Sri Lanka Population

The tropical island of Sri Lanka was ravaged by civil war for over 25 years. Since the peace in 2009, conditions have improved and the economy has grown, but the minority group of Tamils ​​is still experiencing discrimination.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Colombo
• Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamils ​​11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamils ​​4.2%, other 0.5% (2012)
• Language: Sinhalese (official and national language) 87%, Tamil (national language) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012)
• Religion: Buddhists (official religion) 70.2%, Hindus 12.6%, Muslims 9.7%, Catholics 6.1%, other Christians 1.3% (2012)
• Population: 20 950 041 (2018)
• Control Form: Semi-presidential republic
• Area: 65 610 km2
• Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee
• GNP per capita: 12 313 PPP $
• National Day: February 4th

Population of Sri Lanka

The population of Sri Lanka in 2017 was estimated at 22.4 million. The country has seen a declining population growth in recent years. Population growth was 0.76 percent in 2017. However, the birth rate has been declining, and has contributed to a lower population growth. Life expectancy (in 2017) is 80.6 years for women and 73.5 years for men.

Population of Sri Lanka by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	21,413,138	0.420%	341.4647	58
2019	21,323,622	0.450%	340.0372	58
2018	21,228,652	0.480%	338.5228	58
2017	21,127,921	0.510%	336.9165	58
2016	21,021,060	0.540%	335.2124	57
2015	20,907,916	0.630%	333.4082	57
2010	20,261,626	0.720%	323.1022	59
2005	19,544,877	0.800%	311.6726	54
2000	18,777,490	0.580%	299.4355	52
1995	18,242,801	1.040%	290.9091	49
1990	17,325,662	1.380%	276.2840	48
1985	16,176,169	1.470%	257.9538	45
1980	15,035,723	1.800%	239.7677	43
1975	13,755,035	1.960%	219.3453	43
1970	12,485,629	2.360%	199.1028	43
1965	11,110,709	2.390%	177.1778	43
1960	9,874,365	2.380%	157.4625	45
1955	8,778,327	1.950%	139.9847	45
1950	7,970,987	0.000%	127.1105	44

Major Cities in Sri Lanka by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Colombo	647,923
2	Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia	219,716
3	Moratuwa	184,920
4	Jaffna	168,991
5	Negombo	137,112
6	Pita Kotte	118,068
7	Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte	115,715
8	Kandy	111,590
9	Trincomalee	108,309
10	Kalmunai	100,060
11	Galle	93,007
12	Point Pedro	89,699
13	Batticaloa	86,631
14	Katunayaka	84,532
15	Valvedditturai	78,094
16	Matara	76,143
17	Battaramulla South	75,522
18	Dambulla	66,605
19	Maharagama	66,465
20	Kotikawatta	64,454
21	Anuradhapura	60,832
22	Vavuniya	60,065
23	Kolonnawa	57,965
24	Hendala	56,867
25	Ratnapura	47,721
26	Badulla	47,476
27	Puttalam	45,550
28	Devinuwara	44,889
29	Welisara	41,195
30	Kalutara	37,889
31	Bentota	36,889
32	Matale	36,351
33	Homagama	34,553
34	Beruwala	34,139
35	Panadura	33,624
36	Mulleriyawa	33,429
37	Kandana	33,313
38	Ja Ela	32,064
39	Wattala	30,614
40	Peliyagoda	30,606
41	Kelaniya	28,735
42	Kurunegala	28,460
43	Nuwara Eliya	25,664
44	Gampola	24,619
45	Chilaw	24,601
46	Eravur Town	22,871
47	Hanwella Ihala	22,807
48	Weligama	22,068
49	Vakarai	20,889
50	Kataragama	20,824
51	Ambalangoda	20,022
52	Ampara	18,237
53	Kegalle	17,851
54	Hatton	14,962
55	Polonnaruwa	13,789
56	Kilinochchi	12,895
57	Tangalle	10,386
58	Monaragala	10,125
59	Wellawaya	9,889
60	Gampaha	9,239
61	Horana South	8,871
62	Wattegama	7,889
63	Minuwangoda	7,661
64	Horawala Junction	7,389
65	Kuliyapitiya	6,766

Population Composition

Nearly 75 percent of the population is Sinhalese and about 18 percent are Tamils. In addition, there are about 7 percent Moors (a Muslim people group with Arab roots). Of the indigenous peoples, the Witnesses, there is only a very small number left.

Sri Lanka’s ethnic relations have been conflicting for some time. After independence, the contradictions between Sinhalese and Tamils ​​increased, partly because the Sinhalese gained some advantages. The official language became Sinhalese, and Buddhism was adopted as the official state religion. This situation led to increased dissatisfaction among the Tamil minority and a Tamil radical movement called the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) grew and demanded an independent Tamil state. The conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils ​​led to civil war in the period 1983-2009. In 2009, the government declared it had defeated LTTE.

Population Patterns

The country’s average population density is high, averaging 308.2 residents per km², but it varies from over 500 residents per km² in the humid southwest of the island to below 60 in some districts in the east. Around 30 percent of the population lives in cities, after a continuous relocation from rural to urban, especially to the capital. The largest cities are Colombo, Gampaha, Kandy and Galle.

Language

Official languages ​​are Sinhalese and Tamil. Also, the indigenous people, the Vedas, speak a dialect of Sinhalese, but some words of unknown origin point to a lost language. About 74 percent of the population speak Sinhalese, well over 18 percent Tamil (in the north and east). The Tamil dialects in Sri Lanka are archaic and the writing language is closer than the dialects in Tamil Nadu in India. English is used in administration. It is estimated that ten percent of the population is fluent in English.

Religion

About 70 percent of Sri Lankan people (mainly Sinhalese) are Buddhists and belong to the theravada school, about 16 percent (substantially Tamils) are Hindus, about 7.5 percent are Christians (about three-quarters Catholic) and about 8 percent are Muslims.

Buddhism is perceived as a fundamental part of national Sinhalese culture. There are around 6,000 monasteries and 30,000 monks and novices. Some religious centers gather believers from all the island’s religions, for example, the pilgrimage to Mount Adam’s Peak where Buddha (or Adam, or Shiva) should have left his footprint in stone, and to the center of the ecstatic cult of the god Kataragama on the southeast coast.