Population in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Population was 22.97 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
22.97 million people
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
61st
of 236 countries
All-time high
22.97 million people
in 2023
All-time low
7.81 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, population in Sri Lanka stood at 22.97 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Sri Lanka peaked at 22.97 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7.81 million people, in 1950.
That places Sri Lanka 61st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.81 million people | — |
| 1951 | 7.96 million people | +1.9% |
| 1952 | 8.11 million people | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 8.28 million people | +2.0% |
| 1954 | 8.45 million people | +2.1% |
| 1955 | 8.62 million people | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 8.81 million people | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 9.00 million people | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 9.21 million people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 9.43 million people | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 9.66 million people | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 9.90 million people | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 10.14 million people | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 10.39 million people | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 10.65 million people | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 10.92 million people | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 11.18 million people | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 11.46 million people | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 11.74 million people | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 12.01 million people | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 12.29 million people | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 12.55 million people | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 12.81 million people | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 13.06 million people | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 13.31 million people | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 13.55 million people | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 13.80 million people | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 14.05 million people | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 14.31 million people | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 14.58 million people | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 14.85 million people | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 15.10 million people | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 15.29 million people | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 15.39 million people | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 15.44 million people | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 15.54 million people | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 15.73 million people | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 15.92 million people | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 16.08 million people | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 16.25 million people | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 16.35 million people | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 16.48 million people | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 16.74 million people | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 17.03 million people | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 17.28 million people | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 17.56 million people | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 17.91 million people | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 18.25 million people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 18.60 million people | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 18.94 million people | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 19.29 million people | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 19.60 million people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 19.81 million people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 19.95 million people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 20.09 million people | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 20.22 million people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 20.35 million people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 20.49 million people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 20.63 million people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 20.76 million people | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 20.88 million people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 21.01 million people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 21.17 million people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 21.36 million people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 21.55 million people | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 21.73 million people | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 21.91 million people | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 22.09 million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 22.25 million people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 22.41 million people | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 22.56 million people | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 22.70 million people | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 22.84 million people | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 22.97 million people | +0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 22.97 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.81 million people, 3.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 22.97 million people is below the median for South Asia, which is 26.33 million people, 87% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.57 million people | 7.81 million people | 9.43 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.81 million people | 9.66 million people | 12.01 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.43 million people | 12.29 million people | 14.58 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.56 million people | 14.85 million people | 16.25 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.51 million people | 16.35 million people | 18.94 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.12 million people | 19.29 million people | 20.76 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.64 million people | 20.88 million people | 22.41 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.77 million people | 22.56 million people | 22.97 million people | 4 |
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 population in Sri Lanka?
- Population in Sri Lanka was 22.97 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 22.97 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.81 million people in 1950.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for population?
- Sri Lanka ranks 61st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.