Qibla direction in Sri Lanka
The Qibla in Sri Lanka lies towards the north-west. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 291.6° in Point Pedro to 295.6° in Galle, and the Kaaba is between 4,483 km and 4,789 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 59 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in Sri Lanka can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 4.0°. Jaffna is the closest to the Kaaba (4,483 km) and Pottuvil the farthest (4,789 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 294.8°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in Sri Lanka: questions
What is the Qibla direction in Colombo?
294.8° from true north, towards the north-west, 4,587 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in Sri Lanka is closest to Makkah?
Jaffna, 4,483 km from the Kaaba, among the 59 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambalangoda | 295.4° | north-west | 4,641 km |
| Ambalantota | 295.2° | north-west | 4,743 km |
| Ampara | 293.8° | north-west | 4,755 km |
| Anuradhapura | 293.2° | north-west | 4,582 km |
| Badulla | 294.3° | north-west | 4,707 km |
| Battaramulla | 294.8° | north-west | 4,596 km |
| Batticaloa | 293.4° | north-west | 4,738 km |
| Beliatta | 295.4° | north-west | 4,718 km |
| Bentota | 295.3° | north-west | 4,626 km |
| Beruwala | 295.2° | north-west | 4,622 km |
| Chilaw | 294.1° | north-west | 4,553 km |
| Colombo | 294.8° | north-west | 4,587 km |
| Dambulla | 293.6° | north-west | 4,626 km |
| Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | 294.9° | north-west | 4,594 km |
| Devinuwara | 295.5° | north-west | 4,709 km |
| Eravur Town | 293.4° | north-west | 4,726 km |
| Galle | 295.6° | north-west | 4,666 km |
| Gampola | 294.3° | north-west | 4,649 km |
| Hambantota | 295.2° | north-west | 4,753 km |
| Hanwella Ihala | 294.7° | north-west | 4,613 km |
| Hatton | 294.6° | north-west | 4,664 km |
| Hendala | 294.7° | north-west | 4,588 km |
| Homagama | 294.8° | north-west | 4,607 km |
| Ja Ela | 294.6° | north-west | 4,585 km |
| Jaffna | 291.8° | west | 4,483 km |
| Kalmunai | 293.7° | north-west | 4,766 km |
| Kalutara | 295.1° | north-west | 4,615 km |
| Kandana | 294.7° | north-west | 4,587 km |
| Kandy | 294.2° | north-west | 4,650 km |
| Kataragama | 294.8° | north-west | 4,761 km |
| Katunayaka | 294.5° | north-west | 4,581 km |
| Kegalle | 294.3° | north-west | 4,622 km |
| Kelaniya | 294.7° | north-west | 4,594 km |
| Kotikawatta | 294.8° | north-west | 4,594 km |
| Kurunegala | 294.0° | north-west | 4,614 km |
| Maharagama | 294.9° | north-west | 4,599 km |
| Mannar | 292.6° | north-west | 4,499 km |
| Matale | 294.0° | north-west | 4,641 km |
| Matara | 295.5° | north-west | 4,703 km |
| Moratuwa | 294.9° | north-west | 4,598 km |
| Mullaittivu | 292.0° | west | 4,582 km |
| Mulleriyawa | 294.8° | north-west | 4,596 km |
| Negombo | 294.5° | north-west | 4,573 km |
| Nuwara Eliya | 294.4° | north-west | 4,680 km |
| Panadura | 295.0° | north-west | 4,603 km |
| Peliyagoda | 294.7° | north-west | 4,589 km |
| Pita Kotte | 294.8° | north-west | 4,595 km |
| Point Pedro | 291.6° | west | 4,500 km |
| Pottuvil | 294.2° | north-west | 4,789 km |
| Puttalam | 293.6° | north-west | 4,535 km |
| Ratnapura | 294.9° | north-west | 4,655 km |
| Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte | 294.8° | north-west | 4,596 km |
| Trincomalee | 292.7° | north-west | 4,653 km |
| Vakarai | 293.1° | north-west | 4,693 km |
| Valvettithurai | 291.6° | west | 4,493 km |
| Vavuniya | 292.7° | north-west | 4,572 km |
| Wattala | 294.7° | north-west | 4,589 km |
| Weligama | 295.6° | north-west | 4,691 km |
| Welisara | 294.7° | north-west | 4,588 km |