Mannar, Sri Lanka

Mannar
மன்னார்
මන්නාරම
Mannar lighthouse
Mannar
Mannar
Coordinates: 8°58′0″N 79°53′0″E / 8.96667°N 79.88333°E / 8.96667; 79.88333
CountrySri Lanka
ProvinceNorthern
DistrictMannar
DS DivisionMannar
Government
  TypeUrban Council
  ChairmanN/A
Population
 (2011)
  Total
35,817
  Density308/km2 (797/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone)

Mannar (Tamil: மன்னார், romanized: Maṉṉār, IPA: [mɐnːaːɾ]; Sinhala: මන්නාරම, romanized: Mannārama, IPA: [mənːaːrəmə], formerly spelled Manar) is the main town of Mannar District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. The town is located on Mannar Island overlooking the Gulf of Mannar and is home to the historic Ketheeswaram temple. In the Tamil language, Mannar means the raised place [of sand] which is thought to have come from the geology of Mannar Island which was formed by the accumulation of sand.