Sri Lanka — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Sri Lanka, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Sri Lanka was -0.73% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.46% in 1964. The lowest was -2.80% in 2013 (about 3.8× the latest value).
Sri Lanka ranks 206 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 95%. The median for South Asia is 0.65%, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 1964 and has fallen 130% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 180%. Within South Asia it ranks 6 of 6 economies; Nepal (-0.11%) is just above it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 678% in 2023. That is 275% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 97th of 216 in 1961 → 103rd of 216 in 1970 → 121st of 216 in 1980 → 165th of 216 in 1990 → 78th of 217 in 2000 → 143rd of 217 in 2010 → 131st of 217 in 2020 → 206th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.73% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | -0.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | -0.65% | -0.8 pp |
| 2022 | 0.11% | -1.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.08% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 0.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 0.61% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 1.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 1.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 0.92% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 0.93% | +3.7 pp |
| 2013 | -2.8% | -3.6 pp |
| 2012 | 0.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 0.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 0.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 0.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 0.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 0.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 0.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 0.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 0.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 0.73% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 1.04% | -0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 1.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 1.82% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 1.86% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 1.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 1.92% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 1.66% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 1.46% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 1.7% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 1.59% | +0.8 pp |
| 1991 | 0.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 0.64% | -0.4 pp |
| 1989 | 1.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 1.01% | -0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 1.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 1.2% | +0.5 pp |
| 1985 | 0.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1984 | 0.34% | -0.3 pp |
| 1983 | 0.67% | -0.6 pp |
| 1982 | 1.23% | -0.4 pp |
| 1981 | 1.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 1.82% | -0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 1.87% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 1.84% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 1.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 1.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 1.81% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 1.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 2.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 2.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 2.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 2.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 2.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.46% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.45% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.43% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s Population growth in 1962?
2.44% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sri Lanka’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -130.1% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.73%; 2024: -0.55%; 2023: -0.65%; 2022: 0.11%; 2021: 1.08%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.