Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, lies in the Indian Ocean, separated from the Indian subcontinent, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea, shares a maritime border with India. Sri Lanka population in 2024 is estimated to be 22.47 million, covers country area of 65,610 sq km (25,330 sq mi), ranks one-hundred-twentieth country by area and the fifty-seventh most populous country in the world. Sri Lanka capital city is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and its legislative capital, and Colombo is its largest city and other popular cities are Kaduwela, Maharagama, Kesbewa, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Moratuwa, Negombo, Kalmunai and Kandy. Formerly known as Ceylon, Country code is LKA, Life expectancy of Sri Lanka is 73.80 years for male and 79.81 years for female.
Below table is the population of Sri Lanka from 1960 to 2020:| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 9,874,476 |
| 1965 | 11,110,825 |
| 1970 | 12,485,736 |
| 1975 | 13,755,141 |
| 1980 | 15,035,840 |
| 1985 | 16,176,282 |
| 1990 | 17,325,769 |
| 1995 | 18,242,917 |
| 2000 | 18,777,606 |
| 2005 | 19,544,988 |
| 2010 | 20,261,738 |
| 2015 | 20,970,000 |
| 2020 | 21,919,000 |
Sri Lanka population in 1960 is 9,874,476, by 1970 the population is increased by 2,611,260 totaling to 12,485,736, by 1980 the population is increased to 15,035,840, and by 1990 the total increase of 17,325,769 in 30 years from 1960 to 1990 resulting to 17,325,769. From 1990 to 2000, population increased to 18,777,606, and from 2000 to 2010 the population of Sri Lanka increase by 1,484,132 with a change of 7.90 percent and increase of population from 2010 to 2020 by 1,657,262 with a change of 8.18 percent and make up to 21,919,000. Sri Lanka population in 2023 is estimated to be 22.31 million, population in 2022 is estimated to be 22.16 million, Population of Sri Lanka in 2021 is estimated as 22.04 million.
Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim are the ethnic groups make up 99 percent of the Sri Lankan population, with the Sinhalese alone accounting for nearly seventy-five percent of the people. The Tamils consists of Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils, Sri Lankan Tamils are long settled descendants from Tamil Nadu state of India whom were migrants brought under British rule, and Indian Tamils are recent immigrants from Tamil Nadu, Tamils account for 13 percent of Sri Lankan population. Sinhalese speak Sinhala and Tamils speak Tamil language. Over 90 percent of the Sinhalese are Buddhists, both Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils are Hindus. Christianity is seven percent, and three percent are muslims.
Sri Lanka has been divided into nine provinces and subdivided into 25 districts.
| Province | Capital | Area | Population (2012) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | Kandy | 5,674 sq km | 2,571,557 |
| Eastern | Trincomalee | 9,996 sq km | 1,555,510 |
| North Central | Anuradhapura | 10,472 sq km | 1,266,663 |
| Northern | Jaffna | 8,884 sq km | 1,061,315 |
| North Western | Kurunegala | 7,888 sq km | 2,380,861 |
| Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | 4,968 sq km | 1,928,655 |
| Southern | Galle | 5,544 sq km | 2,477,285 |
| Uva | Badulla | 8,500 sq km | 1,266,463 |
| Western | Colombo | 3,684 sq km | 5,851,130 |
The history of Sri Lanka dates back to Ravana, was a king of the Island Lanka. Ravana or Ravanasura abducted lord Rama's wife Sita and took her to his kingdom of Lanka where present day Sri Lanka, Ravana held Sita in Ashok Vatika. Sri Rama with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanars, and mighty Hanuman attacked Ravana in Lanka. Sri Ram killed Ravana and rescued his beloved wife Sita.
Spread of Buddhism is mainly done during Ashoka empire at the initiation of her father, Sanghamitra with his brother Mahindra spread the teachings of Buddha during 250 BC to 210 BC, Buddhism that was established not only in Sri Lanka but also in Burma, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Mongolia and Thailand.
© 2019-2024 PopulationU, Research papers on Population dynamics and Social affairs, Contact | Privacy | About | Terms | 