View source for Demographics of Sri Lanka

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox place demographics
| place              = Sri Lanka
| image              = Sri Lanka single age population pyramid 2020.png
| image_size           = 350
| caption            = Sri Lanka [[population pyramid]] in 2020

<!-- main demographics -->
| size_of_population = 21,763,170 (2024 Census)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statistics.gov.lk/Population/StaticalInformation/CPH2024/CPH2024_Preliminary_Report/|title = Census of Population and Housing 2024 Enumeration Stage}}</ref>
| density            = 332/km<sup>2</sup> <small>(2018)</small>
| growth             = 0.61% (2022)
| birth              = 11.2 births/1,000 population <small>(2023 est.)</small>
| death              = 8.2 deaths/1,000 population <small>(2023 est.)</small>
| life               = 75.94 years <small>(2012 est.)</small>
| life_male          = 72.43 years <small>(2012 est.)</small>
| life_female        = 79.59 years <small>(2012 est.)</small>
| infant_mortality   = 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births <small>(2012 est.)</small>
| fertility          = 1.97 children born/woman <small>(2023 est.)</small><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/20/sri-lankas-total-fertility-rate-drops-to-just-1-97-in-2023-experts/|title = Sri Lanka's total fertility rate drops to just 1.97 in 2023 – Experts| date=20 August 2024 }}</ref>

<!-- age structure -->
| age_0-14_years     = 20.7% <small>(2024)</small><ref name="Popu">{{Cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/VitalStatistics/MidYearPopulation/Mid-year%20population%20by%20age%20group.pdf|title=Mid-year Population Estimates by Age Group and Sex, 2014 - 2019|author=Registrar General's Department|access-date=21 October 2020|archive-date=17 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117022357/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/VitalStatistics/MidYearPopulation/Mid-year%20population%20by%20age%20group.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| age_15-64_years    = 66.7% <small>(2024)</small><ref name="Popu" />
| age_65_years       = 12.6% <small>(2024)</small><ref name="Popu" />

<!-- sex ratio -->
| total_mf_ratio     = 0.93 male(s)/female <small>(2018)</small><ref name="Popu" />
| sr_at_birth        = 1.02 male(s)/female <small>(2018)</small><ref name="Popu" />
| sr_under_15        = 1.02 male(s)/female <small>(2018)</small><ref name="Popu" />
| sr_15-64_years     = 0.93 male(s)/female <small>(2018)</small><ref name="Popu" />
| sr_65_years_over   = 0.76 male(s)/female <small>(2018)</small><ref name="Popu" />

<!-- nationality -->
| nation             = ''noun'': Sri Lankan(s)<br />''adjective'': Sri Lankan
| major_ethnic       = [[Sinhalese people|Sinhala]] (74.1%) <small>(2024 census)</small>
| minor_ethnic       = {{Unbulleted list|[[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lanka Tamil]] (12.3%) <small>(2024 census)</small>|[[Sri Lankan Moors|Moor]] (10.5%) <small>(2024 census)</small>|[[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamil]] (2.8%) <small>(2024 census)</small>}}

<!-- language -->
| official           = [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| spoken             = [[English language|English]]
}}
[[File:Historical population of Sri Lanka.svg|thumb|Historical population of Sri Lanka]]

This is a [[demographic|demography]] of the population of [[Sri Lanka]] including [[population density]], [[Ethnic group|ethnicity]], education level, health of the population, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Sri Lanka is an island in the [[Indian Ocean]], also called Ceylon and many other names. It is about the size of Ireland. It is about 28 kilometres (18&nbsp;mi.) off the south-eastern coast of India with a population of about 22 million. Density is highest in the south west where [[Colombo]], the country's main port and industrial center, is located. The net population growth is about 0.7%. Sri Lanka is ethnically, linguistically, and religiously diverse.

==Overview==
{{Historical populations
|title       = Population of Sri Lanka
|type        = none
|align       = left
|width       = 15em
|state       = none
|shading     = on
|pop_name    =
|percentages = pagr
|footnote    = 
|source      = <ref name=cicred>{{cite book|title=The Population of Sri Lanka|date=1974|publisher=C.I.C.R.E.D. Series|location=Population Growth|pages=3–4|url=http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/pdf/c-c46.pdf|access-date=2 August 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701070027/http://www.cicred.org/Eng/Publications/pdf/c-c46.pdf|archive-date=1 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Census of Population Sri Lanka 1971 - General Report|date=1977|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Lanka|page=18|url=http://nada.statistics.gov.lk/index.php/catalog/1246/download/5841|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224102856/http://nada.statistics.gov.lk/index.php/catalog/1246/download/5841|archive-date=2013-12-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Table 2.1: Population by sex and district, census years |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.1.pdf |work=Statistical Abstract 2013 |publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122634/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.1.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population by age group and sex|url=http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_266&conn_path=I2|work=LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402145703/http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_266&conn_path=I2|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref><ref name=final2012/>
| 1800<ref>{{cite web | title=Population of Sri Lanka 1800-2020 | url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067091/population-sri-lanka-historical/ }}</ref> | 1,200,000
| 1871 | 2,400,380
| 1881 | 2,759,738
| 1891 | 3,007,789
| 1901 | 3,565,954
| 1911 | 4,106,350
| 1921 | 4,498,605
| 1931 | 5,306,871
| 1946 | 6,657,339
| 1953 | 8,097,895
| 1963 | 10,582,064
| 1971 | 12,689,897
| 1981 | 14,846,750
| 1990 | 17,325,773
| 2000 | 18,777,601
| 2012 | 20,359,439
| 2024 | 21,763,170
}}
According to the 2012 census the population of Sri Lanka was 20,359,439, giving a population density of 325/km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=final2012>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/FinalPopulation.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110406/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/FinalPopulation.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref> The population had grown by 5,512,689 (37.1%) since the 1981 census (the last full census), equivalent to an annual growth rate of 1.1%.<ref name=final2012/> 3,704,470 (18.2%) lived in urban sectors - areas governed by municipal and urban councils.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A1: Population by district, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A1.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228235912/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A1.pdf|archive-date=2014-12-28}}</ref>

5,131,666 (25.2%) of the population were aged 14 or under whilst 2,525,573 (12.4%) were aged 60 or over, leaving a working age (15-59) population of 12,702,700.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A2: Population by district, age and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A2.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402145747/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A2.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref> The [[dependency ratio]] was 60.2%.<ref name=final2012/> The [[mean]] age was 32 years and the [[median]] age was 31 years.<ref name=final2012/> The [[human sex ratio|sex ratio]] was 94 males per 100 females.<ref name=final2012/> The [[fertility rate]] for married females aged 15 or over was 2.65 live births.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A44: Ever married female population aged 15 years and over by number of children born alive, average children per woman, age and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A44.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110505/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A44.pdf|archive-date=2015-09-24}}</ref> There were 5,264,282 households, of which 3,986,236 (75.7%) were headed by males and 1,278,046 (24.3%) were headed by females.<ref name=final2012/>

Of the 15,227,773 aged 15 or over, 10,322,105 (67.8%) were married, 3,927,602 (25.8%) were never married, 792,947 (5.2%) were widowed and 185,119 (1.2%) were divorced or separated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A10: Population by marital status, age, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A10.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402105322/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A10.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>

Of those aged 15 or over, 7,857,370 (51.6%) were economically active, 4,199,558 (27.6%) did [[Homemaking|housework]], 1,431,105 (9.4%) were students, 914,934 (6.0%) were unable to work and 346,084 (2.3%) were pensioners.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A37 Population aged 15 years and over by economic activity status, age, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A37.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110458/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A37.pdf|archive-date=2015-09-24}}</ref> 521,938 (6.6%) of the economically active were [[unemployed]].<ref name=final2012/> 604,540 Sri Lankans were living aboard for more than six months but were intending to return to Sri Lanka, mostly in the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf states]] (373,050 61.7%).<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A47: Population living abroad temporary by country of usual residence, age and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A47.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114108/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A47.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>

The overall [[literacy]] rate for those aged 10 and over was 95.7% but amongst those living in the estate sector it was only 86.1%.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A31: Population aged 10 years and over by literacy rate, age, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A31.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124349/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A31.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref> Of the 18,615,577 aged 5 or over, 499,563 (2.7%) had received a higher education qualification, 2,293,841 (12.3%) had passed [[GCE Advanced Level in Sri Lanka|G.C.E. A/L]], 3,159,402 (17.0%) had passed [[GCE Ordinary Level in Sri Lanka|G.C.E. O/L]] and 700,419 (3.8%) had no formal schooling.<ref name=tableA30>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A30: Population aged 5 years and over, by educational attainment, age, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A30.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402134744/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A30.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref> The remaining 11,962,352 (64.3%) had left school with no qualifications or were currently at school.<ref name=tableA30/>
{{clear|left}}

Sri Lanka's population is [[Ageing population|aging]] faster than any other nation in [[South Asia]] and has the fifth highest rapidly growing population of older people in Asia after China, Thailand, South Korea and Japan.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Future of Population in Asia: Asia's Aging Population|url=http://sites.asiasociety.org/asia21summit/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Asias-Aging-Population-East-West-Center1.pdf|access-date=7 April 2018|work=[[Asia Society]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308210342/http://sites.asiasociety.org/asia21summit/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Asias-Aging-Population-East-West-Center1.pdf|archive-date=8 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="ANU">{{cite news|title=Ageing population and elderly care in Sri Lanka|url=http://demography.cass.anu.edu.au/events/ageing-population-and-elderly-care-sri-lanka|access-date=7 April 2018|work=[[Australian National University]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407183738/http://demography.cass.anu.edu.au/events/ageing-population-and-elderly-care-sri-lanka|archive-date=7 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="Asiaagingpopulation">{{cite news|title=How Asia's population is aging, 2015-2030 scenario|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/02/14/how-asias-population-is-aging-2015-2030-scenario.html|access-date=7 April 2018|work=[[The Jakarta Post]]|date=14 February 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407184005/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/02/14/how-asias-population-is-aging-2015-2030-scenario.html|archive-date=7 April 2018}}</ref> In 2015, Sri Lanka's population aged over 60 was 13.9%, by 2030 this will increase to 21% and by 2050 this number will reach 27.4%.<ref name="ANU"/><ref name="Asiaagingpopulation"/> Sri Lanka's rapidly growing older population has ignited concerns of the socio-economic challenges that the country will face because of this.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka's ageing population poses socio-economic challenges|url=http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lankas-ageing-population-poses-socio-economic-challenges/|access-date=7 April 2018|work=Lanka Business Online|date=20 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407183458/http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lankas-ageing-population-poses-socio-economic-challenges/|archive-date=7 April 2018}}</ref>

===Age groups===
{{Hidden begin 
|title= Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 20.III.2012): <ref>{{cite web | url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/dyb_2020/ | title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics }}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 9 856 634
| align="right" | 10 502 805 
| align="right" | 20 359 439
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 879 223
| align="right" | 864 639
| align="right" | 1 743 862
| align="right" | 8.57
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 882 108 
| align="right" | 865 644
| align="right" | 1 747 752
| align="right" | 8.58
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 829 069
| align="right" | 810 983
| align="right" | 1 640 052
| align="right" | 8.06
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 819 927
| align="right" | 824 322 
| align="right" | 1 644 249
| align="right" | 8.08
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 742 316
| align="right" | 790 567
| align="right" | 1 532 883
| align="right" | 7.53
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 743 510
| align="right" | 809 338
| align="right" | 1 552 848
| align="right" | 7.63
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 796 866
| align="right" | 842 549
| align="right" | 1 639 415
| align="right" | 8.05
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 686 037
| align="right" | 723 040
| align="right" | 1 409 077
| align="right" | 6.92
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 661 623
| align="right" | 697 586
| align="right" | 1 359 209
| align="right" | 6.68
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 618 140
| align="right" | 667 690
| align="right" | 1 285 830
| align="right" | 6.32
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 581 293
| align="right" | 638 167
| align="right" | 1 219 460 
| align="right" | 5.99
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 500 871
| align="right" | 563 358
| align="right" | 1 064 229
| align="right" | 5.23
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 425 428
| align="right" | 492 482
| align="right" | 917 910
| align="right" | 4.51
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 283 764
| align="right" | 349 525
| align="right" | 633 289
| align="right" | 3.11
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 181 846
| align="right" | 230 568
| align="right" | 412 414
| align="right" | 2.03
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 116 389
| align="right" | 166 797
| align="right" | 283 186
| align="right" | 1.39
|-
| align="right" | 80-84
| align="right" | 64 250
| align="right" | 95 129
| align="right" | 159 379
| align="right" | 0.78
|-
| align="right" | 85-89
| align="right" | 28 293
| align="right" | 45 148
| align="right" | 73 441
| align="right" | 0.36
|-
| align="right" | 90-94
| align="right" | 9 293 
| align="right" | 14 965
| align="right" | 24 258
| align="right" | 0.12
|-
| align="right" | 95+
| align="right" | 6 388 
| align="right" | 10 308
| align="right" | 16 696
| align="right" | 0.08
|-
! width="50"|Age group 
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 2 590 400
| align="right" | 2 541 266
| align="right" | 5 131 666
| align="right" | 25.21
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 6 576 011
| align="right" | 7 049 099
| align="right" | 13 625 110
| align="right" | 66.92
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 690 223
| align="right" | 912 440
| align="right" | 1 602 663
| align="right" | 7.87
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

==Vital statistics==
===UN estimates===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Period<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations |url=http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506065230/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm |archivedate=6 May 2011 |website=esa.un.org}}</ref>
! width="80pt"|Live births per year
! width="80pt"|Deaths per year
! width="80pt"|Natural change per year
! width="80pt"|CBR<sup>1</sup>
! width="80pt"|CDR<sup>1</sup>
! width="80pt"|NC<sup>1</sup>
! width="80pt"|TFR<sup>1</sup>
! width="80pt"|IMR<sup>1</sup>
|-
| 1950–1955
| align="right" | 322,000
| align="right" | 171,000
| align="right" | 151,000
| align="right" | 37.4
| align="right" | 19.8
| align="right" | 17.5
| align="right" | 5.80
| align="right" | 103.9
|-
| 1955–1960
| align="right" | 367,000
| align="right" | 143,000
| align="right" | 223,000
| align="right" | 38.6
| align="right" | 15.1
| align="right" | 23.5
| align="right" | 5.80
| align="right" | 86.7
|-
| 1960–1965
| align="right" | 377,000
| align="right" | 128,000
| align="right" | 248,000
| align="right" | 35.5
| align="right" | 12.1
| align="right" | 23.4
| align="right" | 5.20
| align="right" | 77.5
|-
| 1965–1970
| align="right" | 391,000
| align="right" | 116,000
| align="right" | 276,000
| align="right" | 32.9
| align="right" | 9.7
| align="right" | 23.2
| align="right" | 4.70
| align="right" | 69.3
|-
| 1970–1975
| align="right" | 383,000
| align="right" | 103,000
| align="right" | 280,000
| align="right" | 29.1
| align="right" | 7.8
| align="right" | 21.3
| align="right" | 4.00
| align="right" | 55.4
|-
| 1975–1980
| align="right" | 401,000
| align="right" | 99,000
| align="right" | 302,000
| align="right" | 27.8
| align="right" | 6.9
| align="right" | 20.9
| align="right" | 3.61
| align="right" | 38.8
|-
| 1980–1985
| align="right" | 401,000
| align="right" | 96,000
| align="right" | 305,000
| align="right" | 25.6
| align="right" | 6.1
| align="right" | 19.5
| align="right" | 3.19
| align="right" | 30.3
|-
| 1985–1990
| align="right" | 362,000
| align="right" | 110,000
| align="right" | 253,000
| align="right" | 21.6
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 15.1
| align="right" | 2.64
| align="right" | 24.1
|-
| 1990–1995
| align="right" | 349,000
| align="right" | 119,000
| align="right" | 230,000
| align="right" | 19.6
| align="right" | 6.7
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 2.39
| align="right" | 22.1
|-
| 1995–2000
| align="right" | 329,000
| align="right" | 146,000
| align="right" | 183,000
| align="right" | 17.8
| align="right" | 7.9
| align="right" | 9.9
| align="right" | 2.16
| align="right" | 18.9
|-
| 2000–2005
| align="right" | 360,000
| align="right" | 121,000
| align="right" | 239,000
| align="right" | 18.7
| align="right" | 6.3
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 2.27
| align="right" | 15.9
|-
| 2005–2010
| align="right" | 386,000
| align="right" | 132,000
| align="right" | 253,000
| align="right" | 19.0
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 2.36
| align="right" | 12.4
|-
| 2010–2015
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 16.4
| align="right" | 6.6
| align="right" | 9.8
| align="right" | 2.11
| align="right" | 
|-
| 2015–2020
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 14.9
| align="right" | 7.1
| align="right" | 7.8
| align="right" | 2.03
| align="right" | 
|-
| colspan="9"| <sup>1</sup> <small>CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births</small>
|}

===Registered births and deaths===

{{sticky-header}}{{sort under}}{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sort-under sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! width="70"|Year<ref>{{cite web |title=Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/crvs/ |website=UN Statistics Division |access-date=29 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Department of Census and Statistics |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Population/StaticalInformation/CPH2011 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=www.statistics.gov.lk}}</ref>
! width="70"|Population
! width="70"|Live births
! width="70"|Deaths
! width="70"|Natural increase
! width="70"|Crude birth rate
! width="70"|Crude death rate
! width="70"|Rate of natural increase
! width="70"|Crude migration rate
! width="70"|TFR
|-
| align="right" | 1948
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 287,695
| align="right" | 93,711
| align="right" | 193,984
| align="right" | 39.7
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 26.7
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1949
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 291,191
| align="right" | 91,889
| align="right" | 199,302
| align="right" | 39.1
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 26.7
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1950
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 304,635
| align="right" | 95,142
| align="right" | 209,493
| align="right" | 39.7
| align="right" | 12.6
| align="right" | 27.1
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1951
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 313,662
| align="right" | 100,072
| align="right" | 213,590
| style="color:blue;"| 39.8
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 26.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1952
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 313,532
| align="right" | 95,298
| align="right" | 218,234
| align="right" | 38.8
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 26.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1953
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 321,217
| align="right" | 89,003
| align="right" | 232,214
| align="right" | 38.7
| align="right" | 10.9
| align="right" | 27.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1954
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 303,894
| align="right" | 86,794
| align="right" | 217,100
| align="right" | 35.7
| align="right" | 10.4
| align="right" | 25.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1955
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 325,538
| align="right" | 94,368
| align="right" | 231,170
| align="right" | 37.3
| align="right" | 11.0
| align="right" | 26.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1956
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 325,067
| align="right" | 87,561
| align="right" | 237,506
| align="right" | 36.4
| align="right" | 9.8
| align="right" | 26.6
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1957
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 334,135
| align="right" | 92,759
| align="right" | 241,376
| align="right" | 36.5
| align="right" | 10.1
| align="right" | 26.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1958
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 335,690
| align="right" | 90,815
| align="right" | 244,875
| align="right" | 35.8
| align="right" | 9.7
| align="right" | 26.1
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1959
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 356,336
| align="right" | 87,971
| align="right" | 268,365
| align="right" | 37.0
| align="right" | 9.1
| align="right" | 27.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1960
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 361,702
| align="right" | 84,918
| align="right" | 276,784
| align="right" | 36.6
| align="right" | 8.6
| style="color:blue;"| 28.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1961
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 363,677
| style="color:blue;"| 81,653
| align="right" | 282,024
| align="right" | 35.8
| align="right" | 8.0
| align="right" | 27.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1962
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 370,762
| align="right" | 88,928
| align="right" | 281,834
| align="right" | 35.5
| align="right" | 8.5
| align="right" | 27.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1963
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 365,842
| align="right" | 91,673
| align="right" | 274,169
| align="right" | 34.1
| align="right" | 8.5
| align="right" | 25.6
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1964
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 361,577
| align="right" | 95,618
| align="right" | 265,959
| align="right" | 33.2
| align="right" | 8.8
| align="right" | 24.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1965
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 369,437
| align="right" | 91,728
| align="right" | 277,709
| align="right" | 33.1
| align="right" | 8.8
| align="right" | 24.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1966
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 369,153
| align="right" | 94,419
| align="right" | 274,734
| align="right" | 32.3
| align="right" | 8.3
| align="right" | 24.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1967
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 369,531
| align="right" | 87,877
| align="right" | 281,654
| align="right" | 31.9
| align="right" | 7.5
| align="right" | 24.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1968
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 384,178
| align="right" | 94,903
| align="right" | 289,275
| align="right" | 32.0
| align="right" | 7.9
| align="right" | 24.1
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1969
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 372,774
| align="right" | 102,356
| align="right" | 270,418
| align="right" | 30.4
| align="right" | 8.1
| align="right" | 22.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1970
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 367,901
| align="right" | 94,129
| align="right" | 273,772
| align="right" | 29.4
| align="right" | 7.5
| align="right" | 21.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1971
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 382,668
| align="right" | 96,328
| align="right" | 286,340
| align="right" | 30.4
| align="right" | 7.7
| align="right" | 22.7
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1972
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 385,462
| align="right" | 100,080
| align="right" | 285,382
| align="right" | 30.0
| align="right" | 8.1
| align="right" | 21.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1973
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 367,158
| align="right" | 100,678
| align="right" | 266,480
| align="right" | 28.0
| align="right" | 7.7
| align="right" | 20.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1974
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 365,902
| align="right" | 119,518
| align="right" | 246,384
| align="right" | 27.5
| align="right" | 9.0
| align="right" | 18.5
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1975
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 374,689
| align="right" | 115,108
| align="right" | 259,581
| align="right" | 27.8
| align="right" | 8.5
| align="right" | 19.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1976
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 380,702
| align="right" | 106,506
| align="right" | 274,196
| align="right" | 27.8
| align="right" | 7.8
| align="right" | 20.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1977
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 389,522
| align="right" | 103,284
| align="right" | 286,238
| align="right" | 27.9
| align="right" | 7.4
| align="right" | 20.5
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1978
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 404,831
| align="right" | 93,971
| align="right" | 310,860
| align="right" | 28.5
| align="right" | 6.6
| align="right" | 21.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1979
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 417,986
| align="right" | 94,244
| align="right" | 323,742
| align="right" | 28.9
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 22.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1980
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 418,373
| align="right" | 91,020
| align="right" | 327,353
| align="right" | 28.4
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 22.2
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1981
| align="right" | 
| style="color:blue;"| 423,973
| align="right" | 88,481
| style="color:blue;"| 335,492
| align="right" | 28.2
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 22.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1982
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 408,895
| align="right" | 92,244
| align="right" | 316,651
| align="right" | 26.9
| align="right" | 6.1
| align="right" | 20.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1983
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 405,122
| align="right" | 95,174
| align="right" | 309,948
| align="right" | 26.3
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 20.1
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1984
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 391,064
| align="right" | 100,725
| align="right" | 290,339
| align="right" | 25.1
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 18.6
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1985
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 389,599
| align="right" | 98,089
| align="right" | 291,510
| align="right" | 24.6
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 18.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1986
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 361,735
| align="right" | 96,145
| align="right" | 265,590
| align="right" | 22.4
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 16.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1987
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 357,723
| align="right" | 97,756
| align="right" | 259,967
| align="right" | 21.8
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 15.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1988
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 344,179
| align="right" | 95,934
| align="right" | 248,245
| align="right" | 20.7
| align="right" | 5.8
| align="right" | 14.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1989
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 363,343
| align="right" | 105,239
| align="right" | 258,104
| align="right" | 21.6
| align="right" | 6.3
| align="right" | 15.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1990
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 341,223
| align="right" | 97,713
| align="right" | 243,510
| align="right" | 20.8
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 14.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1991
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 356,593
| align="right" | 95,574
| align="right" | 261,019
| align="right" | 21.7
| align="right" | 5.8
| align="right" | 15.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1992
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 356,842
| align="right" | 98,380
| align="right" | 258,462
| align="right" | 21.5
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 15.6
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1993
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 350,707
| align="right" | 96,179
| align="right" | 254,528
| align="right" | 20.8
| style="color:blue;"| 5.7
| align="right" | 15.1
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1994
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 356,071
| align="right" | 100,394
| align="right" | 255,677
| align="right" | 20.8
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 14.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1995
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 343,224
| align="right" | 104,707
| align="right" | 238,517
| align="right" | 19.9
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 13.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1996
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 340,649
| align="right" | 122,161
| align="right" | 218,488
| align="right" | 19.5
| align="right" | 7.0
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1997
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 333,219
| align="right" | 114,591
| align="right" | 218,628
| align="right" | 18.8
| align="right" | 6.4
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1998
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 322,672
| align="right" | 112,653
| align="right" | 210,019
| align="right" | 18.2
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 1999
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 328,725
| align="right" | 115,330
| align="right" | 213,395
| align="right" | 18.1
| align="right" | 6.3
| align="right" | 11.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2000
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 347,749
| align="right" | 116,200
| align="right" | 231,549
| align="right" | 18.4
| align="right" | 6.1
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2001
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 358,583
| align="right" | 112,858
| align="right" | 245,725
| align="right" | 18.9
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2002
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 367,709
| align="right" | 111,863
| align="right" | 255,846
| align="right" | 19.1
| align="right" | 5.8
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2003
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 370,643
| align="right" | 115,495
| align="right" | 255,148
| align="right" | 18.9
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2004
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 364,711
| align="right" | 114,915
| align="right" | 249,796
| align="right" | 18.5
| align="right" | 5.8
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2005
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 370,731
| align="right" | 132,097
| align="right" | 238,634
| align="right" | 18.1
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 11.6
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2006
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 373,538
| align="right" | 117,467
| align="right" | 256,071
| align="right" | 18.8
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2007
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 386,573
| align="right" | 118,992
| align="right" | 267,581
| align="right" | 19.2
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2008
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 373,575
| align="right" | 123,814
| align="right" | 249,761
| align="right" | 18.4
| align="right" | 6.1
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2009
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 368,304
| align="right" | 127,776
| align="right" | 240,528
| align="right" | 18.0
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 11.8
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2010
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 364,565
| align="right" | 128,603
| align="right" | 235,962
| align="right" | 17.7
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2011
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 363,415
| align="right" | 123,261
| align="right" | 240,154
| align="right" | 17.4
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2012
| align="right" | 20,425,000
| align="right" | 355,900
| align="right" | 122,063
| align="right" | 233,837
| align="right" | 17.5
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 11.5
|
| align="right" style="color: blue" |2.252
|-
| align="right" | 2013
| align="right" | 20,585,000
| align="right" | 365,792
| align="right" | 127,124
| align="right" | 238,668
| align="right" | 17.9
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 11.7
| -3.9
| align="right" style="color: blue" |2.264
|-
| align="right" | 2014
| align="right" | 20,771,000
| align="right" | 349,715
| align="right" | 127,758
| align="right" | 221,957
| align="right" | 16.8
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 10.6
| -1.6
| align="right" style="color: blue" | 2.148 
|-
| align="right" | 2015
| align="right" | 20,970,000
| align="right" | 334,821
| align="right" | 131,634
| align="right" | 203,187
| align="right" | 16.0
| align="right" | 6.3
| align="right" | 9.7
| -0.1
| align="right" | 2.046
|-
| align="right" | 2016
| align="right" | 21,203,000
| align="right" | 331,073
| align="right" | 130,765
| align="right" | 200,308
| align="right" | 15.6
| align="right" | 6.2
| align="right" | 9.4
| 1.7
| align="right" | 1.985
|-
| align="right" | 2017
| align="right" | 21,444,000
| align="right" | 326,052
| align="right" | 139,822
| align="right" | 186,230
| align="right" | 15.2
| align="right" | 6.5
| align="right" | 8.7
| 2.7
| align="right" | 1.944
|-
| align="right" | 2018
| align="right" | 21,670,000
| align="right" | 328,112
| align="right" | 139,498
| align="right" | 188,614
| align="right" | 15.1
| align="right" | 6.4
| align="right" | 8.7
| 1.8
| align="right" | 1.937
|-
| align="right" | 2019
| align="right" | 21,803,000
| align="right" | 319,010
| align="right" | 146,053
| align="right" | 172,957
| align="right" | 14.6
| align="right" | 6.7
| align="right" | 7.9
| -1.8
| align="right" | 1.871
|-
| align="right" | 2020
| align="right" | 21,919,000
| align="right" | 301,706
| align="right" | 132,431
| align="right" | 169,275
| align="right" | 13.8
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" | 7.8
| -2.5
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2021
| align="right" | 22,156,000
| align="right" | 284,848
| align="right" | 163,936
| align="right" | 120,912
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 7.4
| align="right" | 5.5
| 5.3
| align="right" | 1.7(e)
|-
| align="right" | 2022
| align="right" style="color: blue" | 22,181,000
| align="right" | 275,321
| align="right" | 179,792
| align="right" | 95,529
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 8.1
| align="right" | 4.3
| -3.2
| align="right" | 1.65(e)
|-
| align="right" | 2023
| align="right" | 22,037,000
| align="right" | 247,900
| align="right" style="color: red" | 181,239
| align="right" | 66,661
| align="right" | 11.2
| align="right" | 8.2
| align="right" | 3.0
| -9.5
| align="right" | 1.49(e)
|-
| align="right" | 2024
| align="right" | 21,763,170
| align="right" style="color: red" | 220,761
| align="right" | 171,194
| align="right" style="color: red" | 49,567
| align="right" style="color: red" | 10.1
| align="right" | 7.8
| align="right" style="color: red"| 2.3
| -14.9
| align="right" style="color: red" | 1.37(e)
|-
|}

===Current vital statistics===
{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
| '''January - June 2024'''
| 109,025
| 
| +
|-
| '''January - June 2025'''
| 110,652
| 
| 
|-
| '''Difference'''
| {{increase}} +1,627 (+1.5%)
| {{decreasepositive}} 
| {{decrease}} -
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | '''Source:'''<ref>https://www.statistics.gov.lk/Population/StaticalInformation/VitalStatistics/MidYearPopulation_web_release2025Oct_En {{Bare URL inline|date=October 2025}}</ref>
|}

===Demographic and Health Surveys===
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan=2 style="width:70pt;"| Year<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=14&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk=|title=MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys|website=microdata.worldbank.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904173731/http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=14&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk=|archive-date=2016-09-04}}</ref>
!colspan=2| total
!colspan=2| urban
!colspan=2| rural
!colspan=2| estate
|-
! style="width:50pt;"| CBR
! style="width:50pt;"| TFR
! style="width:50pt;"| CBR
! style="width:50pt;"| TFR
! style="width:50pt;"| CBR
! style="width:50pt;"| TFR
! style="width:50pt;"| CBR
! style="width:50pt;"| TFR
|-
| 1981–1983
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,1
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,4
| style="text-align:right;"|
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,2
| style="text-align:right;"|
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,4
|-
| 1987
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,8 (2,4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,3 (1,9)
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,9 (2,4)
| style="text-align:right;"|
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,4 (3,2)
|-
| 2006–2007
| style="text-align:right;"| 18,7
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,3 (2,1)
| style="text-align:right;"| 18,5
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,2 (2,0)
| style="text-align:right;"| 18,6
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,3 (2,1)
| style="text-align:right;"| 20,0
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,5 (2,1)
|-
|}

===Life expectancy===
[[File:Life expectancy in Sri Lanka.svg|thumb|[[Life expectancy]] in Sri Lanka since 1901]]
[[File:Life expectancy by WBG -Sri Lanka -diff.png|thumb|Life expectancy in Sri Lanka since 1960 by gender]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Period<ref>{{cite web|title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations|url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref>
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
|-
|1950–1955
|54.5
|1985–1990
|68.9
|-
|1955–1960
|58.3
|1990–1995
|70.0
|-
|1960–1965
|60.3
|1995–2000
|69.1
|-
|1965–1970
|62.9
|2000–2005
|73.2
|-
|1970–1975
|65.2
|2005–2010
|74.1
|-
|1975–1980
|67.0
|2010–2015
|74.6
|-
|1980–1985
|69.1
|
|
|}

==Ethnicity==
[[File:Sri Lanka - Ethnicity 2012.png|thumbnail|left|200px|Majority ethnicity by DS Division according to 2012 census]]
The [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] make up 74.9% of the population (according to 2012 census) and are concentrated in the densely populated south-west and central parts of the island.<ref name=eth2012/> 

The [[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lanka Tamils]], who live predominantly in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|north]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|east]] of the island, form the largest minority group at 11.1% (according to the 2012 census) of the population.<ref name=eth2012/>

The [[Sri Lankan Moors|Moors]], descendants of Arab + Indian traders and native Sri Lankan Tamils, form the third largest ethnic group at 9.3% of the population.<ref name=eth2012/> These Tamil-speaking Muslims are mostly concentrated in urban areas in the southern parts of the island with substantial populations in the [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]] provinces. During times of [[Portuguese Ceylon|Portuguese colonization]], Moors were persecuted, and many forced to retreat to the central highlands and the eastern coast.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}}

There are also [[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]] who form a distinct ethnic group comprising 4.1% of the population.<ref name=eth2012/> The British brought them to Sri Lanka in the 19th century as tea and rubber plantation workers, and they remain concentrated in the "tea country" of south-central Sri Lanka. The Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka were considered to be "stateless" as they were denied Ceylonese citizenship and simultaneously stripped of Indian citizenship, with over 300,000 Indian Tamils were deported back to India, due to the [[Sirima-Shastri Pact|agreement between Sri Lanka and India in 1964]].<ref name="Kingsbury">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OhupAgAAQBAJ|title=Sri Lanka and the Responsibility to Protect: Politics, Ethnicity and Genocide|last1=Kingsbury|first1=Damien|last2=Kingsbury|first2=Senior Lecturer in International Development Damien|date=2012-03-12|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136639975|language=en}}</ref> Under the pact, India granted citizenship to the remainder, some 200,000 of whom now live in India. Another 75,000 Indian Tamils, who themselves or whose parents once applied for Indian citizenship, now wish to remain in Sri Lanka. The government has stated these Tamils will not be forced to return to India, although they are not technically citizens of Sri Lanka. By the 1990s most Indian Tamils had received Sri Lankan citizenship, and some even were not granted Sri Lankan citizenship until 2003.<ref name="Kingsbury"/><ref>{{Cite book|title=A History|last=De Silva|first=C.R|pages=262}}</ref>

Smaller minorities include the [[Vedda]]s, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka; [[Sri Lankan Malays|Malays]] who descend from Austronesian settlers; the [[Burgher people|Burghers]], who are descendants of [[European ethnic groups|European]] [[colonist]]s, principally from [[Portugal]], the [[Netherlands]] and, the [[United Kingdom|UK]]; the [[Chinese people in Sri Lanka|ethnic Chinese]] migrants who came to the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; and the [[Sri Lanka Kaffirs|Kaffirs]], a small population who are descended from Africans.
{{clear|left}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; font-size:95%"
|+ Population of Sri Lanka by ethnic group 1881 to 2012<ref name=eth2012>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A3: Population by district, ethnic group and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A3.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202454/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A3.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Table 2.10: Population by ethnic group and census years|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.10.pdf|work=Statistical Abstract 2013|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808035544/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.10.pdf|archive-date=2014-08-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population by ethnic group|url=http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_267&conn_path=I2|work=LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110047/http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_267&conn_path=I2|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>
! rowspan=2|Year
! colspan=2|[[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]]
! colspan=2|[[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lankan Tamils]]{{Efn|name=IT|[[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]] were only classified as a separate ethnic group from 1911 onwards. Prior to this they were included with [[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lankan Tamils]].}}
! colspan=2|[[Sri Lankan Moors]]{{Efn|name=IM|Indian Moors were only classified as a separate ethnic group from 1911 to 1971. Prior to 1911 they were included with [[Sri Lankan Moors]]. After 1971 they were included with Others.}}
! colspan=2|[[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]]{{Efn|name=IT}}
! colspan=2|[[Sri Lankan Malays]]
! colspan=2|[[Burgher people|Burghers]]/<br />Eurasian
! colspan=2|[[Indian Moors]]{{Efn|name=IM}}
! colspan=2|Others
! rowspan=2|Total<br />No.
|-
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
! width="60"|No. || width="40"|%
|-
| align=left|1881 Census
| 1,846,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|66.91}}
| 687,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|24.90}}
| 184,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.69}}
| colspan=2|
| 8,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.32}}
| 17,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.65}}
| colspan=2|
| 14,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.53}}
| '''2,759,700'''
|-
| align=left|1891 Census
| 2,041,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|67.86}}
| 723,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|24.07}}
| 197,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.56}}
| colspan=2|
| 10,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.34}}
| 21,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.70}}
| colspan=2|
| 14,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.47}}
| '''3,007,800'''
|-
| align=left|1901 Census
| 2,330,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|65.36}}
| 951,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|26.69}}
| 228,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.39}}
| colspan=2|
| 11,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.33}}
| 23,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.66}}
| colspan=2|
| 20,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.56}}
| '''3,566,000'''
|-
| align=left|1911 Census
| 2,715,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|66.13}}
| 528,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.86}}
| 233,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.70}}
| 531,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.93}}
| 13,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.32}}
| 26,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.65}}
| 32,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.80}}
| 25,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.62}}
| '''4,106,400'''
|-
| align=left|1921 Census
| 3,016,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|67.05}}
| 517,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.50}}
| 251,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.60}}
| 602,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|13.40}}
| 13,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.30}}
| 29,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.65}}
| 33,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.73}}
| 34,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.77}}
| '''4,498,600'''
|-
| align=left|1931 Estimate
| 3,473,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|65.45}}
| 598,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.29}}
| 289,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.46}}
| 818,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|15.43}}
| 16,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.30}}
| 32,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.61}}
| 36,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.68}}
| 41,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.79}}
| '''5,306,000'''
|-
| align=left|1946 Census{{Efn|The 1941 Census was postponed due to World War II.}}
| 4,620,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|69.41}}
| 733,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.02}}
| 373,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.61}}
| 780,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.73}}
| 22,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.34}}
| 41,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.63}}
| 35,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.53}}
| 48,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.73}}
| '''6,657,300'''
|-
| align=left|1953 Census{{Efn|The 1951 Census was postponed due to a shortage of paper at the time.}}
| 5,616,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|69.36}}
| 884,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|10.93}}
| 464,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.73}}
| 974,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.03}}
| 25,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.31}}
| 46,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.57}}
| 47,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.59}}
| 39,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.49}}
| '''8,097,900'''
|-
| align=left|1963 Census
| 7,512,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|71.00}}
| 1,164,700 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.01}}
| 626,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.92}}
| 1,123,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|10.61}}
| 33,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.32}}
| 45,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.43}}
| 55,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.52}}
| 19,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.19}}
| '''10,582,000'''
|-
| align=left|1971 Census
| 9,131,241 || {{percentage bar|width=50|71.96}}
| 1,423,981 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.22}}
| 855,724 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.74}}
| 1,174,606 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.26}}
| 43,459 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.34}}
| 45,376 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.36}}
| colspan=2|
| 15,510 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.12}}
| '''12,689,897'''
|-
| align=left|1981 Census
| 10,979,561 || {{percentage bar|width=50|73.95}}
| 1,886,872 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.71}}
| 1,046,926 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.05}}
| 818,656 || {{percentage bar|width=50|5.51}}
| 46,963 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.32}}
| 39,374 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.27}}
| colspan=2|
| 28,398 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.19}}
| '''14,846,750'''
|-
| align=left|2001 Census{{Efn|name=census01|2001 Census was only carried out in 18 of the 25 [[Districts of Sri Lanka|districts]]. Inclusion of data would be misleading.}}
| colspan=17|
|-
| align=left|2011 Census{{Efn|name=census12|The official census dates for the 2011 Census was 20 March 2012.}}
| 15,250,081 || {{percentage bar|width=50|74.90}}
| 2,269,266 || {{percentage bar|width=50|11.15}}
| 1,892,638 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.30}}
| 839,504 || {{percentage bar|width=50|4.12}}
| 44,130 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.22}}
| 38,293 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.19}}
|  colspan=2|
| 25,527 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.13}}
| '''20,359,439'''
|-
| align=left|2024 Census<ref>https://www.statistics.gov.lk//Resource/en/Population/CPH_2024/Population_Preliminary_Report.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=December 2025}}</ref>
| 16,144,037 || {{percentage bar|width=50|74.10}}
| 2,681,627 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.30}}
| 2,283,246 || {{percentage bar|width=50|10.50}}
| 600,360 || {{percentage bar|width=50|2.08}}
|  colspan=6|
| 72,530 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.30}}
| '''21,781,800'''
|}

<gallery perrow="4" heights="170" widths="160" caption="Data from the 2011 census">
Singhalesen 2012.svg|Sinhalese
Sri Lanka-Tamilen 2012.svg|Sri Lankan Tamils
Moors 2012.svg|Sri Lankan Moors
Indische Tamilen 2012.svg|Indian/Malayaga Tamils
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Languages==
{{main article|Languages of Sri Lanka}}

[[File:A road sign in Colombo - Katunayake Expressway, Sri Lanka.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|A multi-lingual road sign]]
[[Sinhala language|Sinhala]], an [[Indo-Aryan language]], is the [[first language]] of [[Sinhalese people]]. Unlike [[Tamil language|Tamil]] Sinhala language is not found in India and is unique to Sri Lanka. 

[[Tamil language|Tamil]], a [[Dravidian language]], is the first language of native Sri Lankan Tamils. Tamil is also the first language of the majority of [[Sri Lankan Moors]] and the [[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]]  - according to the 2012 census 98% of Sri Lankan Moors could speak Tamil but only 59% could speak Sinhala.<ref name=lan2012>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A32 :Population aged 10 years and over, by ability to speak, ability to read and write main languages, ethnic group, sex and sector|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A32.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110454/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A32.pdf|archive-date=2015-09-24}}</ref>

[[English language|English]] is fluently spoken by approximately 23.8%<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/ | title=Sri Lanka – language | access-date=20 June 2014}}</ref> of the Sri Lanka's population, and widely used for official and commercial purposes.

Malays speak [[Sri Lanka Malay language|Sri Lanka Malay]], a [[Creole language]] mixing Sinhala, Tamil and [[Malay language|Malay]]. Many of the Burghers speak [[Sri Lanka Indo-Portuguese language|Sri Lankan Indo-Portuguese]] although its use has declined and the majority now speak Sinhala.<ref name=lan2012/> The Veddas speak [[Vedda language|Vedda]], a Creole language closely based on Sinhala. Use of [[English language|English]] has declined since independence, but it continues to be spoken by many in the middle and upper middle classes, particularly in [[Colombo]]. According to the 2012 census 24% of the population could speak English.<ref name=lan2012/> The government is seeking to reverse the decline in the use of English, mainly for economic but also for political reasons. According to the constitution Sinhala and Tamil are [[official language]]s whilst English is the link language.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter IV - Language|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_04_Amd.html|work=[[Constitution of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, [[Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka)|Presidential Secretariat]], Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030203101808/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_04_Amd.html|archive-date=2003-02-03}}</ref>

==Religion==
[[File:Sri Lanka - Religion 2012.png|thumbnail|right|200px|Majority religion by DS Division according to 2012 census]] 
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
|caption = Religion in Sri Lanka (2012)<ref name="CIATONGA">{{cite web|url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/|title= South Asia ::SRI LANKA|date= 24 May 2022|publisher= CIA The World Factbook}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Buddhism]]
|value1 = 70.2
|color1 = yellow
|label2 = [[Hinduism]]
|value2 = 12.6
|color2 = Orange
|label3 = [[Islam]]
|value3 = 9.7
|color3 = Green
|label4 = [[Roman Catholic]]
|value4 = 6.1
|color4 = Blue
|label5 = Other Christian 
|value5 = 1.3
|color5 = pink
|label6 = Other 
|value6 = 0.05
|color6= cyan
}} 
{{main article|Religion in Sri Lanka}}

According to the 2012 census [[Buddhist]]s make up 70.2% of the population, [[Hindu]]s 12.6%, [[Muslim]]s 9.7% and [[Christians]] 7.6%.<ref name=rel2012/>  The Sinhalese are predominantly Buddhist, the majority of Tamils practice Hinduism, and Moors and Malays are mostly Muslim. Sizeable minorities of both Sinhalese and Tamils are Christians, most of whom are [[Roman Catholic]]. The [[Burgher people|Burgher]] population is mostly Roman Catholic or [[Presbyterian]]. The [[Veddas]] have [[Animist]] and Buddhist practices. The [[Constitution of Sri Lanka|1978 constitution]], while assuring [[freedom of religion]], gives "the foremost place" to Buddhism.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter III - Fundamental Rights|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_03_Amd.htm|work=[[Constitution of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, [[Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka)|Presidential Secretariat]], Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113054946/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_03_Amd.htm|archive-date=2015-11-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter II - Buddhism|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html|work=[[Constitution of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, [[Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka)|Presidential Secretariat]], Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221202/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html|archive-date=2016-03-03}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Population of Sri Lanka by religion 1881 to 2012<ref name=rel2012>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229002205/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|archive-date=2014-12-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Table 2.13: Population by religion and census years |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf |work=Statistical Abstract 2013 |publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091504/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion|url=http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&conn_path=I2|work=LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115728/http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&conn_path=I2|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>
! rowspan=2|Year
! colspan=2|[[Buddhism in Sri Lanka|Buddhist]]
! colspan=2|[[Hinduism in Sri Lanka|Hindu]]
! colspan=2|[[Islam in Sri Lanka|Muslim]]
! colspan=2|[[Christianity in Sri Lanka|Christian]]
! colspan=2|Others
! colspan=2|Total
|-
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No.
|-
| align=left|1881 Census
| 1,698,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.53}}
| 593,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.51}}
| 197,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.17}}
| 268,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.71}}
| 2,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.08}}
| '''2,759,800'''
|-
| align=left|1891 Census
| 1,877,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|62.40}}
| 615,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|20.48}}
| 212,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.05}}
| 302,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|10.04}}
| 800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''3,007,800'''
|-
| align=left|1901 Census
| 2,141,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|60.06}}
| 826,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|23.19}}
| 246,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.90}}
| 349,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.79}}
| 2,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.07}}
| '''3,566,000'''
|-
| align=left|1911 Census
| 2,474,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|60.25}}
| 938,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|22.85}}
| 283,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.91}}
| 409,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.96}}
| 1,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''4,106,400'''
|-
| align=left|1921 Census
| 2,769,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.57}}
| 982,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.83}}
| 302,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.72}}
| 443,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.86}}
| 800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.02}}
| '''4,498,600'''
|-
| align=left|1931 Estimate
| 3,266,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.55}}
| 1,166,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.99}}
| 354,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.67}}
| 518,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.76}}
| 1,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.02}}
| '''5,306,900'''
|-
| align=left|1946 Census
| 4,294,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|64.51}}
| 1,320,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|19.83}}
| 436,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.56}}
| 603,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.06}}
| 2,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''6,657,300'''
|-
| align=left|1953 Census
| 5,209,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|64.33}}
| 1,610,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|19.89}}
| 541,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.69}}
| 724,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|8.95}}
| 12,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.15}}
| '''8,097,900'''
|-
| align=left|1963 Census
| 7,003,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|66.18}}
| 1,958,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|18.51}}
| 724,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.84}}
| 884,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|8.36}}
| 11,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.11}}
| '''10,582,000'''
|-
| align=left|1971 Census
| 8,536,868 || {{percentage bar|width=50|67.27}}
| 2,238,666 || {{percentage bar|width=50|17.64}}
| 901,785 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.11}}
| 1,004,326 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.91}}
| 8,252 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.07}}
| '''12,689,897'''
|-
| align=left|1981 Census
| 10,288,325 || {{percentage bar|width=50|69.30}}
| 2,297,806 || {{percentage bar|width=50|15.48}}
| 1,121,717 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.56}}
| 1,130,568 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.61}}
| 8,334 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.06}}
| '''14,846,750'''
|-
| align=left|2001 Census{{Efn|name=census01}}
| colspan=11|
|-
| align=left|2012 Census{{Efn|name=census12}}
| 14,272,056 || {{percentage bar|width=50|70.10}}
| 2,561,299 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.58}}
| 1,967,523 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.66}}
| 1,552,161 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.62}}
| 6,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''20,359,439'''
|}

==Migration==
===Immigration===
As of 2017, 40,018 foreign-born people lived in Sri Lanka per United Nations' population division.<ref name="unpop">{{cite web |author1=United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Population Division |title=Trends in International Migrant Stock: The 2017 revision |url=https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates17.asp |publisher=United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Population Division |access-date=18 September 2020 |format=Exel |date=2017}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Country of birth
! Population (2017)
|- 
|{{Flag|India}}
|10,814
|- 
|{{Flag|Italy}}
|5,107
|- 
|{{Flag|China}}
|2,482
|-
|{{Flag|Kuwait}}
|1,755
|-
|{{Flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|1,689
|-
|{{Flag|Saudi Arabia}}
|1,417
|-
|{{Flag|Maldives}}
|1,409
|-
|{{Flag|United Kingdom}}
|1,193
|-
|{{Flag|Malaysia}}
|925
|-
|{{Flag|Japan}}
|849
|-
|{{Flag|Pakistan}}
|829
|-
|{{Flag|Lebanon}}
|741
|-
|{{Flag|Bangladesh}}
|674
|-
|{{Flag|United States}}
|613
|-
|{{Flag|Singapore}}
|612
|-
|{{Flag|South Korea}}
|611
|-
|{{Flag|Germany}}
|561
|-
|}

===Net Migration===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ '''Sri Lanka – Net Migration and Mid-Year Population (2013–2024)'''
! Time Period !! Year !! Net Migration !! Mid-Year Population (‘000)
|-
| July 2012 – June 2013 || 2013 || -71,730 || 20,483
|-
| July 2013 – June 2014 || 2014 || -44,714 || 20,675
|-
| July 2014 – June 2015 || 2015 || -17,055 || 20,870
|-
| July 2015 – June 2016 || 2016 || 34,995 || 21,107
|-
| July 2016 – June 2017 || 2017 || 57,028 || 21,351
|-
| July 2017 – June 2018 || 2018* || 32,826 || 21,574
|-
| July 2018 – June 2019 || 2019* || -54,681 || 21,707
|-
| July 2019 – June 2020 || 2020* || -44,160 || 21,919
|-
| July 2020 – June 2021 || 2021* || 77,600 || 22,152
|-
| July 2021 – June 2022 || 2022* || -85,572 || 22,177
|-
| July 2022 – June 2023 || 2023* || -222,715 || 22,033
|-
| July 2023 – June 2024 || 2024* || -176,932 || 21,889
|}
<small>Note: * Provisional data.</small>
<ref>Department of Census & Statistics Sri Lanka. *Mid-Year Population Web Release – September 2024*. Table 1. https://www.statistics.gov.lk/Resource/en/Population/Vital_Statistics/web_release2024Sep_En.pdf</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist|2}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{DCS Sri Lanka}}

{{Ethnic groups in Sri Lanka}}
{{Asia in topic|Demographics of}}
{{Sri Lanka topics}}

[[Category:Demographics of Sri Lanka| ]]