Convert coordinates from Kandawala (EPSG:4244) to WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) — official EPSG transformation parameters, accuracy and area of use, with a free in-browser converter.
Kandawala (EPSG:4244) is Sri Lanka's classical geodetic datum, defined on the Everest 1830 (1937 adjustment) ellipsoid with its origin at the Kandawala base station near Colombo. It underlies older Sri Lankan topographic mapping and the Kandawala Sri Lanka Grid.
The only published EPSG transformation to WGS 84 is a three-parameter geocentric translation derived by the US Defense Mapping Agency at just three stations, with a stated accuracy of about ±35 m. That is fine for plotting legacy map data on a web map, but not for survey work.
For modern, accurate work in Sri Lanka use SLD99 / Sri Lanka Grid 1999 instead, and treat Kandawala coordinates as historical data to be migrated.
Try it: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Input (EPSG:4244): 79.8612, 6.9271
The EPSG Geodetic Parameter Dataset defines 1 transformation between Kandawala (EPSG:4244) and WGS 84 (EPSG:4326). Its parameters, accuracy and area of use are listed below.
| Parameter | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| X-axis translation(tx) | -97 | metre |
| Y-axis translation(ty) | 787 | metre |
| Z-axis translation(tz) | 86 | metre |
Derived at 3 stations. Accuracy 20m in each axis.
The same transformation with common GIS tools and libraries:
from pyproj import Transformer
transformer = Transformer.from_crs("EPSG:4244", "EPSG:4326", always_xy=True)
x, y = transformer.transform(-73.9857, 40.7484)
print(x, y)geographic system using latitude and longitude on an ellipsoid · Area of use: Sri Lanka - onshore
+proj=longlat +ellps=evrst30 +towgs84=-97,787,86,0,0,0,0 +no_defs +type=crsMore about EPSG:4244 →
geographic system using latitude and longitude on an ellipsoid · Area of use: World (by country)
+proj=longlat +datum=WGS84 +no_defs +type=crsMore about EPSG:4326 →