Sri Lanka Population History
1960 - 2026
Sri Lanka's population has grown from 9,661,389 in 1960 to 22,037,000 in 2023, a total increase of 128.1% (2.28x). The population peaked at 22,181,000 in 2022.
1960 Population
9.7M
2023 Population
22.0M
Total Growth
128.1%
Peak Year
2022
Population by Decade
1960
9.7M
1970
12.3M
1980
14.8M
1990
16.4M
2000
19.3M
2010
20.9M
2020
21.9M
2023
22.0M
Growth Rate by Period
1960-1965
+2.47%
1965-1970
+2.39%
1970-1975
+1.97%
1975-1980
+1.85%
1980-1985
+0.92%
1985-1990
+1.02%
1990-1995
+1.44%
1995-2000
+1.90%
2000-2005
+0.94%
2005-2010
+0.65%
2010-2015
+0.09%
2015-2020
+0.89%
Year-by-Year Population
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 22,037,000 | -144,000 |
| 2022 | 22,181,000 | +25,000 |
| 2021 | 22,156,000 | +237,000 |
| 2020 | 21,919,000 | +116,000 |
| 2019 | 21,803,000 | +133,000 |
| 2018 | 21,670,000 | +217,000 |
| 2017 | 21,453,000 | +244,000 |
| 2016 | 21,209,000 | +239,000 |
| 2015 | 20,970,000 | +192,000 |
| 2014 | 20,778,000 | +193,000 |
| 2013 | 20,585,000 | -584,458 |
| 2012 | 21,169,458 | +160,410 |
| 2011 | 21,009,048 | +129,959 |
| 2010 | 20,879,089 | +122,654 |
| 2009 | 20,756,435 | +127,057 |
| 2008 | 20,629,378 | +136,833 |
| 2007 | 20,492,545 | +140,134 |
| 2006 | 20,352,411 | +135,887 |
| 2005 | 20,216,524 | +128,919 |
| 2004 | 20,087,605 | +136,084 |
| 2003 | 19,951,521 | +145,769 |
| 2002 | 19,805,752 | +205,390 |
| 2001 | 19,600,362 | +307,308 |
| 2000 | 19,293,054 | +348,323 |
| 1999 | 18,944,731 | +348,728 |
| 1998 | 18,596,003 | +347,803 |
| 1997 | 18,248,200 | +343,182 |
| 1996 | 17,905,018 | +340,950 |
| 1995 | 17,564,068 | +288,295 |
| 1994 | 17,275,773 | +249,855 |
| 1993 | 17,025,918 | +286,634 |
| 1992 | 16,739,284 | +263,930 |
| 1991 | 16,475,354 | +122,896 |
| 1990 | 16,352,458 | +103,901 |
| 1989 | 16,248,557 | +169,936 |
| 1988 | 16,078,621 | +162,045 |
| 1987 | 15,916,576 | +185,320 |
| 1986 | 15,731,256 | +187,102 |
| 1985 | 15,544,154 | +102,294 |
| 1984 | 15,441,860 | +53,066 |
| 1983 | 15,388,794 | +102,227 |
| 1982 | 15,286,567 | +187,153 |
| 1981 | 15,099,414 | +251,440 |
| 1980 | 14,847,974 | +268,360 |
| 1979 | 14,579,614 | +269,486 |
| 1978 | 14,310,128 | +260,757 |
| 1977 | 14,049,371 | +252,601 |
| 1976 | 13,796,770 | +247,786 |
| 1975 | 13,548,984 | +243,291 |
| 1974 | 13,305,693 | +244,777 |
| 1973 | 13,060,916 | +251,711 |
| 1972 | 12,809,205 | +257,295 |
| 1971 | 12,551,910 | +264,800 |
| 1970 | 12,287,110 | +273,252 |
| 1969 | 12,013,858 | +277,770 |
| 1968 | 11,736,088 | +278,760 |
| 1967 | 11,457,328 | +273,400 |
| 1966 | 11,183,928 | +266,963 |
| 1965 | 10,916,965 | +263,568 |
| 1964 | 10,653,397 | +258,357 |
| 1963 | 10,395,040 | +251,286 |
| 1962 | 10,143,754 | +244,382 |
| 1961 | 9,899,372 | +237,983 |
| 1960 | 9,661,389 | — |