna.
Source - Central Bank Annual report 2017
This graph indicates the gradual rise in per capita GDP in Ratnapura MC.
Urban governance can be simplified as “how government (local, regional and national) and stakeholders decide on planning, financing and managing urban areas”. It involves a continuous process of negotiation and contestation over allocation of social and material resources and political power.
This section provide a snapshot of the emergent contours of urban governance in Sri Lanka, focusing on financial resilience, service provision and economic dynamism.
Information available here are collected and calculated considering secondary data sets, ground level surveys as well as stakeholder discussions. The city governance index has taken many a factor into consideration and provides a valuable way of assessing our cities and how they rank from a governance perspective.
Source - SOSLC Project
Ratnapura is ranked as the 6th highest on the CCI along with Anuradhapura and Jaffna.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
In Sri Lanka the LAs are divided into three types according to its population and size: Municipal Councils (MC, 23) which corresponds to the city, Urban Councils (UC, 41) which corresponds to the town, and Pradeshiya Sabha (PS, 271) which corresponds to the village. They are responsible for providing a variety of local public services including roads, sanitation, drains, waste collection, housing, libraries, public parks and recreational facilities. This pie chart shows the distribution of LAs by province in particular local authority belongs. Sabaragamuwa Province include 1 MC’s, 3 UC and 25 PS’s. Ratnapura is the provincial capital city of Sabaragamuwa province.
An important function of Sri Lanka’s cities is to provide housing for the diversity of residents that support urban life. Sri Lankan early urban settlement legacy – histories, patterns, trends including land use and housing and the development challenges that come along with it have shaped the nature of our cities.
The share of housing as a proportion of built-up area across the different cities was considered, and numerous factors affect the figure. e.g. Anuradhapura, has restrictions on residential developments because of its cultural, historical and touristic importance, other MCs include significant social and economic land use, operating as a hub to surrounding suburbs and rural areas with large residential populations.
Housing policy challenges that are encountered by the city administrators relate to tenure systems, the supply of affordable, high quality housing, and difficulties accessing housing finance.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
The graph indicates the typology of housing in the Ratnapura MC Area. The majority of housing (around 93.4 per cent) comprises single story and two story houses.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
The graph indicate that in Ratnapura municipal council almost 89.8 per cent of the houses were permanent in 2012
Municipal services is one of the key tasks an urban centre carries out fto ensure a functional living condition for its citizens.
The access to municipal services and the quality of their provision strongly influence the social, economic and environmental performance of a city as well as urban development.
Urban centres provide key services that underpin Sri Lanka’s socioeconomic development. Cities provide key government administration functions, such as vehicle registration services, access to social protection schemes, and a range of additional services (explored in detail in Chapter 9, urban governance in the SoSLC Report). Urban centres provide residents with health and education services: providing equitable access to quality healthcare and education. They also include services to facilitate social recreational activities and promote community cohesion, such as libraries, community centres and sports facilities. Ensuring quality services is a crucial component in securing an urban future for all Sri Lankans.
Source - IWMI Publication - Solid and Liquid Waste Management and Resource Recovery in Sri Lanka: A 20 city analysis
MC collects about 30MT of waste everyday and only 50% of the collected waste is sorted into organic and inorganic waste at the source of generation. Essentially, residential sources contribute to 45% of the waste collection. Waste collection schedule is such that the waste in the urban center, common areas and the areas located along main roads are collected daily as door-to-door collection whereas the byroads are visited 03 days per week to collect the waste generated in the entities located along the byroads. At present, the MC practices to open dump the majority of the collected waste in a land belonging to the municipal Council in Kanadola area. The dumpsite is located about 3.5 km away from the council office. There is also a Compost plant and a recycling centre located in the same land in Kanadola. In general, collected solid waste is brought to the disposal site and about 3 tons of waste is used to produce compost. About 1% of the waste is being recycled and the rest (approx.26 tons) is disposed following the method of open dumping. This site is located at a high elevated area with a steep slope to the ground below where the agricultural and residential areas are located. Consequently, impacts on humans and the agriculture caused by the current waste disposal practices appears to be extreme. According to the households in the downside, paddy fields situated immediately down to the dump is not being cultivated due to the possible contaminations from solid wasteAt present, the MC practices to open dump the majority of the collected waste in a land belonging to the municipal Council in Kanadola area. The dumpsite is located about 3.5 km away from the council office. There is also a Compost plant and a recycling centre located in the same land in Kanadola. In general, collected solid waste is brought to the disposal site and about 3 tons of waste is used to produce compost. About 1% of the waste is being recycled and the rest (approx.26 tons) is disposed following the method of open dumping. This site is located at a high elevated area with a steep slope to the ground below where the agricultural and residential areas are located. Consequently, impacts on humans and the agriculture caused by the current waste disposal practices appears to be extreme. According to the households in the downside, paddy fields situated immediately down to the dump is not being cultivated due to the possible contaminations from solid waste.
Source - Department of Census and Statistics
Ratnapura MC Area has extremely high coverage of electricity and water services with 96.5 and 96.8 per cent having access to safe drinking water and electricity respectively.
Source - JICA
Almost 72 per cent households were not covered for garbage collection, around 64 per cent households burning, burying or open dumping their garbage.
A city needs to have an environment that is habitable and conducive with appropriate spaces for people who use the city, while also being resilient in the face of increasing climate risk.
Aspects such as a cities’ air and water quality, quality of the built environment as well as the aesthetic and historic aspects in the city are things we need to look at. However, in the light of increasing disaster risk, managing climate change impact in the light of current urbanisation patterns becomes a key concern, and thus land use planning in a city needs to take this into account.
SDG targets 11.4 (safeguarding cultural and natural heritage) and 11.5 (reducing impacts of disasters, especially floods), 11.6 (air quality and waste) and 11.7 (safe, open and green spaces for all groups) all emphasize that for a city to be sustainable, these aspects need to be considered.
Source - Disaster Management Center
Ratnapura city is located in the flood plain of the Kalu River, which is considered as one of the main four rivers in Sri Lanka. Historically the city was frequently affected with flood situations. Considering the flood recorders from 2012 to 2017, only 2014 and 2017 years are marked as flood occurred. The flood mitigation steps taken throughout the time can be the reason for the situation. Comparing with the Rathnapura district level data, the flood records are available for 2014, 2016 and 2017 years.
Source - Department of Meteorology
Here is the change in the annual values of air temprature from 2006 to 2013. According to the Ratnapura Observatory station, air temprature in the area is calculated separately for each month and more information can be downloaded from the following detailed statistics.
Source - Department of Meteorology
Here is the change in the annual values of rainfall from 2008 to 2013. According to the Ratnapura Observatory station, rainfall in the area is calculated separately for each month and more information can be downloaded from the following detailed statistics.
Source - Disaster Management Center
This graph shows that climate exposure from 1974 to 2017 in Ratnapura Area.
Source - National Building Research Organisation
The data elaborates the level of pollutants in the air due to transportation in the city. Recommended sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) levels are according to the WHO recommendations.
Rathnapura Municipal area:
Rathnapura Municipal Council covers an area of 2266 hectares. (Data Source: Survey Department)
Download Map Here Download Data Layer Here
Map of Administrative Limits of Rathnaura Municipal Council and Distribution of Grama Niladhari Divisions in Administrative Limits:
The ethnic / sex / age composition in the Rathnapura Municipal Council area, detailed for each of its 18 Grama Niladhari Divisions. (Data Source: DCS)
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Road Map of Ratnapura Municipal Council:
The road map for RMC has more information with name of roads, which can be accessed if downloaded. This information has been updated in 2018.(Data Source _ SoSLC Project)
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Map of the Ratnapura floods caused by the Kalu River overflow:
The city of Ratnapura is prone to frequent flooding due to the Kalu River overflowing. This map shows the level of floods recorded in 2003. (Data Source: Risk info)
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Map of buildings belonging to Rathnapura Municipal Council:
This map is created using the information that has been updated in 2018.(Data Source _ SoSLC Project)
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Landslide Risk Map of Ratnapura City:
According to the National Building and Research Organization, the risk zones of Ratnapura city are classified under three categories - high risk, medium risk and low risk.(Data Source:NBRO)
Proper management of land, a scarce resource, can bring about many benefits. This is of great importance especially in urban areas.
It is timely to figure out how land is allocated and being used for what purpose in our cities today. In order to create well planned cities with a futuristic vision, having a better understanding of current land use is imperative.
Land use maps are categorized into 36 sub-categories under two types – built-up and non built-up. The extent of land in each of these sub categories are indicated below.
The Ratnapura Municipal Council covers an area of 2266 hectares and xx Grama Niladhari Divisions within that limits. (For detailed information, please refer to the thematic maps section under the City Information page)
The Ratnapura Municipal area, known as the capital city of Sabaragamuwa Province, has built-up land area (1088 hectares) and it covers xx% of the total land area. Non built-up land is (1177 ha) which is just xx%.
The built-up land has been categorized under six main categories as residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, transport, public space, cultural and under construction. Non built-up land has been divided into six sub-categories as agriculture, water, forest, wetlands, conservations and barren lands. The built-up land is again divided into 30 subsections. (More information on the respective land use is listed below with charts and land area)
For commercial, industrial and institutional purposes, xx hectares, xx hectares and xx hectares of land are occupied (xx%, xx% and xx% of the total land area respectively)
For public spaces - xxx hectares (xxx% of the total land area)
for transport xxx hectares (xx% of the total land area)
In all of the cities it can be identified that the higher densities are concentrated in the city centres and the expansion is taken place along the roads. The expansion pattern is shaped by the geography of the surrounding area.
The selection of the area for the urban expansion analysis was followed by several preliminary studies. Initially, the urban index values which was identified using the remote sensing information were studied in the respective municipal areas including a fringe area.
Before selecting interested area for the expansion analysis it should consider following facts
- Municipal boundary
- At least 2-3 km buffer around Municipal boundary
- Rough boundary where the physical urban character disappearing
In the remote sensing discipline, the values higher than 0 represent the built-up areas.The boundary for the fringe area was identified by getting the extent of urban expansion as well as a fine boundary where the high-density expansion become insignificant. The identified boundaries were projected on to the latest satellite images to assure the identified urban index values are in line with the existing building densities.
