Pigeon Island National Park is one of the three marine national parks of Sri Lanka. The national park is situated 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli, a coastal town in Eastern Province, encompassing a total area of 471.429 hectares. The island's name derives from the rock pigeon which has colonized it. The national park contains some of the best remaining coral reefs of Sri Lanka. Pigeon Island was designated as a sanctuary in 1963. In 2003 it was re-designated as a national park, making it the 17th such park in Sri Lanka. The island was used as a shooting range during the colonial era. Pigeon Island was one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.