The province attracts many tourists, with hill station towns such as Gampola, Hatton and Nuwara Eliya.

Though three successive European powers invaded and established colonies on the island of Sri Lanka between the 16th and 19th centuries, the central province managed to maintain its independence until 1815, when the British conquered the Kingdom of Kandy.

Major towns include Kandy, Matale, Dambulla, Gampola, Nuwara Eliya and Hatton.

The Knuckles Mountain Range, Adam's Peak and Horton Plains are UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka.

The Central Province has a relatively cooler climate, and many areas above 1,500 metres often have chilly nights.

The eastern slopes are parts of the mid-dry zone and receives rain only from the North-Eastern monsoon.

Many tea plantation workers are Indian Tamils, brought over to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19th century.