[8] Over time, the number of provinces increased, but the second-level administrative division continued to be the rata.

The territory of the Kotte Kingdom was organized into four disavas, which were further subdivided into forty korales.

[9] When the Portuguese took over parts of the country after their arrival in 1505,[10] they maintained more or less the same administrative structure followed by Sri Lankan rulers.

[12] The British initially continued this system,[13] but following reforms in 1796 to 1802, the country was divided according to ethnic composition.

[14][15] This was abolished by the Colebrook–Cameron reforms in 1833 and a legislative council was created,[16] making the island a politically and administratively single unit.