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Country or area · Southern Asia · Asia · UN WPP 2024
Sri Lanka population
Sri Lanka population now
23,376,791
A projection read at this second, not a count: the UN's totals for 1 January 2026 and 2027, joined by a straight line. 95% range for 31 December 2026: 22.9–23.9 million.
Mid-2023, UN estimate: 22,971,617
- Year
- 2026
- projection · medium
- Population, mid-2026
- 23.3483 million
- 95% range, 31 Dec: 22.9–23.9 million
- Median age
- 34.6
- Aged 65+
- 12.8%
male female projection · one cell = 5,000 people
How to read this: one row for each age, newborns at the bottom; men on the left, women on the right.
LKA · 1950–2100 · in brief
Sri Lanka in numbers
Sri Lanka had 22,971,617 people in mid-2023, the 61st-largest population of the 236 countries and areas the UN reports, and 0.28% of the world's people. That is 2.9 times its 1950 population of 7.8 million.
The UN's medium projection has it peaking in 2051 at 24.8 million, then falling to 21.2 million by 2100. The projection is uncertain: on 1 January 2100 the UN's 95% range runs from 10.0 million to 40.8 million.
The medium projection has deaths passing births in 2058 and staying above them from then on.
The median age was 20.9 in 1950 and 33.8 in 2023; the projection has 51.0 in 2100. 11.7% of people were 65 or older in 2023, against 32.8% projected for 2100. The working-age population (15–64) is projected to peak in 2040 at 15.8 million.
Among countries it ranks 61st in 2023, 67th in 2050 and 74th in 2100. In the medium projection it overtakes Taiwan in 2025, North Korea in 2061 and Ukraine in 2072. It is overtaken by Malawi in 2028, Zambia in 2028 and Chad in 2030.
- Population, mid-2023
- 22,971,617
- Rank by population, 2023
- 61 of 236
- Share of the world, 2023
- 0.28%
- Change in a year, mid-2022 to mid-2023
- +0.60% · +136,652 people
- People per km² of land, 2023
- 371
- Land area, 2023
- 61,860 km²
- Births, 2023
- 324,102
- Deaths, 2023
- 162,453
- Net migration, 2023
- −28,011
- Children per woman, 2023
- 1.97
- Median age, 2023
- 33.8 years
- Life expectancy at birth, 2023
- 77.5 years
- In a city, 2025
- 36 of every 100
- Population, mid-1950
- 7,811,047
- Projected, mid-2050
- 24,813,690
- Projected, mid-2100
- 21,249,406
LKA · 1950–2100 · total population
Population, 1950–2100
estimate projection, up to the bottom of the 95% range 95% range medium projection. One column is one year's population, read on 1 January; the paper rules divide it into equal cells.
Show the numbers: Sri Lanka, 1950–2100
| Year | Kind | Population, 1 Jan | 95% range | Births | Deaths | Children per woman | Life expectancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | estimate | 7,741,121 | 280,651 | 148,586 | 5.46 | 53.2 | |
| 1951 | estimate | 7,880,973 | 289,322 | 141,811 | 5.46 | 54.0 | |
| 1952 | estimate | 8,031,695 | 296,067 | 135,169 | 5.43 | 54.9 | |
| 1953 | estimate | 8,191,426 | 302,216 | 129,484 | 5.39 | 55.6 | |
| 1954 | estimate | 8,358,862 | 307,274 | 124,285 | 5.35 | 56.4 | |
| 1955 | estimate | 8,533,009 | 312,004 | 119,665 | 5.31 | 57.2 | |
| 1956 | estimate | 8,713,652 | 316,297 | 115,433 | 5.26 | 57.9 | |
| 1957 | estimate | 8,900,785 | 327,500 | 112,241 | 5.34 | 58.5 | |
| 1958 | estimate | 9,101,208 | 339,094 | 108,967 | 5.40 | 59.3 | |
| 1959 | estimate | 9,316,427 | 347,545 | 106,065 | 5.41 | 60.0 | |
| 1960 | estimate | 9,543,877 | 350,999 | 103,367 | 5.35 | 60.6 | |
| 1961 | estimate | 9,778,901 | 352,100 | 101,014 | 5.24 | 61.2 | |
| 1962 | estimate | 10,019,844 | 356,064 | 99,345 | 5.18 | 61.6 | |
| 1963 | estimate | 10,267,663 | 361,121 | 98,246 | 5.12 | 62.0 | |
| 1964 | estimate | 10,522,416 | 367,218 | 97,643 | 5.06 | 62.4 | |
| 1965 | estimate | 10,784,377 | 369,071 | 96,648 | 4.93 | 62.8 | |
| 1966 | estimate | 11,049,552 | 371,564 | 96,010 | 4.83 | 63.2 | |
| 1967 | estimate | 11,318,305 | 380,300 | 95,563 | 4.79 | 63.6 | |
| 1968 | estimate | 11,596,352 | 382,157 | 95,520 | 4.66 | 63.9 | |
| 1969 | estimate | 11,875,824 | 381,866 | 95,646 | 4.50 | 64.1 | |
| 1970 | estimate | 12,151,891 | 382,894 | 96,168 | 4.39 | 64.3 | |
| 1971 | estimate | 12,422,329 | 379,454 | 98,261 | 4.27 | 64.2 | |
| 1972 | estimate | 12,681,491 | 380,516 | 98,017 | 4.16 | 64.6 | |
| 1973 | estimate | 12,936,919 | 377,411 | 98,826 | 4.00 | 64.8 | |
| 1974 | estimate | 13,184,913 | 375,065 | 99,536 | 3.85 | 65.0 | |
| 1975 | estimate | 13,426,473 | 381,947 | 99,448 | 3.82 | 65.4 | |
| 1976 | estimate | 13,671,494 | 390,804 | 98,992 | 3.78 | 65.8 | |
| 1977 | estimate | 13,922,045 | 398,213 | 98,175 | 3.74 | 66.4 | |
| 1978 | estimate | 14,176,698 | 415,361 | 98,317 | 3.81 | 66.8 | |
| 1979 | estimate | 14,443,558 | 426,916 | 97,126 | 3.82 | 67.5 | |
| 1980 | estimate | 14,715,670 | 424,706 | 96,559 | 3.73 | 68.0 | |
| 1981 | estimate | 14,980,278 | 424,830 | 96,738 | 3.65 | 68.4 | |
| 1982 | estimate | 15,218,550 | 396,732 | 96,704 | 3.32 | 68.7 | |
| 1983 | estimate | 15,354,585 | 375,766 | 97,988 | 3.11 | 68.7 | |
| 1984 | estimate | 15,423,004 | 362,742 | 99,572 | 3.01 | 68.8 | |
| 1985 | estimate | 15,460,715 | 348,540 | 100,717 | 2.90 | 68.9 | |
| 1986 | estimate | 15,627,592 | 336,476 | 102,688 | 2.74 | 69.0 | |
| 1987 | estimate | 15,834,921 | 331,586 | 105,171 | 2.64 | 69.0 | |
| 1988 | estimate | 15,998,231 | 327,043 | 107,851 | 2.56 | 69.0 | |
| 1989 | estimate | 16,159,011 | 334,326 | 121,928 | 2.58 | 67.3 | |
| 1990 | estimate | 16,338,103 | 335,791 | 111,344 | 2.54 | 69.2 | |
| 1991 | estimate | 16,366,812 | 332,081 | 113,954 | 2.51 | 69.1 | |
| 1992 | estimate | 16,583,895 | 335,740 | 113,508 | 2.49 | 69.6 | |
| 1993 | estimate | 16,894,672 | 340,144 | 113,879 | 2.44 | 70.0 | |
| 1994 | estimate | 17,157,165 | 344,907 | 116,010 | 2.40 | 70.2 | |
| 1995 | estimate | 17,394,382 | 344,690 | 122,734 | 2.35 | 69.8 | |
| 1996 | estimate | 17,733,753 | 340,970 | 125,677 | 2.29 | 69.8 | |
| 1997 | estimate | 18,076,283 | 336,714 | 128,522 | 2.21 | 69.9 | |
| 1998 | estimate | 18,420,117 | 331,320 | 130,273 | 2.14 | 70.1 | |
| 1999 | estimate | 18,771,889 | 338,438 | 131,551 | 2.14 | 70.4 | |
| 2000 | estimate | 19,117,572 | 355,040 | 127,969 | 2.21 | 71.2 | |
| 2001 | estimate | 19,468,535 | 371,424 | 127,045 | 2.28 | 71.8 | |
| 2002 | estimate | 19,732,190 | 379,721 | 126,881 | 2.31 | 72.3 | |
| 2003 | estimate | 19,879,314 | 380,930 | 128,930 | 2.30 | 72.4 | |
| 2004 | estimate | 20,023,729 | 378,170 | 165,638 | 2.27 | 68.0 | |
| 2005 | estimate | 20,151,481 | 378,376 | 129,681 | 2.26 | 73.1 | |
| 2006 | estimate | 20,281,568 | 383,691 | 134,970 | 2.29 | 72.8 | |
| 2007 | estimate | 20,423,254 | 385,456 | 137,177 | 2.29 | 73.0 | |
| 2008 | estimate | 20,561,836 | 375,547 | 143,312 | 2.23 | 72.6 | |
| 2009 | estimate | 20,696,920 | 365,886 | 165,721 | 2.18 | 70.3 | |
| 2010 | estimate | 20,815,950 | 358,011 | 133,680 | 2.13 | 74.5 | |
| 2011 | estimate | 20,942,228 | 359,070 | 134,597 | 2.14 | 74.7 | |
| 2012 | estimate | 21,075,868 | 363,017 | 133,879 | 2.17 | 75.2 | |
| 2013 | estimate | 21,263,048 | 363,696 | 134,376 | 2.18 | 75.5 | |
| 2014 | estimate | 21,454,606 | 356,005 | 136,638 | 2.13 | 75.8 | |
| 2015 | estimate | 21,640,306 | 348,168 | 139,039 | 2.09 | 76.0 | |
| 2016 | estimate | 21,819,637 | 342,918 | 142,269 | 2.06 | 76.1 | |
| 2017 | estimate | 22,001,908 | 339,514 | 145,953 | 2.04 | 76.2 | |
| 2018 | estimate | 22,173,136 | 337,145 | 148,574 | 2.03 | 76.5 | |
| 2019 | estimate | 22,333,100 | 334,362 | 151,041 | 2.02 | 76.7 | |
| 2020 | estimate | 22,488,003 | 331,170 | 153,684 | 2.01 | 76.9 | |
| 2021 | estimate | 22,635,611 | 328,525 | 169,414 | 2.00 | 76.3 | |
| 2022 | estimate | 22,765,133 | 326,112 | 159,011 | 1.98 | 77.3 | |
| 2023 | estimate | 22,904,797 | 324,102 | 162,453 | 1.97 | 77.5 | |
| 2024 | estimate | 23,038,437 | 320,429 | 162,934 | 1.95 | 77.7 | |
| 2025 | projection | 23,168,692 | 23.0–23.3 million | 318,489 | 166,204 | 1.94 | 77.8 |
| 2026 | projection | 23,290,249 | 23.0–23.6 million | 316,459 | 169,566 | 1.93 | 78.0 |
| 2027 | projection | 23,406,381 | 22.9–23.9 million | 314,866 | 173,136 | 1.91 | 78.2 |
| 2028 | projection | 23,516,740 | 22.8–24.2 million | 313,284 | 176,584 | 1.90 | 78.4 |
| 2029 | projection | 23,621,609 | 22.8–24.5 million | 312,034 | 180,125 | 1.89 | 78.5 |
| 2030 | projection | 23,719,665 | 22.6–24.8 million | 311,150 | 183,726 | 1.88 | 78.7 |
| 2031 | projection | 23,816,239 | 22.5–25.1 million | 310,127 | 187,247 | 1.87 | 78.9 |
| 2032 | projection | 23,907,022 | 22.4–25.4 million | 309,526 | 190,713 | 1.86 | 79.1 |
| 2033 | projection | 23,995,479 | 22.3–25.7 million | 309,081 | 194,422 | 1.85 | 79.2 |
| 2034 | projection | 24,079,758 | 22.2–26.0 million | 308,281 | 197,842 | 1.85 | 79.4 |
| 2035 | projection | 24,158,831 | 22.1–26.3 million | 307,430 | 201,209 | 1.84 | 79.6 |
| 2036 | projection | 24,234,118 | 22.0–26.6 million | 306,432 | 204,483 | 1.83 | 79.8 |
| 2037 | projection | 24,304,916 | 21.8–26.8 million | 304,990 | 207,533 | 1.83 | 79.9 |
| 2038 | projection | 24,375,071 | 21.7–27.1 million | 303,173 | 210,582 | 1.82 | 80.1 |
| 2039 | projection | 24,439,015 | 21.5–27.4 million | 301,372 | 213,581 | 1.81 | 80.3 |
| 2040 | projection | 24,499,783 | 21.4–27.7 million | 299,294 | 216,338 | 1.81 | 80.5 |
| 2041 | projection | 24,553,615 | 21.3–28.0 million | 297,100 | 218,821 | 1.80 | 80.6 |
| 2042 | projection | 24,603,679 | 21.1–28.3 million | 294,478 | 221,446 | 1.80 | 80.8 |
| 2043 | projection | 24,647,051 | 21.0–28.6 million | 291,831 | 224,020 | 1.80 | 81.0 |
| 2044 | projection | 24,686,266 | 20.9–28.9 million | 288,819 | 226,309 | 1.79 | 81.1 |
| 2045 | projection | 24,719,471 | 20.7–29.1 million | 285,851 | 228,444 | 1.79 | 81.3 |
| 2046 | projection | 24,753,400 | 20.6–29.3 million | 282,800 | 230,497 | 1.78 | 81.5 |
| 2047 | projection | 24,778,074 | 20.4–29.5 million | 279,536 | 232,621 | 1.78 | 81.6 |
| 2048 | projection | 24,795,341 | 20.3–29.8 million | 276,455 | 234,608 | 1.78 | 81.8 |
| 2049 | projection | 24,806,166 | 20.2–30.0 million | 273,006 | 236,326 | 1.77 | 81.9 |
| 2050 | projection | 24,812,185 | 20.0–30.2 million | 269,537 | 238,427 | 1.77 | 82.1 |
| 2051 | projection | 24,815,195 | 19.8–30.5 million | 266,674 | 240,223 | 1.76 | 82.2 |
| 2052 | projection | 24,814,320 | 19.8–30.8 million | 263,534 | 241,761 | 1.76 | 82.4 |
| 2053 | projection | 24,810,125 | 19.7–31.0 million | 260,711 | 243,455 | 1.75 | 82.5 |
| 2054 | projection | 24,799,659 | 19.5–31.1 million | 258,287 | 245,023 | 1.75 | 82.7 |
| 2055 | projection | 24,790,217 | 19.4–31.3 million | 256,258 | 246,651 | 1.75 | 82.8 |
| 2056 | projection | 24,778,118 | 19.2–31.6 million | 254,302 | 248,163 | 1.75 | 83.0 |
| 2057 | projection | 24,756,733 | 19.0–31.8 million | 252,368 | 249,630 | 1.75 | 83.2 |
| 2058 | projection | 24,733,077 | 18.9–32.1 million | 250,839 | 251,239 | 1.74 | 83.3 |
| 2059 | projection | 24,705,804 | 18.7–32.3 million | 249,083 | 252,643 | 1.74 | 83.5 |
| 2060 | projection | 24,676,265 | 18.6–32.7 million | 247,498 | 254,408 | 1.74 | 83.6 |
| 2061 | projection | 24,642,480 | 18.4–32.9 million | 246,179 | 255,902 | 1.74 | 83.7 |
| 2062 | projection | 24,608,451 | 18.1–33.2 million | 244,970 | 257,549 | 1.74 | 83.9 |
| 2063 | projection | 24,569,201 | 18.0–33.5 million | 243,593 | 259,295 | 1.73 | 84.0 |
| 2064 | projection | 24,526,317 | 17.8–33.6 million | 242,252 | 260,966 | 1.73 | 84.2 |
| 2065 | projection | 24,478,499 | 17.7–33.9 million | 240,841 | 262,540 | 1.73 | 84.3 |
| 2066 | projection | 24,424,380 | 17.5–34.0 million | 239,274 | 263,989 | 1.73 | 84.4 |
| 2067 | projection | 24,372,005 | 17.3–34.3 million | 237,760 | 265,691 | 1.73 | 84.6 |
| 2068 | projection | 24,314,131 | 17.1–34.5 million | 236,160 | 266,943 | 1.73 | 84.7 |
| 2069 | projection | 24,258,173 | 16.9–34.8 million | 234,434 | 268,286 | 1.73 | 84.8 |
| 2070 | projection | 24,201,623 | 16.7–34.9 million | 232,614 | 269,576 | 1.72 | 85.0 |
| 2071 | projection | 24,141,022 | 16.6–35.1 million | 230,885 | 270,543 | 1.72 | 85.1 |
| 2072 | projection | 24,078,833 | 16.4–35.3 million | 228,945 | 271,501 | 1.72 | 85.3 |
| 2073 | projection | 24,014,704 | 16.3–35.3 million | 227,131 | 272,185 | 1.72 | 85.4 |
| 2074 | projection | 23,945,099 | 16.0–35.5 million | 225,141 | 272,996 | 1.72 | 85.5 |
| 2075 | projection | 23,870,067 | 15.7–35.8 million | 222,847 | 273,657 | 1.72 | 85.7 |
| 2076 | projection | 23,796,851 | 15.5–36.1 million | 220,395 | 274,203 | 1.72 | 85.8 |
| 2077 | projection | 23,720,706 | 15.2–36.2 million | 218,348 | 274,426 | 1.72 | 85.9 |
| 2078 | projection | 23,641,596 | 15.0–36.4 million | 215,908 | 274,919 | 1.71 | 86.0 |
| 2079 | projection | 23,559,250 | 14.7–36.8 million | 213,626 | 275,072 | 1.71 | 86.2 |
| 2080 | projection | 23,470,019 | 14.4–37.1 million | 211,224 | 275,255 | 1.71 | 86.3 |
| 2081 | projection | 23,379,908 | 14.2–37.2 million | 208,846 | 275,524 | 1.71 | 86.4 |
| 2082 | projection | 23,286,256 | 14.0–37.3 million | 206,738 | 275,991 | 1.71 | 86.5 |
| 2083 | projection | 23,192,757 | 13.7–37.7 million | 204,500 | 276,469 | 1.71 | 86.7 |
| 2084 | projection | 23,095,556 | 13.5–37.8 million | 202,538 | 276,906 | 1.71 | 86.8 |
| 2085 | projection | 22,996,877 | 13.3–38.0 million | 200,690 | 277,349 | 1.71 | 86.9 |
| 2086 | projection | 22,892,760 | 13.0–38.5 million | 198,658 | 277,893 | 1.71 | 87.0 |
| 2087 | projection | 22,787,733 | 12.7–38.8 million | 196,784 | 278,378 | 1.71 | 87.2 |
| 2088 | projection | 22,682,262 | 12.5–39.2 million | 195,297 | 278,872 | 1.71 | 87.3 |
| 2089 | projection | 22,575,299 | 12.3–39.3 million | 193,462 | 279,523 | 1.70 | 87.4 |
| 2090 | projection | 22,465,802 | 12.2–39.3 million | 191,935 | 280,189 | 1.70 | 87.5 |
| 2091 | projection | 22,353,004 | 12.0–39.5 million | 190,272 | 280,808 | 1.70 | 87.6 |
| 2092 | projection | 22,242,492 | 11.8–39.6 million | 188,862 | 281,171 | 1.70 | 87.8 |
| 2093 | projection | 22,130,325 | 11.5–40.1 million | 187,571 | 281,353 | 1.70 | 87.9 |
| 2094 | projection | 22,016,455 | 11.3–40.2 million | 186,224 | 281,760 | 1.70 | 88.0 |
| 2095 | projection | 21,901,684 | 11.0–40.0 million | 184,868 | 281,940 | 1.70 | 88.1 |
| 2096 | projection | 21,784,926 | 10.8–40.0 million | 183,709 | 281,746 | 1.70 | 88.2 |
| 2097 | projection | 21,666,731 | 10.7–40.3 million | 182,511 | 281,847 | 1.70 | 88.4 |
| 2098 | projection | 21,548,410 | 10.5–40.4 million | 181,207 | 281,777 | 1.69 | 88.5 |
| 2099 | projection | 21,427,628 | 10.3–40.7 million | 179,961 | 281,294 | 1.70 | 88.6 |
| 2100 | projection | 21,308,658 | 10.0–40.8 million | 178,724 | 281,079 | 1.70 | 88.7 |
Show the numbers: Sri Lanka, mid-2026, by single year of age
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 161,026 | 154,390 |
| 1 | 161,529 | 154,890 |
| 2 | 162,636 | 155,966 |
| 3 | 163,856 | 157,154 |
| 4 | 164,788 | 158,050 |
| 5 | 165,886 | 159,124 |
| 6 | 167,202 | 160,410 |
| 7 | 168,569 | 161,746 |
| 8 | 169,742 | 162,904 |
| 9 | 171,100 | 164,260 |
| 10 | 173,161 | 166,288 |
| 11 | 176,282 | 169,310 |
| 12 | 179,983 | 172,895 |
| 13 | 181,498 | 174,394 |
| 14 | 180,226 | 174,287 |
| 15 | 180,143 | 175,468 |
| 16 | 181,608 | 177,212 |
| 17 | 182,470 | 178,322 |
| 18 | 182,724 | 178,786 |
| 19 | 182,364 | 178,594 |
| 20 | 181,324 | 177,646 |
| 21 | 179,572 | 175,887 |
| 22 | 177,147 | 173,348 |
| 23 | 174,090 | 170,071 |
| 24 | 170,618 | 166,328 |
| 25 | 167,438 | 162,966 |
| 26 | 165,264 | 160,818 |
| 27 | 164,396 | 160,223 |
| 28 | 164,210 | 160,588 |
| 29 | 164,582 | 161,782 |
| 30 | 165,051 | 163,374 |
| 31 | 164,418 | 164,226 |
| 32 | 162,586 | 164,234 |
| 33 | 159,591 | 163,408 |
| 34 | 155,782 | 161,964 |
| 35 | 152,068 | 160,469 |
| 36 | 149,194 | 159,389 |
| 37 | 147,334 | 158,847 |
| 38 | 146,420 | 158,788 |
| 39 | 146,424 | 159,236 |
| 40 | 147,280 | 160,256 |
| 41 | 148,913 | 161,891 |
| 42 | 151,334 | 164,175 |
| 43 | 154,493 | 167,062 |
| 44 | 157,864 | 170,072 |
| 45 | 160,052 | 171,918 |
| 46 | 159,849 | 171,463 |
| 47 | 157,004 | 168,452 |
| 48 | 151,602 | 162,961 |
| 49 | 144,282 | 155,606 |
| 50 | 136,980 | 148,298 |
| 51 | 131,360 | 142,696 |
| 52 | 127,698 | 139,096 |
| 53 | 125,927 | 137,452 |
| 54 | 125,649 | 137,400 |
| 55 | 125,667 | 137,810 |
| 56 | 124,976 | 137,714 |
| 57 | 123,400 | 136,934 |
| 58 | 120,968 | 135,488 |
| 59 | 117,878 | 133,531 |
| 60 | 114,604 | 131,432 |
| 61 | 111,532 | 129,503 |
| 62 | 108,752 | 127,812 |
| 63 | 106,239 | 126,330 |
| 64 | 103,829 | 124,889 |
| 65 | 101,138 | 123,084 |
| 66 | 97,864 | 120,584 |
| 67 | 93,984 | 117,344 |
| 68 | 89,546 | 113,396 |
| 69 | 84,688 | 108,888 |
| 70 | 79,754 | 104,238 |
| 71 | 75,038 | 99,811 |
| 72 | 70,582 | 95,692 |
| 73 | 66,358 | 91,852 |
| 74 | 62,240 | 88,110 |
| 75 | 57,894 | 84,001 |
| 76 | 53,198 | 79,008 |
| 77 | 48,218 | 73,089 |
| 78 | 42,966 | 66,726 |
| 79 | 37,514 | 60,070 |
| 80 | 32,230 | 53,312 |
| 81 | 27,420 | 46,778 |
| 82 | 23,148 | 40,575 |
| 83 | 19,402 | 34,758 |
| 84 | 16,151 | 29,409 |
| 85 | 13,336 | 24,666 |
| 86 | 10,902 | 20,600 |
| 87 | 8,816 | 17,168 |
| 88 | 7,046 | 14,286 |
| 89 | 5,554 | 11,835 |
| 90 | 4,316 | 9,697 |
| 91 | 3,296 | 7,788 |
| 92 | 2,456 | 6,068 |
| 93 | 1,783 | 4,565 |
| 94 | 1,261 | 3,308 |
| 95 | 867 | 2,310 |
| 96 | 578 | 1,562 |
| 97 | 371 | 1,020 |
| 98 | 229 | 642 |
| 99 | 136 | 389 |
| 100+ | 162 | 526 |
LKA · 1950–2100 · every age, every year
Sri Lanka, every age in every year
Each column is a year and each row an age; the denser the ink in a cell, the more people. Everyone born in the same year climbs one 45° diagonal, so famines, baby booms and migration show up as streaks. Select a cell to follow its generation.
LKA · ages 15–64
Who does the work in Sri Lanka
On the UN's projection, Sri Lanka will have the most working-age people it ever has in 2040: 15,828,300 people aged 15–64. In 2023 it had 15,138,300.
aged 15–64 children under 15 aged 65 and over
How to read this: the orange squares are 100 people aged 15–64 in 2023, and the rows below are how many children (teal) and how many people aged 65 or older (violet) lived alongside them.
Fewer than 50 dependants live alongside every 100 people aged 15–64 in 14 years: 2000–2013.
fewer than 50 dependants per 100 the same, projected 50 or more
How to read this: one stripe a year from 1950 to 2100. A stripe takes colour in a year when fewer than 50 dependants live alongside every 100 people of working age, and stays grey otherwise; hatching means the year is projected.
LKA · arrivals minus departures
Who arrives in Sri Lanka, and who leaves
In 2020–2025 Sri Lanka loses 28,516 people a year: everyone who arrives, minus everyone who leaves. The age at which that happens most is 20–24, at 5,902 a year more leaving than arriving.
more arrive than leave more leave than arrive
How to read this: left to right is age, from babies to 100. Blue squares above the line are ages at which more people arrive than leave; orange squares below it, ages at which more leave than arrive. These are the UN's projection for 2020–2025. There is no record of migration by age before 2020.
Across the counted years, 1950 to 2023, its biggest single-year gain was 150,724 (1998); its biggest loss, 225,450 (1984).
In 2024, 40,698 people living in Sri Lanka had been born in another country, fewer than 1 of every 100 people there, against fewer than 1 in 1990.
LKA · births by the mother's age · 1950–2100
Who has the babies in Sri Lanka
Of every 100 babies born in Sri Lanka in 2023, 4 had a mother under 20, 78 a mother aged 20 to 34 and 18 a mother aged 35 or older. In 1950 it was 9 under 20 and 13 aged 35 or older.
9 · 78 · 13
4 · 78 · 18
3 · 77 · 20
The mother's age: under 20 20 to 34 35 or older projected
How to read this: each block is 100 babies born in that year, one square each, coloured by how old the mother was. The numbers under a block are the three groups, youngest mothers first.
- Babies born, 2023
- 324,102
- Average age when women have a baby
- 29.6 years
- 28.8 in 1950
- Babies a year per 1,000 girls aged 15–19
- 15
- 72 in 1950
Babies by the mother's age, 1950–2100
| Mother's age | 1950 | 1975 | 2000 | 2023 | 2050 projected | 2100 projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10–14 | 481 | 104 | 137 | 36 | 8 | 4 |
| 15–19 | 25,398 | 25,973 | 28,237 | 13,487 | 6,507 | 2,836 |
| 20–24 | 82,815 | 103,356 | 86,682 | 59,779 | 39,140 | 20,041 |
| 25–29 | 82,501 | 120,393 | 102,282 | 102,410 | 83,102 | 53,023 |
| 30–34 | 54,519 | 80,983 | 82,629 | 90,725 | 86,155 | 62,909 |
| 35–39 | 27,898 | 38,877 | 43,116 | 45,125 | 43,616 | 32,024 |
| 40–44 | 6,101 | 10,269 | 11,093 | 11,641 | 9,693 | 6,898 |
| 45–49 | 901 | 1,893 | 849 | 874 | 1,224 | 924 |
| 50–54 | 37 | 99 | 15 | 25 | 92 | 65 |
| All babies | 280,651 | 381,947 | 355,040 | 324,102 | 269,537 | 178,724 |
The UN's births for each year, split by the mother's age in the UN's own proportions.
LKA · healthy years · 2021
Years in good health in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, WHO puts the healthy years a newborn could expect in 2021 at 66.7 (95% range 65.8–68.1), out of 77.2 in all. The years in less than full health come to 10.5, above the world's 9.5.
68.3 in full health, 11.8 not: 80.1 years
65.1 in full health, 9.1 not: 74.2 years
a year in full health a year in less than full health
How to read this: each square is a year of life, each row ten years; filled squares are years in full health, rounded to whole years.
Women: 68.3 healthy years of 80.1. Men: 65.1 of 74.2.
LKA · forced from home · end of 2025
Displacement in Sri Lanka
At the end of 2025, 4,099 people were displaced inside Sri Lanka, about 0.2 of every 1,000 people living there.
- hosted from abroad484
- displaced inside it4,099
- Sri Lanka nationals abroad181,933
stayed inside their own country crossed a border
How to read this: one square stands for 5,000 people, so the rows can be compared with one another. The last row is people from Sri Lanka living in another country, wherever they are. An outlined square means fewer people than one square stands for.
In 2025, 18 people asked for asylum in Sri Lanka for the first time; 16,413 people from Sri Lanka asked for asylum in another country. Of every 100 people from Sri Lanka whose claims were decided that year, 19 were given protection. Who asks for asylum, and who is given it
LKA · of every 100 people
How people live in Sri Lanka
Of every 100 people in Sri Lanka in 2025, 36 lived in a city, 49 in a town or suburb and 15 in the countryside.
cities towns and suburbs rural areas
Nearly everyone has electricity at home (2024). 45.4 of every 100 do not use the internet (2024).
How to read this: 100 squares, one for every 100th person, coloured by where they live, as the key says. The same rule is used in every country.
LKA · adults 25 and over · 2020
How far people in Sri Lanka went in school
Of every 100 adults in Sri Lanka in 2020, 14 never went to school and 51 finished upper secondary or went further.
14 never went to school 3 some primary 11 finished primary 21 finished lower secondary 28 finished upper secondary 23 studied after school
Compare two generations. Aged 60–64, 22.4 of every 100 women and 21.4 of every 100 men never went to school; aged 25–29, 2.7 and 3.7.
Its people aged 15 to 64 are projected to be most numerous in 2035; the ones who finished upper secondary are most numerous later, in 2060.
How to read this: 100 squares, one for every hundredth adult aged 25 or over, from least schooling on the left to most on the right. Counted by the Wittgenstein Centre for 2020.
LKA · cities · 2025
Cities in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka had 24 cities in 2025, home to 8.4 million people. The largest, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte - Colombo, holds 22 of every 100 people in Sri Lanka.
- Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte - Colombo5,223,838
- Kandy785,519
- Galle346,263
- Matara292,019
- Jaffna200,544
- Kalmunai156,093
- Batticaloa147,618
- Wennappuwa106,641
- Matale102,855
- Akkaraipattu101,464
How to read this: the 10 biggest cities here in 2025, drawn on a single scale so the bars can be compared. Each is a built-up area on the UN's rule rather than a city government's patch.
Apparatus
Sources and method
Every figure on this page comes from the UN's World Population Prospects 2024: the annual country tables (estimates to 2023, projections with 95% intervals from 2024), and the population by single year of age and sex for the pyramid.
The censuses, surveys and registers behind the UN's estimates for Sri Lanka are listed, source by source, on the UN's own data sources page.
Sources: UN WPP 2024 · World Bank · UNHCR · country code lists · UN WUP 2025 · Wittgenstein Centre · WHO GHO · flag-icons · Natural Earth. Every source, its licence and how to cite it →
Checked before it was drawn
Verified 2026-09-30 · 73 canaries The pyramid for every year was checked against the published total. What that stamp counts, and what every page here has to pass before it can be built: how this site checks its figures.