COUNTRY PROFILESri Lanka
Sri Lanka's population is 21,756,000 (2025) — the 62nd-largest in the world and the 23rd-largest in Asia, shrinking by about 160,000 people a year.
21,666,746
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▼ shrinking21,756,000 (World Bank, 2025) + −160,000/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
Sri Lanka Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
21,756,000
World rank
#62
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
351.7 / km²
61,860 km² land area
GDP / capita
$5,002
#71 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 378 people on Earth lives in Sri Lanka
Is Sri Lanka's Population Declining?
Yes. Sri Lanka's population fell by 160,000 people (-0.73%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 1.9 births per woman — below the ~2.1 replacement level. Net migration was negative in the latest year on record.
You, in Sri Lanka
A personal read on the numbers above — nothing is stored, it never leaves your browser.
Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
Sri Lanka Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
351.7 people / km²
61,860 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
34.4 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
77.7 years
M 74.4 · F 80.7
Average height2019
168.1 cm (male)
female 155.9 cm
Homicide rate2019
3.3 per 100,000
#106 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
22.7 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
20.4 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
1.9 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
−30,724 people
negative in latest year
Sri Lanka in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population21,756,000 people
#62 / 217
→
GDP$108.8B
#71 / 186
→
Life expectancy77.7 years
#78 / 217
→
Average height168.1 cm (male)
#168 / 200
→
Cleanest air22.68 µg/m³ PM2.5
#133 / 200
→
Safest countries3.3 homicides / 100k
#106 / 196
→
Most dangerous3.3 homicides / 100k
#90 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 10,524,069Female — 11,231,932
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is Sri Lanka Located?
- Capital
- Colombo
- Currency
- Rupee (LKR)
- Language(s)
- Sinhala, Tamil, English
- Region
- South Asia
- Continent
- 48 countries in Asia →
- Land area
- 61,860 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 65,610 km²
- Borders
- none (island nation)
Shares a border with
No land borders.
Sri LankaVSExplore Sri Lanka in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka's population is 21,756,000 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #62 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in Sri Lanka?
21,756,000 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is Sri Lanka's population density?
351.7 people per km², based on a land area of 61,860 km².
What is Sri Lanka ranked in population worldwide?
#62 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in Sri Lanka?
77.7 years on average (2024) — 74.4 for men, 80.7 for women.
What is Sri Lanka's GDP?
$108.8B, ranking #71 of 186 economies we track — $5,002 per capita.
Is Sri Lanka's population declining?
Yes. Sri Lanka's population has been shrinking, falling by 160,000 people (-0.73%) between 2024 and 2025.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →