Geography
Coastal strip layout featuring unique architectural styles.
Kattankudy is a small but vibrant town in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, covering approximately 2.56 km² of land and 1.33 km² of inland waterways. It is bordered by the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Manmunai North Divisional Secretariat to the north, the Manmunaipattu Divisional Secretariat to the south, and the Batticaloa Lagoon to the west.
People & community
The town is one of the most densely populated urban centres in Sri Lanka — a vibrant mix of commercial interests and deep-rooted cultural values, with strong social cohesion driven by a shared heritage. A 2014 census counted 47,603 residents, and the Council’s recent estimates put the community at around 50,358 people in 15,273 families — a population density among the highest in the region.
A thousand years of history
Kattankudy’s story begins with the Arab traders who settled this coast as early as the 8th century — a heritage recorded in the Mattakallappu Manmiyam and other local chronicles, and in a stone inscription found in the town. From a Town Council in 1947 to an Urban Council since 11 June 1999, the community has grown into the busy coastal town seen today.
Where history and daily life meet
From the Grand Mosque and the Heritage Museum to the bustling bazaar, Kattankudy pairs its historical landmarks with a lively commercial life — and welcomes a growing number of local and foreign visitors each day.
The town's vision
Green City. Clean City. Smart City. Zero Solid Waste. Zero Carbon. — the vision Kattankudy has set for itself in Sri Lanka.
