Nonstop flight route between Calabar, Nigeria and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ), Calabar, Nigeria and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,001 miles (or 8,048 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Margaret Ekpo International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Margaret Ekpo International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ):

• The closest airport to Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ) is Akwa Ibom International Airport (QUO), which is located only 18 miles (30 kilometers) WSW of CBQ.
• The furthest airport from Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ) is Canton Island Airport (CIS), which is nearly antipodal to Margaret Ekpo International Airport (meaning Margaret Ekpo International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Canton Island Airport), and is located 12,284 miles (19,770 kilometers) away in Canton Island, Kiribati.
• Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Margaret Ekpo International Airport's relatively low elevation of 210 feet, planes can take off or land at Margaret Ekpo International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• It was initially planned to build an international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans were scrapped due to environmental concerns.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• A new aerodrome designed to meet the ICAO specification for code 4F is to be built.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.