Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 20.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
20.5%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
228th
of 236 countries
All-time high
22.4%
in 1972
All-time low
14.6%
in 2001
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka is 20.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka peaked at 22.4% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 14.6%, in 2001.
That places Sri Lanka 228th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.3% | — |
| 1951 | 15.3% | -0.1% |
| 1952 | 15.3% | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 15.3% | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 15.4% | +0.6% |
| 1955 | 15.6% | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 15.9% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 16.2% | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 16.6% | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 17.1% | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 17.6% | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 18.0% | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 18.9% | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 19.3% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 19.8% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 20.4% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 21.0% | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 21.5% | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 22.0% | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 22.3% | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 22.4% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 22.4% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 22.4% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 22.3% | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 22.2% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 22.1% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 22.0% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 21.9% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 21.8% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 21.6% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 21.5% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 21.3% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 21.0% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 20.7% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 20.3% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 19.9% | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 19.5% | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 19.0% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 18.1% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 17.6% | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 17.1% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 16.7% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 15.5% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 14.9% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 14.7% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 14.9% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 15.2% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 16.3% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 16.7% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 17.2% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 19.0% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 19.3% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 19.5% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 19.7% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 20.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 20.1% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 20.3% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 20.5% | +0.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 20.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 31% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 20.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 39.1%, 52% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.8% | 15.3% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.7% | 17.6% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 22.2% | 21.8% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.3% | 18.6% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.2% | 14.7% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.3% | 14.6% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.6% | 17.2% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.1% | 19.7% | 20.5% | 6 |
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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sri Lanka was 20.5% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 22.4% in 1972.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.6% in 2001.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Sri Lanka ranks 228th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.