Bibile

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}{{Infobox settlement  | name = Bibile | native_name = බිබිලේ <small>(Bibila)</small> | native_name_lang = si | settlement_type = | image_skyline = Bibile Town, Sri Lanka.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Bibile Town | image_flag = | flag_alt = Flag of Wellasssa | image_seal = | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Sri Lanka | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Uva Province | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Monaragala District | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = | established_date = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | founder = | government_type = | governing_body = | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = | leader_name = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = | population_total = | population_as_of = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone1 = Sri Lanka Time | utc_offset1 = +05:30 | timezone1_DST = | utc_offset1_DST = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = 91500 | area_code_type = | area_code = | iso_code = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Bibile''' (also '''Bibila''') is a tourist destination located in Monaragala District, Uva Province of Sri Lanka. It was called Wellassa during the Kandy kingdom, which related to 100,000 paddy fields. The agricultural region was historically known for cultivating rice and a variety of orange (''citrus sinensis'') called Bibile Sweet.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2020 |title=Project orange elephant is a conflict specific holistic approach to mitigating human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka |journal=Communications Biology |volume=3 |doi=10.1038/s42003-020-0760-4|pmc=6978409 |last1=Dharmarathne |first1=Chathuranga |last2=Fernando |first2=Chandima |last3=Weerasinghe |first3=Chinthaka |last4=Corea |first4=Ravi |issue=1 |page=43 |pmid=31974509 }}</ref>

== Population == As of 2012, the total population of Bibile was 40,329. Sinhalese people-95.1%<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing, 2012 |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/pophousat/cph2011/pages/activities/Reports/District/Monaragala/A21.pdf |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Department of Census and Statistics}}</ref>

== Economy == In the 1990s, gem shops were opening on the main high street in Bibile.<ref>{{Cite book |last=De Munck |first=Victor C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAJ_wjgXrRMC&dq=bibile+%22sri+lanka%22&pg=PA7 |title=Seasonal Cycles: A Study of Social Change and Continuity in a Sri Lankan Village |date=1993 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788120608160 |pages=7 |access-date=2024-05-21}}</ref> Mining near Bibile has extracted geuda and yellow sapphire.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pardieu |first=Vincent |date=Fall 2011 |title=Update on sapphire mining in Sri Lanka |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=66815116&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=Gems & Gemology |pages=248–249 |via=EBSCOHost |volume=47 |issue=3}}</ref>

In recent years, local corn farmers have opposed attempts by foreign multinationals to acquire agricultural lands to build a sugar factory.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Perera |first=Yoshitha |date=13 November 2022 |title=Bibile corn farmers rail against foreign firm's land grab for sugar factory |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/221113/news/bibile-corn-farmers-rail-against-foreign-firms-land-grab-for-sugar-factory-501638.html |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=The Sunday Times |location=Sri Lanka}}</ref>

The Dorapoda mountain ranges, the Kotasara Piyangala Raja Maha Viharaya temple, and Mallipotha lake are local to the area. Little Worlds End looks over Kotagama village through Dorapoda mountain ranges.

== Education == Bibile Madya Maha Vidayalaya (known as Wellassa National College) is one of the main schools in bibile.

In 2024, the DP Foundation opened what it billed as the "Sri Lanka's first digital pre-school" in Bibile, as well as an IT campus at Bibile Wagama Sri Saddaramalankara Pirivena.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 April 2024 |title=DP Education opens Sri Lanka's first digital preschool in Bibile |url=https://www.ft.lk/news/DP-Education-opens-Sri-Lanka-s-first-digital-preschool-in-Bibile/56-760751 |access-date=2024-05-21 |work=Daily FT |location=Sri Lanka}}</ref>

== In popular culture == Bibile was known as 'Sinhale' in Martin Wickremesinghe's novel "Gamperaliya".{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

== Notable people ==

* Professor Senaka Bibile, whose father was from Bibile * Sarath Kotagama

==See also== *List of towns in Uva

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{DCS Sri Lanka}}

Category:Populated places in Uva Province