Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean just north of the equator. The country has had a highly developed civilization from as early as the 5th century BC. Its location on the sea routes between Europe and Africa and Asia led to contact with many of the great civilizations to the east and west and resulted in British colonization, which ended in 1948. In 1972 the country, then known by the name the British gave it, Ceylon, officially changed its name to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's mineral resources are limited to graphite and gemstones, including sapphires and rubies. The soils of the island, by tropical standards, are extremely fertile. Although Sri Lanka is densely populated, wildlife is still relatively plentiful and is protected by game preserves.