[4] They are largely Catholic and some still speak the Sri Lanka Indo-Portuguese language, a creole based on Portuguese mixed with Sinhalese.
[7] When the Dutch took over coastal Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), the descendants of the Portuguese took refuge in the central hills of Kandyan Kingdom under Sinhalese rule.
The Portuguese Creole also continued to be used amongst the Dutch Burghers families as the informal language until the end of the 19th century.
The Portuguese, Dutch and British brought the Kaffirs to Sri Lanka, for labour purposes.
The Burgher population worldwide is approximated to be around 100,000, concentrated mostly in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.