The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). The land was owned by the British in 1796,. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983.