Population of Sri Lanka
As of May 2026, the population of Sri Lanka is 22 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 43 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.21%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 31.1 years in 2016 to 33.8 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 77.4 years and population density is 351.6 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of Sri Lanka peaked in 1960, reaching around 2.42% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.2% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 276.58 thousand in 1967 to nearly 43.35 thousand in 2026.
Life Expectancy
In Sri Lanka, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 72 years in 2006 to 77.4 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 5 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there is also a large one. The most populous city is Colombo, Western Province, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 648 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Western Province with 219.8 thousand and Maharagama, Western Province with 195.4 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Sri Lanka:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombo, Western Province | 648,034 |
| 2 | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Western Province | 219,827 |
| 3 | Maharagama, Western Province | 195,355 |
| 4 | Jaffna, Northern Province | 169,102 |
| 5 | Moratuwa, Western Province | 168,280 |
| 6 | Negombo, Western Province | 137,223 |
| 7 | Pita Kotte, Western Province | 118,179 |
| 8 | Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Western Province | 115,826 |
| 9 | Kandy, Central Province | 111,701 |
| 10 | Trincomalee, Eastern Province | 108,420 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kalmunai, Eastern Province | 100,171 |
| 12 | Galle, Southern Province | 93,118 |
| 13 | Point Pedro, Northern Province | 89,810 |
| 14 | Batticaloa, Eastern Province | 86,742 |
| 15 | Katunayaka, Western Province | 84,643 |
| 16 | Ambalantota, Southern Province | 80,506 |
| 17 | Valvedditturai, Northern Province | 78,205 |
| 18 | Matara, Southern Province | 76,254 |
| 19 | Battaramulla South, Western Province | 75,633 |
| 20 | Dambulla, Central Province | 66,716 |