Population · Asia · 2025 data
Sri Lanka Population
Sri Lanka had a population of 21.76 million in 2025, ranking #62 of 216 countries and territories (0.27% of the world). The population grew by 3.7% over the past ten years and peaked in 2022 at 22.18 million.
Population of Sri Lanka, 1960–2025
Values in millions · World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0)
Population by year (table)
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21,756,000 | -0.73% |
| 2024 | 21,916,000 | -0.55% |
| 2023 | 22,037,000 | -0.65% |
| 2022 | 22,181,000 | +0.11% |
| 2021 | 22,156,000 | +1.08% |
| 2020 | 21,919,000 | +0.53% |
| 2019 | 21,803,000 | +0.61% |
| 2018 | 21,670,000 | +1.01% |
| 2017 | 21,453,000 | +1.15% |
| 2016 | 21,209,000 | +1.14% |
| 2015 | 20,970,000 | +0.92% |
| 2014 | 20,778,000 | +0.94% |
| 2013 | 20,585,000 | -2.76% |
| 2012 | 21,169,458 | +0.76% |
| 2011 | 21,009,048 | +0.62% |
| 2010 | 20,879,089 | +0.59% |
| 2009 | 20,756,435 | +0.62% |
| 2008 | 20,629,378 | +0.67% |
| 2007 | 20,492,545 | +0.69% |
| 2006 | 20,352,411 | +0.67% |
| 2005 | 20,216,524 | +0.64% |
| 2004 | 20,087,605 | +0.68% |
| 2003 | 19,951,521 | +0.74% |
| 2002 | 19,805,752 | +1.05% |
| 2001 | 19,600,362 | +1.59% |
| 2000 | 19,293,054 | +1.84% |
| 1999 | 18,944,731 | +1.88% |
| 1998 | 18,596,003 | +1.91% |
| 1997 | 18,248,200 | +1.92% |
| 1996 | 17,905,018 | +1.94% |
| 1995 | 17,564,068 | +1.67% |
| 1994 | 17,275,773 | +1.47% |
| 1993 | 17,025,918 | +1.71% |
| 1992 | 16,739,284 | +1.60% |
| 1991 | 16,475,354 | +0.75% |
| 1990 | 16,352,458 | +0.64% |
| 1989 | 16,248,557 | +1.06% |
| 1988 | 16,078,621 | +1.02% |
| 1987 | 15,916,576 | +1.18% |
| 1986 | 15,731,256 | +1.20% |
| 1985 | 15,544,154 | +0.66% |
| 1984 | 15,441,860 | +0.34% |
| 1983 | 15,388,794 | +0.67% |
| 1982 | 15,286,567 | +1.24% |
| 1981 | 15,099,414 | +1.69% |
| 1980 | 14,847,974 | +1.84% |
| 1979 | 14,579,614 | +1.88% |
| 1978 | 14,310,128 | +1.86% |
| 1977 | 14,049,371 | +1.83% |
| 1976 | 13,796,770 | +1.83% |
| 1975 | 13,548,984 | +1.83% |
| 1974 | 13,305,693 | +1.87% |
| 1973 | 13,060,916 | +1.97% |
| 1972 | 12,809,205 | +2.05% |
| 1971 | 12,551,910 | +2.16% |
| 1970 | 12,287,110 | +2.27% |
| 1969 | 12,013,858 | +2.37% |
| 1968 | 11,736,088 | +2.43% |
| 1967 | 11,457,328 | +2.44% |
| 1966 | 11,183,928 | +2.45% |
| 1965 | 10,916,965 | +2.47% |
| 1964 | 10,653,397 | +2.49% |
| 1963 | 10,395,040 | +2.48% |
| 1962 | 10,143,754 | +2.47% |
| 1961 | 9,899,372 | +2.46% |
| 1960 | 9,661,389 | — |
Demographics of Sri Lanka
Ethnic groups
Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)
Languages
Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)
Religions
Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)
Where people live
Urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023).
Largest cities
Frequently asked questions about the population of Sri Lanka
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Population and demographics: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). Cities, ethnic groups, languages and religions: CIA World Factbook (public domain).