Ratnapura (“City of Gems”) is the name of the provincial capital of Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka.  Some say the modern name is derived from the Portuguese name Rapadura for jaggery, the palm candy produced traditionally in this region, but the more common explanation in Sri Lanka is that it comes from the Sinhala “ratna” meaning gems and “pura” meaning city. Located some 101 km south east of Colombo, it is the center of a long-established industry of precious stone mining including rubies, sapphires, and other gems. Apart from gem mining, the town is known for tea. Tea grown in this region is called low-country tea. There is a well-established tourism industry in Ratnapura. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Udawalawe National Park, Kitulgala, and Adam’s Peak are especially popular among tourists.