<P> Sri Lankan Tamils ( Tamil : இலங்கை தமிழர் , ilankai tamiḻar also Tamil : ஈழத் தமிழர் , īḻat tamiḻar ) or Ceylon Tamils , also known as Eelam Tamils in Tamil , are members of the Tamil ethnic group native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka . According to anthropological and archaeological evidence , Sri Lankan Tamils have a very long history in Sri Lanka and have lived on the island since at least around the 2nd century BC . Most modern Sri Lankan Tamils claim descent from residents of Jaffna Kingdom , a former kingdom in the north of the island and Vannimai chieftaincies from the east . They constitute a majority in the Northern Province , live in significant numbers in the Eastern Province , and are in the minority throughout the rest of the country . 70 % of Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka live in the Northern and Eastern provinces . </P>
<P> Sri Lankan Tamils ( Tamil : இலங்கை தமிழர் , ilankai tamiḻar also Tamil : ஈழத் தமிழர் , īḻat tamiḻar ) or Ceylon Tamils , also known as Eelam Tamils in Tamil , are members of the Tamil ethnic group native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka . According to anthropological and archaeological evidence , Sri Lankan Tamils have a very long history in Sri Lanka and have lived on the island since at least around the 2nd century BC . Most modern Sri Lankan Tamils claim descent from residents of Jaffna Kingdom , a former kingdom in the north of the island and Vannimai chieftaincies from the east . They constitute a majority in the Northern Province , live in significant numbers in the Eastern Province , and are in the minority throughout the rest of the country . 70 % of Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka live in the Northern and Eastern provinces . </P>
when did the tamils arrived in sri lanka
when did the tamils arrived in sri lanka
2nd century BC
2nd century BC