Sri Lanka — Population
Population, Total for Sri Lanka, 1960–2025.
Population for Sri Lanka was 21.76 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 22.18 million in 2022. The lowest was 9.66 million in 1960 (about 2.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.26% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 62 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 29%. The median for South Asia is 29.62 million, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 4%. Within South Asia it ranks 4 of 6 economies; Bhutan (796,682) is just below it.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 2001. Doubling roughly every 56 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 43rd of 216 in 1960 → 43rd of 216 in 1970 → 45th of 216 in 1980 → 49th of 217 in 1990 → 50th of 217 in 2000 → 56th of 217 in 2010 → 57th of 217 in 2020 → 62nd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21,756,000 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 21,916,000 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 22,037,000 | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 22,181,000 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 22,156,000 | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 21,919,000 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 21,803,000 | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 21,670,000 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 21,453,000 | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 21,209,000 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 20,970,000 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 20,778,000 | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 20,585,000 | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 21,169,458 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 21,009,048 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 20,879,089 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 20,756,435 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 20,629,378 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 20,492,545 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 20,352,411 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 20,216,524 | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 20,087,605 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 19,951,521 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 19,805,752 | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 19,600,362 | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 19,293,054 | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 18,944,731 | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 18,596,003 | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 18,248,200 | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 17,905,018 | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 17,564,068 | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 17,275,773 | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 17,025,918 | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 16,739,284 | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 16,475,354 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 16,352,458 | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 16,248,557 | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 16,078,621 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 15,916,576 | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 15,731,256 | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 15,544,154 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 15,441,860 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 15,388,794 | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 15,286,567 | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 15,099,414 | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 14,847,974 | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 14,579,614 | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 14,310,128 | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 14,049,371 | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 13,796,770 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 13,548,984 | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 13,305,693 | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 13,060,916 | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 12,809,205 | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 12,551,910 | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 12,287,110 | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 12,013,858 | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 11,736,088 | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 11,457,328 | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 11,183,928 | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 10,916,965 | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 10,653,397 | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 10,395,040 | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 10,143,754 | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 9,899,372 | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 9,661,389 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s Population in 1961?
9,899,372 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Sri Lanka’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Sri Lanka’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +125.2% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. 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: 21,756,000; 2024: 21,916,000; 2023: 22,037,000; 2022: 22,181,000; 2021: 22,156,000. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. 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.