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Sri Lanka — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Sri Lanka, 1960–2025.
Latest value · 2025
20.45%
Urban Population (% of Total) · % of total population · +16.5% since 1960
Urban population for Sri Lanka was 20.45% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 22.44% in 1972. The lowest was 14.57% in 2001 (about 1.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.24% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 212 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 98%. The median for South Asia is 42.51%, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 1972 and has fallen 9% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 9%.
Key figures
Latest (2025)
20.45%
First (1960)
17.55%
Change
+16.5%
Highest
22.44%
in 1972
Lowest
14.57%
in 2001
Average
18.84%
Annual growth (CAGR)
0.24%
Years of data
66
Recent years
| Year | % of total population |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 20.45% |
| 2024 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 20.15% |
| 2022 | 19.99% |
| 2021 | 19.83% |
| 2020 | 19.66% |
| 2019 | 19.49% |
| 2018 | 19.32% |
| 2017 | 19.15% |
| 2016 | 18.97% |
| 2015 | 18.8% |
| 2014 | 18.62% |
Reading this correctly. Share of the population living in urban areas, as defined by national statistical offices. Not directly comparable across countries because definitions of 'urban' differ. Figures are in % of total population. Comparing this series with a different measure of the same concept (for example a nominal figure against a purchasing-power-parity figure) will give misleading results.
Related data
Source. World Bank Open Data, indicator
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of 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.