Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of children, working-age adults, and older people was 5.14 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share 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
Sri Lanka recorded 5.14 million people for share of children, working-age adults, and older people in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka peaked at 5.51 million people in 1983 and was at its lowest, 3.04 million people, in 1950.
Sri Lanka ranks 71st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.43 million people | 3.04 million people | 3.86 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.38 million people | 3.96 million people | 4.80 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.12 million people | 4.88 million people | 5.35 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.44 million people | 5.36 million people | 5.51 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.20 million people | 5.13 million people | 5.32 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.24 million people | 5.21 million people | 5.29 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.34 million people | 5.30 million people | 5.37 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.20 million people | 5.14 million people | 5.27 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More population data for Sri Lanka
- 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)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.95 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 232 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.95 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.95 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.7% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.97 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka?
- Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sri Lanka was 5.14 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 5.51 million people in 1983.
- What is the lowest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.04 million people in 1950.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Sri Lanka ranks 71st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. 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 Share of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-14.