Sri Lanka Population (LIVE)

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Sri Lanka Population (1950 - 2023)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Sri Lanka is 21,915,064 as of Sunday, November 19, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • Sri Lanka 2023 population is estimated at 21,893,579 people at mid year.
  • Sri Lanka population is equivalent to 0.27% of the total world population.
  • Sri Lanka ranks number 61 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Sri Lanka is 349 per Km2 (904 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 62,710 Km2 (24,212 sq. miles)
  • 18.7 % of the population is urban (4,083,985 people in 2023)
  • The median age in Sri Lanka is 33.0 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Sri Lanka (2023 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSri Lanka
Global Rank
2023 21,893,579 0.28 % 61,436 -77,495 33.0 1.96 349 18.7 % 4,083,985 0.27 % 8,045,311,447 61
2022 21,832,143 0.27 % 58,702 -77,495 32.7 1.97 348 18.5 % 4,034,302 0.27 % 7,975,105,156 61
2020 21,715,079 0.30 % 65,415 -92,400 32.2 2.00 346 18.2 % 3,945,488 0.28 % 7,840,952,880 58
2015 21,336,697 0.64 % 133,628 -98,598 30.8 2.09 340 17.7 % 3,781,471 0.29 % 7,426,597,537 57
2010 20,668,557 0.99 % 198,938 -26,603 29.2 2.20 330 17.8 % 3,681,427 0.30 % 6,985,603,105 57
2005 19,673,866 0.94 % 179,499 -36,955 27.8 2.28 314 18.2 % 3,573,620 0.30 % 6,558,176,119 54
2000 18,776,371 0.65 % 119,760-91,900 26.4 2.19 299 18.4 % 3,452,171 0.31 % 6,148,898,975 52
1995 18,177,572 1.11 % 194,696 -73,695 24.8 2.30 290 18.5 % 3,367,985 0.32 % 5,743,219,454 49
1990 17,204,094 1.35 % 222,351 -36,199 23.2 2.52 274 18.7 % 3,212,099 0.32 % 5,316,175,862 48
1985 16,092,338 1.49 % 229,739 -53,596 21.6 2.88 257 18.7 % 3,011,554 0.33 % 4,861,730,613 45
1980 14,943,645 1.81 % 256,154 -66,398 20.5 3.64 238 18.7 % 2,797,666 0.34 % 4,444,007,706 45
1975 13,662,873 1.98 % 254,821 -37,505 19.6 3.79 218 18.2 % 2,489,237 0.34 % 4,069,437,231 44
1970 12,388,769 2.34 % 270,709 -16,297 18.8 4.36 198 17.7 % 2,197,238 0.34 % 3,695,390,336 43
1965 11,035,224 2.44 % 250,271 -8,295 18.3 5.00 176 17.2 % 1,901,067 0.33 % 3,337,111,983 45
1960 9,783,871 2.26 % 206,849 -12,606 18.4 5.47 156 16.6 % 1,622,519 0.32 % 3,019,233,434 44
1955 8,749,627 1.95 % 160,730 -11,697 19.2 5.42 140 15.7 % 1,373,606 0.32 % 2,746,072,141 45
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Sri Lanka Population Forecast

-77,495
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSri Lanka
Global Rank
2025 22,000,246 0.26 % 57,033 -77,495 33.5 1.94 351 19.1 % 4,193,316 0.27 % 8,191,988,453 62
2030 22,186,970 0.17 % 37,345 -77,495 34.9 1.89 354 20.4 % 4,528,025 0.26 % 8,546,141,327 65
2035 22,278,745 0.08 % 18,355 -77,495 36.0 1.85 355 22.3 % 4,966,948 0.25 % 8,879,397,401 66
2040 22,263,893 -0.01 % -2,970 -77,495 37.2 1.82 355 24.7 % 5,503,409 0.24 % 9,188,250,492 69
2045 22,112,321 -0.14 % -30,314 -77,495 38.7 1.80 353 27.4 % 6,048,778 0.23 % 9,467,543,575 70
2050 21,814,985 -0.27 % -59,467   40.3 1.78 348 30.1 % 6,574,761 0.22 % 9,709,491,761 74
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Sri Lanka Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Life Expectancy
76.80 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
5.3
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
6.3
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Sri Lanka

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Colombo 648,034
2 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 219,827
3 Moratuwa 185,031
4 Jaffna 169,102
5 Negombo 137,223
6 Pita Kotte 118,179
7 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte 115,826
8 Kandy 111,701
9 Trincomalee 108,420
10 Kalmunai 100,171
11 Galle 93,118
12 Point Pedro 89,810
13 Batticaloa 86,742
14 Katunayaka 84,643
15 Valvedditturai 78,205
16 Matara 76,254
17 Battaramulla South 75,633
18 Dambulla 66,716
19 Maharagama 66,576
20 Kotikawatta 64,565
21 Anuradhapura 60,943
22 Vavuniya 60,176
23 Kolonnawa 58,076
24 Hendala 56,978
25 Ratnapura 47,832
26 Badulla 47,587
27 Puttalam 45,661
28 Devinuwara 45,000
29 Welisara 41,306
30 Kalutara 38,000
31 Bentota 37,000
32 Matale 36,462
33 Homagama 34,664
34 Beruwala 34,250
35 Panadura 33,735
36 Mulleriyawa 33,540
37 Kandana 33,424
38 Ja Ela 32,175
39 Wattala 30,725
40 Peliyagoda 30,717
41 Kelaniya 28,846
42 Kurunegala 28,571
43 Nuwara Eliya 25,775
44 Gampola 24,730
45 Chilaw 24,712
46 Eravur Town 22,982
47 Hanwella Ihala 22,918
48 Weligama 22,179
49 Vakarai 21,000
50 Kataragama 20,935
51 Ambalangoda 20,133
52 Ampara 18,348
53 Kegalle 17,962
54 Hatton 15,073

See also

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Notes

The Sri Lanka Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Sri Lanka delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Sri Lanka (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Sri Lanka in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.