Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Total population (thousands), per square kilometre was 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
0.3703 thousands per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
31st
of 215 countries
All-time high
0.3703 thousands per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.1938 thousands per square kilometre
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in thousands per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka is 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka peaked at 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.1938 thousands per square kilometre, in 1970.
That places Sri Lanka 31st out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | thousands per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1938 thousands per square kilometre | — |
| 1971 | 0.1981 thousands per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 0.2022 thousands per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 0.2063 thousands per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 0.2103 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 0.2141 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 0.218 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 0.222 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 0.2261 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 0.2303 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 0.2347 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 0.2389 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 0.2427 thousands per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 0.2449 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 0.2459 thousands per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 0.2465 thousands per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 0.2492 thousands per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 0.2525 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 0.2551 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2577 thousands per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 0.2605 thousands per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 0.261 thousands per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 0.2645 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 0.2694 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 0.2736 thousands per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 0.2774 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 0.2828 thousands per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 0.2883 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 0.2937 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 0.2993 thousands per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 0.3049 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 0.3105 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 0.3147 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 0.317 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3193 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 0.3213 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 0.3234 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 0.3257 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.3279 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.33 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 0.3319 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 0.334 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.3361 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.3391 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 0.3421 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 0.3496 thousands per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.3525 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 0.3555 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.3584 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.361 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 0.3635 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 0.3659 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.368 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0914 thousands per square kilometre, 4.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.4259 thousands per square kilometre, 87% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2121 thousands per square kilometre | 0.1938 thousands per square kilometre | 0.2303 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2468 thousands per square kilometre | 0.2347 thousands per square kilometre | 0.2577 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.277 thousands per square kilometre | 0.2605 thousands per square kilometre | 0.2993 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3195 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3049 thousands per square kilometre | 0.33 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.346 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3319 thousands per square kilometre | 0.361 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3669 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3635 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 28 Curacao 0.4176 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 29 Philippines 0.3837 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 30 Belgium 0.3836 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 32 Puerto Rico 0.3653 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 33 Grenada 0.3441 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 34 Japan 0.342 thousands per square kilometre compare
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 total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka?
- Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in Sri Lanka was 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3703 thousands per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1938 thousands per square kilometre in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for total population (thousands), per square kilometre?
- Sri Lanka ranks 31st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total population (thousands), per square kilometre rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Total population (thousands), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Total population (thousands) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Total population (thousands) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Total population UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Total population (thousands) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.