What is the population of Sri Lanka in 2026?
Sri Lanka has a population of 21,756,000 people (2025 estimate), which is 63rd in the world and about 0.26% of the global total.
Country profile · Asia · Rank #63 by population
Sri Lanka
Officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Population 2025
21,756,000
#63
in the world
0.26%
of world population
−0.73%
annual growth
About Sri Lanka
With a population of 21,756,000, Sri Lanka ranks 63rd globally and occupies 61,860 km² in Asia, giving it a population density of 356 people per km². The country is experiencing population decline, with an annual growth rate of -0.7%, while life expectancy stands at 77.7 years and median age is 33.3 years. Urban areas comprise only 20% of the population, reflecting a predominantly rural character.
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, established as an independent nation in 1972, borders India and uses the Sri Lankan rupee as its currency. Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages. Economic output averages $5,002 per capita, while the fertility rate remains at 2 births per woman. Colombo serves as the capital.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Colombo
- Continent
- Asia
- ISO codes
- LK · LKA
- Demonym
- Sri Lankan
- Currency
- Sri Lankan rupee (LKR Rs රු)
- Government
- Republic
- State inception
- 1972
- Time zone
- UTC+05:30
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +94
- Internet TLD
- .lk, .இலங்கை, .ලංකා
- Land neighbours
- 1
Languages
- Sinhala
- Tamil
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 22.0%
- Age 15–64
- 65.9%
- Age 65+
- 12.1%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 137 | 438 |
| 95-99 | 1,922 | 5,042 |
| 90-94 | 12,063 | 28,579 |
| 85-89 | 41,236 | 80,707 |
| 80-84 | 103,156 | 175,981 |
| 75-79 | 215,686 | 327,134 |
| 70-74 | 338,139 | 460,401 |
| 65-69 | 447,134 | 558,688 |
| 60-64 | 536,865 | 632,692 |
| 55-59 | 602,150 | 673,414 |
| 50-54 | 639,578 | 693,923 |
| 45-49 | 728,562 | 781,504 |
| 40-44 | 789,207 | 847,624 |
| 35-39 | 740,616 | 801,712 |
| 30-34 | 783,288 | 812,555 |
| 25-29 | 827,720 | 814,553 |
| 20-24 | 862,230 | 840,472 |
| 15-19 | 914,194 | 894,482 |
| 10-14 | 905,159 | 875,814 |
| 5-9 | 860,893 | 826,429 |
| 0-4 | 827,620 | 793,866 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 7,811,047 |
| 1960 | 9,661,389 |
| 1970 | 12,287,110 |
| 1980 | 14,847,974 |
| 1990 | 16,352,458 |
| 2000 | 19,293,054 |
| 2010 | 20,879,089 |
| 2020 | 22,561,807 |
| 2030 | 23,767,952 |
| 2040 | 24,526,699 |
| 2050 | 24,813,690 |
| 2060 | 24,659,373 |
| 2070 | 24,171,322 |
| 2080 | 23,424,964 |
| 2090 | 22,409,403 |
| 2100 | 21,249,406 |
How Sri Lanka Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Sri Lanka | 21.8M |
Largest Cities in Sri Lanka
All cities →60 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombo | Western Province | 648,034 |
| 2 | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | Western Province | 219,827 |
| 3 | Maharagama | Western Province | 195,355 |
| 4 | Jaffna | Northern Province | 169,102 |
| 5 | Moratuwa | Western Province | 168,280 |
| 6 | Negombo | Western Province | 137,223 |
| 7 | Pita Kotte | Western Province | 118,179 |
| 8 | Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte | Western Province | 115,826 |
Highest Peaks in Sri Lanka
All peaks →26 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.
| # | Peak | Range | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pidurutalagala | — | 2,524 m |
| 2 | Kirigalpota | — | 2,388 m |
| 3 | Adam’s Peak | — | 2,243 m |
| 4 | Kikilimana | — | 2,240 m |
| 5 | Mahakudagala | — | 2,100 m |
| 6 | Single Tree Hill | — | 2,100 m |
| 7 | Water Fall P. T. New | — | 2,076 m |
| 8 | Uda Radella | — | 2,039 m |
Countries Bordering Sri Lanka
1 land border.
- India1.46B · +0.89%
Sri Lanka Population FAQ
Is the population of Sri Lanka growing or shrinking?
Sri Lanka's population is shrinking at −0.73% per year, a change of roughly 159,471 people annually.
What is the capital of Sri Lanka?
The capital of Sri Lanka is Colombo.
How densely populated is Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has 356/km² across 61,860 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Sri Lanka?
Life expectancy at birth in Sri Lanka is 77.7 years (2024).
What is the median age in Sri Lanka?
The median age in Sri Lanka is 33.3 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Sri Lanka in?
Sri Lanka is in Asia.