The Sinhalese (Sinhala: සිංහල ජාතිය Sinhala Jathiya, also known as Hela or Sinhale) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the island of Sri Lanka. They constitute 75% of the Sri Lankan population and a number greater than 15 million. The Sinhalese identity is based on language, historical heritage and religion. The Sinhalese people speak the Sinhalese language, an Indo-Aryan language, and are predominantly Theravada Buddhists, although a small percentage of Sinhalese follow branches of Christianity. The Sinhalese are mostly found in North central, Central, South, and West Sri Lanka. According to Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, written by Buddhist monks of the Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya in Sri Lanka, around the 3-5th century, an ancient treatise written in Pali, the Sinhalese are descendants of the settlers who came to the island in 543 BCE from Sinhapura in India, led by Prince Vijaya.

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