Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 2.70 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.70 million people
Change on year
up 3.7%
World rank
41st
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.70 million people
in 2023
All-time low
405,818 people
in 1962
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka stood at 2.70 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 52.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.70 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 405,818 people, in 1962.
Sri Lanka ranks 41st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 590,487 people | — |
| 1951 | 553,889 people | -6.2% |
| 1952 | 521,261 people | -5.9% |
| 1953 | 492,614 people | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 467,827 people | -5.0% |
| 1955 | 448,888 people | -4.0% |
| 1956 | 435,503 people | -3.0% |
| 1957 | 425,069 people | -2.4% |
| 1958 | 417,257 people | -1.8% |
| 1959 | 411,646 people | -1.3% |
| 1960 | 407,980 people | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 406,128 people | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 405,818 people | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 407,106 people | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 410,376 people | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 415,737 people | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 423,131 people | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 432,625 people | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 443,907 people | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 456,399 people | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 469,779 people | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 483,844 people | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 498,493 people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 513,871 people | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 530,246 people | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 547,808 people | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 566,799 people | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 587,452 people | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 609,686 people | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 633,205 people | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 657,836 people | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 683,150 people | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 708,230 people | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 732,727 people | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 757,160 people | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 782,803 people | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 810,005 people | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 837,681 people | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 865,509 people | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 892,922 people | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 919,749 people | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 948,129 people | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 978,921 people | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 1.01 million people | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.04 million people | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 1.07 million people | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 1.09 million people | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 1.12 million people | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 1.14 million people | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 1.17 million people | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 1.20 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 1.23 million people | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 1.26 million people | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 1.28 million people | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 1.31 million people | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 1.34 million people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 1.37 million people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 1.41 million people | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 1.45 million people | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 1.50 million people | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 1.55 million people | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 1.61 million people | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 1.69 million people | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 1.77 million people | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 1.86 million people | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 1.95 million people | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 2.05 million people | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 2.14 million people | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 2.23 million people | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 2.32 million people | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 2.42 million people | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 2.51 million people | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 2.60 million people | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 2.70 million people | +3.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 2.70 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 499,572 people, 5.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 2.70 million people is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.29 million people, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 476,444 people | 411,646 people | 590,487 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 420,921 people | 405,818 people | 456,399 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 544,118 people | 469,779 people | 633,205 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 772,802 people | 657,836 people | 892,922 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.05 million people | 919,749 people | 1.17 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.33 million people | 1.20 million people | 1.50 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.92 million people | 1.55 million people | 2.32 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.55 million people | 2.42 million people | 2.70 million people | 4 |
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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka was 2.70 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.70 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 405,818 people in 1962.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Sri Lanka ranks 41st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.