Final answer:
Years of political unrest in Sri Lanka primarily stem from ethnic and religious conflicts between the Sinhalese Buddhist majority and Tamil Hindu minority, exacerbated by their struggle for political autonomy and the impacts of colonial legacies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main reason for the years of political unrest in Sri Lanka is largely attributed to the ethnic and religious differences between the majority Sinhalese Buddhist population and the minority Tamil Hindu community. The island of Sri Lanka, known for its beautiful tropical landscape and potential for economic development, has been marred by a low-level civil war that lasted for decades. This conflict arose after the British left the region, now known as Sri Lanka, and the Tamils, who make up about 10 percent of the population, remained.
The Tamil minority pressured the Sinhalese majority for political autonomy and independence, leading to an insurgent civil war waged by the Tamil guerrilla group, the Tamil Tigers, against the Sinhalese government. This conflict resulted in 60,000 to 80,000 casualties and end in 2009 when the government announced the end of the civil war and the Tamil Tigers admitted defeat. Political instability and the civil war detrimentally impacted Sri Lanka's economy, reducing foreign investment and discouraging tourism. Unfortunately, even with the end of the civil war, Sri Lanka has continued to face challenges of political instability, which has a direct correlation with poverty and social unrest, not merely a result of its physical geography but also due to deep-seated colonial legacies and cultural tensions.