Annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.7%
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
61st
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.3%
in 2011
All-time low
-2.7%
in 1992
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 0.7% for annual growth rate of urban population share in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.2% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.3% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -2.7%, in 1992.
Sri Lanka ranks 61st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -0.1% | — |
| 1951 | -0.1% | -22.2% |
| 1952 | -0.0% | -51.8% |
| 1953 | 0.3% | -941.4% |
| 1954 | 0.9% | +214.6% |
| 1955 | 1.6% | +76.6% |
| 1956 | 2.0% | +28.7% |
| 1957 | 2.4% | +16.4% |
| 1958 | 2.6% | +8.7% |
| 1959 | 2.7% | +3.5% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 2.5% | -4.3% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | -9.1% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +12.5% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +11.7% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | -6.0% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | -13.2% |
| 1969 | 1.8% | -21.8% |
| 1970 | 1.0% | -42.9% |
| 1971 | 0.3% | -68.4% |
| 1972 | -0.1% | -130.3% |
| 1973 | -0.2% | +130.0% |
| 1974 | -0.3% | +49.0% |
| 1975 | -0.4% | +28.0% |
| 1976 | -0.5% | +18.4% |
| 1977 | -0.6% | +12.5% |
| 1978 | -0.6% | +8.4% |
| 1979 | -0.7% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | -0.7% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | -0.8% | +21.1% |
| 1982 | -1.1% | +32.3% |
| 1983 | -1.4% | +29.8% |
| 1984 | -1.6% | +19.0% |
| 1985 | -1.9% | +14.6% |
| 1986 | -2.1% | +11.3% |
| 1987 | -2.3% | +8.8% |
| 1988 | -2.4% | +6.8% |
| 1989 | -2.6% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | -2.6% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | -2.7% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | -2.7% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | -2.6% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | -2.5% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | -2.4% | -6.2% |
| 1996 | -2.2% | -9.3% |
| 1997 | -1.9% | -13.4% |
| 1998 | -1.5% | -19.2% |
| 1999 | -1.1% | -28.0% |
| 2000 | -0.6% | -49.1% |
| 2001 | -0.0% | -93.8% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -1548.0% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +106.6% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | +43.5% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | +26.7% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +18.0% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +12.7% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -59.1% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -27.2% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | -3.1% |
| 2025 | 0.7% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.2% | -0.1% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.5% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.2% | -0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.7% | -2.6% | -0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.2% | -2.7% | -1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | -0.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More population data for Sri Lanka
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0083 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 21,815 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1332 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6507 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Population density 343.51 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 901,396 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Sri Lanka was 0.7% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2011.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.7% in 1992.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Sri Lanka ranks 61st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.