The population of Sri Lanka is expected to grow by 37,000 in 2025 and reach 21,837,000 in 2026. Migration (including immigration and emigration) decreases population by 75,000 people yearly. On average there are 288,079 births and 172,638 deaths in Sri Lanka per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 0.53 percent per year. The population density of Sri Lanka has changed from 239.8 in 1980 to 339.0 in 2023.
| Current population | 21,821,797 people at present (Saturday 5th of July 2025) | |
| Median Age | 36.8 years |
| Life expectancy | 76.9 years | |
| Population density | 340.5 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21,806,000 | 37,000 (0.2%) | -75,000 | 36.8 | 1.93 | 341 | 4,278,000 (19.6%) |
| 2024 | 21,769,000 | 43,000 (0.2%) | -75,000 | 36.5 | 340 | 4,226,000 (19.4%) | |
| 2023 | 21,726,000 | 51,000 (0.2%) | -75,000 | 36.2 | 339 | 4,178,000 (19.2%) | |
| 2022 | 21,675,000 | 58,000 (0.3%) | -75,000 | 35.9 | 338 | 4,131,000 (19.1%) | |
| 2021 | 21,617,000 | 66,000 (0.3%) | -75,000 | 35.6 | 337 | 4,088,000 (18.9%) | |
| 2020 | 21,551,000 | 74,000 (0.3%) | -75,000 | 35.3 | 1.99 | 336 | 4,046,000 (18.8%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -90,000 | 35.0 | 2.01 | 335 | 4,007,000 (18.7%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -90,000 | 34.7 | 2.02 | 334 | 3,970,000 (18.6%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -90,000 | 34.4 | 2.04 | 333 | 3,936,000 (18.5%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -90,000 | 34.1 | 2.05 | 332 | 3,902,836 (18.4%) |
| 2015 | 20,966,000 | 195,000 (0.9%) | -90,000 | 33.8 | 2.06 | 330 | 3,848,519 (18.4%) |
| 2010 | 20,119,000 | 151,000 (0.8%) | -96,954 | 32.4 | 2.20 | 322 | 3,686,002 (18.3%) |
| 2005 | 19,373,000 | 145,000 (0.8%) | -104,013 | 31.5 | 2.28 | 311 | 3,561,145 (18.4%) |
| 2000 | 18,655,000 | 123,000 (0.7%) | -89,896 | 30.3 | 2.24 | 300 | 3,440,542 (18.4%) |
| 1995 | 18,074,000 | 162,000 (0.9%) | -92,337 | 28.9 | 2.29 | 291 | 3,344,413 (18.5%) |
| 1990 | 17,078,000 | 237,000 (1.4%) | -51,156 | 27.7 | 2.48 | 276 | 3,170,701 (18.6%) |
| 1985 | 15,831,000 | 248,000 (1.6%) | -27,488 | 26.5 | 2.90 | 258 | 2,948,840 (18.6%) |
| 1980 | 14,747,000 | 275,000 (1.9%) | -79,100 | 25.7 | 3.41 | 240 | 2,769,339 (18.8%) |
| 1975 | 13,496,000 | 212,000 (1.6%) | -47,500 | 25.0 | 3.78 | 219 | 2,629,426 (19.5%) |
| 1970 | 12,514,000 | 262,000 (2.1%) | -29,000 | 24.2 | 4.34 | 199 | 2,441,982 (19.5%) |
| 1965 | 11,164,000 | 261,000 (2.3%) | -7,700 | 24.0 | 4.96 | 177 | 1,967,767 (17.6%) |
| 1960 | 9,896,000 | 272,000 (2.7%) | -9,500 | 24.2 | 5.54 | 158 | 1,626,012 (16.4%) |
In 2024 the population of Sri Lanka was 21,769,000 and the average age increased from 24.2 in 1960 to 36.5. Urban population has increased from 3,440,542 (18.4%) in 2000 to 4,278,000 (19.6%) in the current year. The population density of Sri Lanka has changed from 239.8 in 1980 to 339.0 in 2023.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -75,000 | 35.3 | 1.99 | 336 | 4,046,000 (18.8%) |
| 2025 | 21,806,000 | 37,000 (0.2%) | -75,000 | 36.8 | 1.93 | 341 | 4,278,000 (19.6%) |
| 2030 | 21,908,000 | 11,000 (0.1%) | -75,000 | 38.3 | 1.88 | 342 | 4,582,000 (20.9%) |
| 2035 | 21,907,000 | -7,000 (0.0%) | -75,000 | 39.5 | 1.85 | 343 | 4,977,000 (22.7%) |
| 2040 | 21,807,000 | -31,000 (-0.1%) | -75,000 | 40.6 | 1.82 | 341 | 5,455,000 (25.0%) |
| 2045 | 21,568,000 | -61,000 (-0.3%) | -75,000 | 41.6 | 1.80 | 338 | 5,935,000 (27.5%) |
| 2050 | 21,184,000 | -89,000 (-0.4%) | -75,000 | 42.6 | 1.79 | 332 | 6,391,000 (30.2%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 81.2 (78.8 years for male and 83.8 years for females). Population density will go down to 331.6 people per square kilometer.
The demographics of Sri Lanka constitutes of 11,395,000 women and 10,411,000 men, which means there are 914 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 29.0% of population (6,330,282) is 19 or younger, 57.6% of population (12,564,617) is between age 20 and 64 and 13.4% of population (2,922,004) is over 65.