Military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Military personnel as a share of total population was 1.1% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
1.1%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
8th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.1%
in 2019
All-time low
0.0%
in 1948
Years of data
75
1948–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka, 1948–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka stood at 1.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 46.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1948.
Sri Lanka ranks 8th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 0.0% | — |
| 1949 | 0.0% | — |
| 1950 | 0.0% | +94.2% |
| 1951 | 0.0% | -2.5% |
| 1952 | 0.0% | -2.5% |
| 1953 | 0.0% | -2.6% |
| 1954 | 0.0% | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 0.0% | -51.2% |
| 1956 | 0.0% | -2.3% |
| 1957 | 0.0% | +94.8% |
| 1958 | 0.0% | +46.4% |
| 1959 | 0.0% | +29.8% |
| 1960 | 0.1% | +46.3% |
| 1961 | 0.1% | +62.6% |
| 1962 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 0.1% | +7.3% |
| 1964 | 0.1% | -20.6% |
| 1965 | 0.1% | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 0.1% | +8.4% |
| 1967 | 0.1% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 0.1% | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 0.1% | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 0.1% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | +56.9% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | +10.5% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -29.0% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | +35.8% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -12.4% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | +27.5% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +392.6% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -10.0% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +13.9% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | +27.0% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -16.8% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | +34.9% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | +18.7% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | +18.8% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.1% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More population data for Sri Lanka
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 901,396 people (2100)
- Population density 343.51 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1332 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Sri Lanka was 1.1% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 2019.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1948.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Sri Lanka ranks 8th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.