This was a hunters' resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the
Gal Oya scheme from 1949 by the
Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a town. Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of
Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative town of the Gal Oya Valley. Religious composition in Ampara DS Division according to 2012 census data is as follows Buddhists 42,584-97.16%, Roman Catholics 537-1.23%, Islam 322-0.73%, Other Christian 237-0.54%, Hindus 145-0.33%, Others 4-0.01%. ==References==