Sri Lanka Population (LIVE)

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Sri Lanka Population (1950 - 2020)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Sri Lanka is 21,658,044 as of Tuesday, March 28, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
  • Sri Lanka 2020 population is estimated at 21,413,249 people at mid year according to UN data.
  • Sri Lanka population is equivalent to 0.27% of the total world population.
  • Sri Lanka ranks number 58 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Sri Lanka is 341 per Km2 (884 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 62,710 Km2 (24,212 sq. miles)
  • 18.4 % of the population is urban (3,945,488 people in 2020)
  • The median age in Sri Lanka is 34.0 years.

Population of Sri Lanka (2020 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
2020 21,413,249 0.42 % 89,516 -97,986 34.0 2.21 341 18.4 % 3,945,488 0.27 % 7,794,798,739 58
2019 21,323,733 0.45 % 94,970 -97,986 32.6 2.21 340 18.3 % 3,906,383 0.28 % 7,713,468,100 58
2018 21,228,763 0.48 % 100,731 -97,986 32.6 2.21 339 18.2 % 3,870,642 0.28 % 7,631,091,040 58
2017 21,128,032 0.51 % 106,861 -97,986 32.6 2.21 337 18.2 % 3,838,068 0.28 % 7,547,858,925 58
2016 21,021,171 0.54 % 113,144 -97,986 32.6 2.21 335 18.1 % 3,808,409 0.28 % 7,464,022,049 57
2015 20,908,027 0.63 % 129,258 -96,954 32.3 2.21 333 18.1 % 3,781,471 0.28 % 7,379,797,139 57
2010 20,261,737 0.72 % 143,350 -104,013 30.4 2.28 323 18.2 % 3,681,427 0.29 % 6,956,823,603 59
2005 19,544,988 0.80 % 153,477 -89,896 29.0 2.26 312 18.3 % 3,573,620 0.30 % 6,541,907,027 54
2000 18,777,601 0.58 % 106,938-92,337 27.6 2.24 299 18.4 % 3,452,171 0.31 % 6,143,493,823 52
1995 18,242,912 1.04 % 183,428 -51,156 25.8 2.38 291 18.5 % 3,367,985 0.32 % 5,744,212,979 49
1990 17,325,773 1.38 % 229,899 -27,488 24.2 2.64 276 18.5 % 3,212,099 0.33 % 5,327,231,061 48
1985 16,176,280 1.47 % 228,089 -79,739 22.8 3.19 258 18.6 % 3,011,554 0.33 % 4,870,921,740 45
1980 15,035,834 1.80 % 256,138 -47,500 21.7 3.61 240 18.6 % 2,797,666 0.34 % 4,458,003,514 43
1975 13,755,146 1.96 % 253,881 -29,000 20.6 4.00 219 18.1 % 2,489,237 0.34 % 4,079,480,606 43
1970 12,485,740 2.36 % 274,984 -7,700 19.6 4.70 199 17.6 % 2,197,238 0.34 % 3,700,437,046 43
1965 11,110,820 2.39 % 247,269 -9,500 19.1 5.20 177 17.1 % 1,901,067 0.33 % 3,339,583,597 45
1960 9,874,476 2.38 % 219,208 -15,000 19.1 5.80 157 16.4 % 1,622,519 0.33 % 3,034,949,748 45
1955 8,778,438 1.95 % 161,468 -3,300 20.0 5.80 140 15.6 % 1,373,606 0.32 % 2,773,019,936 45
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Sri Lanka Population Forecast

-77,520
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
2020 21,413,249 0.48 % 101,044 -97,986 34.0 2.21 341 18.4 % 3,945,488 0.27 % 7,794,798,739 58
2025 21,779,681 0.34 % 73,286 -87,015 35.4 2.21 347 19.3 % 4,193,316 0.27 % 8,184,437,460 61
2030 22,023,016 0.22 % 48,667 -82,523 36.6 2.21 351 20.6 % 4,528,025 0.26 % 8,548,487,400 63
2035 22,166,314 0.13 % 28,660 -77,950 37.6 2.21 353 22.4 % 4,966,948 0.25 % 8,887,524,213 67
2040 22,186,241 0.02 % 3,985 -77,950 38.7 2.21 354 24.8 % 5,503,409 0.24 % 9,198,847,240 67
2045 22,070,206 -0.10 % -23,207 -77,770 39.9 2.21 352 27.4 % 6,048,778 0.23 % 9,481,803,274 72
2050 21,813,968 -0.23 % -51,248   41.2 2.21 348 30.1 % 6,574,761 0.22 % 9,735,033,990 74
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Sri Lanka Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Life Expectancy
77.56 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
6.4
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
7.3
(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 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2019. 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 2019 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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 2019: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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.