The final report of the 15th Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, which was successfully completed in 2024, was launched today by the Department of Census and Statistics in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

The 15th Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka is the first instance in which Information Technology was utilized for national-scale data collection. 

A summary of the report states that the total population of Sri Lanka is reported at 21,781,800, with a national population density of 350 persons per square kilometre. The Western Province continues to serve as the nation’s primary demographic hub, containing 28.1 per cent of the total population. Collectively, nearly two-thirds of the country’s inhabitants reside within four provinces: Western (28.1%), Central (12.5%), Southern (12.0%), and North-western (11.9%). At the district level, Gampaha reported the highest population (2,436,142), while Mullaitivu (122,619) remains the least populous. 

The 2024 data highlight a significant transition toward an ageing society. The elderly population (60 years and over) now constitutes 18.0 per cent of the total population, while the child population (0-14 years) has contracted to 20.7 per cent. This shift is further evidenced by an Ageing Index of 87, indicating that there are 87 elderly persons for every 100 children. Furthermore, the Median Age (35 years) has increased by approximately five years compared to the previous census conducted in 2012, reflecting a maturing population structure. 

The national sex ratio is reported at 93.3, indicating that females outnumber males in the country. Marital analysis shows that 41.8 per cent of the population is never married, and the Singulate Mean Age at Marriage is 29.2 years for males and 25.6 years for females. Notably, a significant gender disparity exists in late-life widowhood, with 44.2percent of females aged 65 and over being widowed, compared to 10.5 per cent of males. Further, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) stands at 1.3, remaining below the replacement threshold, while the Total Marital Fertility Rate (TMFR) is 2.7.

While the working-age population (15-59 years) remains the largest cohort at 61.3 per cent, the dependency structure is shifting. The Child Dependency Ratio has declined to 33.7, while the Old-Age Dependency Ratio has risen significantly to 29.4, placing an increased dependency burden on the current workforce. 

The ethnic landscape of Sri Lanka in 2024 is characterized by a Sinhalese majority, which accounts for 74.1 per cent of the total population, followed by Sri Lankan Tamils at 12.3 per cent and Sri Lanka Moors/Muslim at 10.5 per cent. In terms of religious affiliation, Buddhism remains the predominant faith, practiced by 69.8 per cent of the population, while Hindu, Islam, and Roman Catholic represent 12.6 per cent, 10.7 per cent, and 5.6 per cent of the total population, respectively. 

Sri Lanka has achieved a historic milestone in education, with the national language literacy rate rising to 97.4 per cent in 2024, up from 95.7 per cent in 2012. Notably, for the first time since the inception of the census in 1881, the traditional gender gap in literacy has closed, with both males and females reaching an almost equal literacy rate of 97.9 and 97.0 per cent respectively. In terms of modern competencies, digital literacy among individuals aged 5 and over has reached 67.6 per cent, while computer literacy stands at 34.7 per cent, reflecting the nation’s ongoing digital transformation. 

Sri Lanka comprises a total of 6,111,315 households. The Nuclear Household remains the predominant structure, accounting for over 50.0 per cent of all households. The average household size is 3.5 persons, with the Estate Sector reporting the highest average at 3.6. Nationally, over 70.0 per cent of household heads are male. A critical demographic finding is the prevalence of Single-Person Households, which account for 10.5 per cent of the total. Within this category, 640,704 households consist of individuals living alone; notably, 370,229 of these are aged 60 and over, and, of them, majority are females (71.3%). 

The census also provides statistics on functional difficulties among the population aged 5 years and over, across six core domains: vision, hearing, mobility (walking or climbing steps), cognition (remembering and concentration), self-care, and communication. 3,223,413 individuals (157 per 1,000) report at least one physical or mental difficulty. Within this group, 727,293 individuals were identified with significant disabilities across over six core functional domains. This represents a national disability rate of 35 per 1,000, with the highest prevalence rate reported in the Kurunegala District (43 per 1,000). 

According to data for 2024, 19.2 per cent of the population (4.18 million people) are reported to be suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Based on self-reported information, the highest prevalence rates are observed for High blood pressure (10.1%) and Diabetes (8.5%). These conditions are more widespread among females and older individuals, with more than half of the population aged 60 years and over affected by at least one chronic disease. Furthermore, as the level of education increases, the risk of experiencing non-communicable diseases gradually decreases. This indicates the existence of a significant “health literacy gap.” 

Lifetime migrants characterize 13 per cent of the population. The districts with the highest percentages of lifetime migrants are Vavuniya (29.2%), Kilinochchi (24.0%), and Mullaitivu (23.9%), while Colombo hosts the largest absolute volume of migrants (491,236). Migration by previous residence is predominantly long-term (62.9 per cent staying over 10 years) and driven largely by Marriage (41.8%), followed by Employment (17.5%). The highest internal in-migrant population is reported from Gampaha (524,737), and Colombo (519,379) is in second place. Interestingly, migration for employment is significantly higher in Colombo (37.8%) and Gampaha (26.1%) than the value reported for the country (17.5%). 

As of 2024, 672,249 Sri Lankans are temporarily living abroad, a group dominated by males (61.3%). The primary drivers for overseas migration are Employment (86.0%) and Education (8.0%). The highest numbers of migrants originated from the Gampaha (12.8%), Colombo (10.6%), and Kurunegala (9.5%) districts. The Middle Eastern region remains the primary destination, specifically Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Australia and Japan are the main destinations of those who have migrated for Education.

In terms of workforce engagement, the census highlights a 47.3 per cent labour force participation rate, leaving a substantial 52.7 per cent of the working-age population economically inactive. This inactivity is defined by a clear gender split: over half of inactive females (50.6%) are kept from the workforce by domestic duties and caregiving roles, whereas the largest share of inactive males (41.3 per cent) is inactive due to education or professional training. Within the economically active cohort, the Employment Rate stands at 94 per cent, while the Unemployment Rate is 6 per cent. Spatial analysis reveals significant regional disparities; the Batticaloa District reports the highest incidence of unemployment at 10.1 per cent, while the Moneragala District records the lowest unemployment rate of 3.9 per cent. 

Regarding living conditions, the census identified 6,030,541 occupied housing units, an increase of 822,801 units since 2012. The Rural sector contains the highest concentration of housing (4.77 million units), and the Gampaha district reports the highest number of occupied dwellings. Infrastructure and utility access have seen considerable modernization. Access to the national electricity grid has reached a near-universal 98.0 per cent, while 92.2 per cent of households have access to drinking water within their housing unit or garden. 

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board serves as the primary water source for 38.9 per cent of households. In terms of energy, though 55.4 per cent of households still utilize firewood for cooking, there has been a significant nationwide shift toward LPG (42.4%) compared to 2012. Sanitation standards are high, with 99.6 per cent of households utilizing water-sealed toilets. 

Furthermore, a major shift in communication technology is evident: while use of radios, desktop computers, and fixed-line phones has plummeted, laptop usage has surged from 5.6 per cent to 19.7 per cent, and motorcycles/scooters have emerged as the most prevalent mode of private transport. 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk//Resource/en/Population/CPH_2024/CPH2024_Final_Eng.pdf (Newswire)

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The first phase of India’s Census 2027 is set to begin on Wednesday (April 1), marking the start of what will be the world’s largest enumeration exercise and India’s first fully digital count. 

This will be the country’s 16th Census, the eighth since Independence, and the first in 15 years. For the first time, citizens will also have the option of self-enumeration. 

Meanwhile, the Centre has also released 33 questions for the opening stage, known as Housing Listing and Housing Operations, which will be carried out between April 1 and September 30 as per schedules finalised by states and Union Territories. 

Citizens can submit their details in 16 languages during a 15-day self-enumeration window prior to the start of fieldwork in their respective region. For example, in areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment, the first phase is scheduled from April 16 to May 15, and self-enumeration for residents will be available from April 1 to April 15. The portal, opened for people opting for self-enumeration, will be available for both phases of the Census — ‘Houselisting and Housing Census’ and ‘Population Enumeration’.

How to self-enumerate for the census 2027

• Visit the SE portal at https://se.census.gov.in
• Log in using your mobile number and mark your location on the map
  • Enter your family details and submit the information
  • Receive the 16-digit unique Self-Enumeration ID (SE ID) and provide it to the enumerator during their visit

Centre notifies 33 key questions for the first phase

The Centre has released a set of 33 questions that will be asked during the first phase to help people understand the process. An FAQ portal has also been launched to guide citizens who choose to fill in the information themselves.

In a press briefing at the National Media Centre, Registrar General and Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said that individual data collected during the Census is fully confidential. He explained that Section 15 of the Census Act clearly states that personal information cannot be shared under the Right to Information Act and cannot be used as evidence in court. It can also not be shared with any other organisation. He added that the role of states and Union Territories is central to the exercise and that administrative teams on the ground are fully engaged in field operations.

What will be asked in the first phase?

Key information to be collected from households includes:

• House number and structural details
• Type of materials used for floor, wall and roof
• Condition and usage of the house
• Number of residents in the household
• Number of married couples
• Name, gender and social category of the head of the family
• Food habits and grains consumed
• Availability of vehicles and household amenities

Live-in couples to be counted as married

According to the government’s FAQ, couples in a live-in relationship who consider their partnership stable will be recorded as married. This clarification has been issued in response to a query on the self-enumeration portal.

Census to be conducted in two stages

The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 11,718 crore for Census 2027, which for the first time will also include a caste count. The exercise, initially planned for 2021 but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, will now be carried out in two stages.

• First stage: Housing listing and housing enumeration from April to September 2026
• Second stage: Population enumeration in February 2027

India’s first fully digital census

The upcoming Census marks a major technological shift as the entire process will be conducted digitally. Paper forms will be replaced with handheld devices, geo-tagging tools and a centralised web platform. Nearly 32 lakh field workers including enumerators and supervisors will use mobile devices to collect demographic, social and economic data from households. The data will be transmitted and verified instantly through the CMMMS system, reducing errors and saving time.

Real-time monitoring through CMMMS

According to official instructions, the CMMMS system will enable real-time supervision of field operations. It will support user creation, training modules, formation of House Listing Blocks, assignment of supervisory circles and deployment of field staff. The platform will also use role-based access to ensure secure and streamlined functioning.

30 lakh personnel to be deployed nationwide

Around 30 lakh personnel including enumerators, supervisors, master trainers and technical staff will be deployed for Census 2027. This will be the country’s largest digital exercise and is expected to generate nearly 1.02 crore person-days of employment. All employees will carry out the work alongside their regular duties and will receive an additional honorarium.

Digital survey to be conducted door-to-door

It is worth noting here that enumerators, most of whom are government teachers, will visit households with tablets or mobile apps to record details such as location, amenities, education levels, language, religion, employment, disability status, migration and other required information. Special security features have also been incorporated into the app to prevent data leaks or tampering. (India Today)

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Sri Lanka’s 2024 Population and Housing Census reveals that females continue to make up the majority of the country’s population, a trend first observed in 2001. 

Compared to the 2012 Census, the male population percentage has declined in both the Urban and Rural sectors, while a slight increase is recorded in the Estate sector. The Urban sector now reports the highest proportion of females.

Historically, males accounted for a larger share of the population, with the 1981 Census recording 51 per cent males. However, by 2001, women represented 50.2 per cent of the population in the 18 districts where enumeration was completed.

The national sex ratio—defined as the number of males per 100 females—has further declined from 93.8 in 2012 to 93.3 in 2024, indicating a continued female surplus. Age-specific data show that the ratio exceeds 100 among those aged 0–19 years, suggesting more males in younger groups. However, the ratio steadily decreases with age, reaching its lowest level of 69.8 among those aged 70 and above.

This decline in the sex ratio with age highlights a key demographic pattern: although more males are born, females tend to live longer. Higher male mortality rates and lower life expectancy contribute to a growing female majority in older age groups, a trend with implications for healthcare, social welfare, and population planning. (Newswire)

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The 2024 Census of Population and Housing reports that Sri Lanka’s population is 21.7 million, with 51.7% females and 48.3% males.

According to the Department of Census & Statistics, the census conducted in 2024 was the 15th Census of Population and Housing in the national census series, and was carried out from 07th October 2024 to the second week of February 2025.

In this census, the total population of Sri Lanka was reported as 21,781,800, of which 51.7 per cent were females and 48.3 per cent were males. In the urban sector, 51.9 per cent of the population is female, while 48.1 per cent is male. In the rural and estate rural sectors, the percentages of females are 51.7 per cent and 51.4 per cent, and the percentages of males are 48.3 per cent and 48.6 per cent, respectively. In the estate urban sector, the percentages of females and males are reported as 50.4 per cent and 49.6 per cent, respectively.

The sex ratio in Sri Lanka is 93.3. All districts show a sex ratio below 100. The highest sex ratio is reported from Monaragala district (97.9), while the lowest sex ratio in the country is recorded in Batticaloa district (88.0). 

The population under 15 years of age in the country decreased by 4.5 percentage units, from 25.2 per cent to 20.7 per cent, during the census period from 2012 to 2024. Further, the population aged 65 and above increased from 7.9 per cent to 12.6 per cent, and shows an increase of 4.7 percentage points during this period.

In 2024, the population aged 15-64 accounted for 66.7 per cent of the total population, compared to 66.9 per cent in 2012. Accordingly, the percentage of the population aged 15–64 showed a decrease of 0.2 percentage points during the census period from 2012 to 2024

The population under the age of fifteen and those aged sixty-five and above are considered dependents. The dependency ratio, which was calculated as 49.4 per cent according to the 2012 census, has increased to 49.8 per cent in 2024. The highest dependency ratio is reported in the Matara district of the Southern Province (55.0 per cent), while the lowest dependency ratio is reported in the Colombo district of the Western Province (43.0 per cent). 

The total migrant population reported in the census was 3,167,263. Among the migrant population, 40.6 per cent had migrated primarily due to marriage.

Full report: https://www.statistics.gov.lk//Resource/en/Population/CPH_2024/Population_Preliminary_Report.pdf (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Agriculture says the report of the islandwide animal census has helped identify the areas with the highest number of crop-destroying animals.

Addressing the media today, ministry officials said the report reveals there are 5.17 million Toque monkeys (Rilawa), 1.74 million Grey Langurs (Wandura),  2.66 million Giant Squirrels, and 4.74 million peacocks in Sri Lanka. 

According to the census, the highest number of Toque monkeys has been reported in the Kandy, Kegalle, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kurunegala Districts. 

The census reports that the highest number of Grey Langurs has been reported in districts such as Anuradhapura, Hambantota, and Polonnaruwa.

Giant Squirrels were largely found in the Kurunegala and Monaragala Districts, while peacocks have been mostly reported in the Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, and Monaragala Districts. 

The Agriculture Ministry officials further said that the crop-destroying animals were found in large numbers in the Kegalle, Galigamuwa, and Mawanella District Secretariat areas in the Kegalle District.

They further said that in the Kandy District, large numbers of these animals were recorded in the Pahathahewaheta, Medadumbara, and Hatharaliyedda District Secretariat areas.

The details were revealed after the Agriculture Ministry made public the islandwide animal census, which was conducted on 15 March this year. 

The public was given a five-minute window, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:05 a.m., to count these animals on their properties using a designated form.

The animal census was conducted to help authorities devise strategies to mitigate the impact on crops. (Newswire)

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The total population of Sri Lanka stands at 21,763,170, according to the latest Census of Population and Housing 2024, which was officially presented to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (07 April).

This marks an increase of over 1.4 million compared to the last census conducted in 2012.

The 2024 enumeration phase—the 15th national census—was carried out between October 2024 and the second week of February 2025. The official census moment was recorded at midnight on 19 December 2024.

The report shows that the country’s annual population growth rate has declined from 0.7 percent (2001–2012) to 0.5 percent (2012–2024), indicating a slowdown in growth, though the population continues to rise.

The Western Province remains the most populous, accounting for 28.1 percent of the total population, while the Northern Province reports the lowest share at 5.3 percent.

Gampaha District leads with the highest population of 2,433,685, followed closely by Colombo District with 2,374,461. Kurunegala, Kandy, Kalutara, Ratnapura, and Galle also each recorded populations exceeding one million.

On the other end, Mullaitivu (122,542), Mannar (123,674), Kilinochchi (136,434), and Vavuniya (172,257) — all in the Northern Province — remain the least populated districts.

Mullaitivu District recorded the highest annual growth rate at 2.23 percent, while Vavuniya showed the lowest at just 0.01 percent.

Colombo District also continues to have the highest population density with 3,549 persons per square kilometer, while Mullaitivu has the lowest at 50 persons per square kilometer.

The census was conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics. (Newswire)

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The Population and Housing Census conducted every 10 years has been initiated at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

According to the President’s Media Unit (PMD), the Presidential Secretariat was listed as the first building to be recorded. 

The PMD added that this year’s census incorporates tablet computers, alongside traditional printed documents, for data collection. (NewsWire)

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Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Latif Palijo has termed selection of only six urban districts for extension in census deadline ‘discriminatory’ saying it reflects policymakers’ bias towards rural Sindh where aborigines reside for centuries.

Palijo said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday that the selective extension was a mean attempt to divide people of Sindh. The days of ‘divide and rule’ were gone and entire Sindh stood united against such injustice, he said.

He called for complete scrapping of the census exercise since it was based on discrimination and was part of an anti-Sindh plan to undercount actual population of the province in general and in rural areas in particular.

He urged the premier and the federal minister to scrap ongoing census exercise since it was based on dishonesty and discrimination and reminded them that although international norms and the country’s constitution required that census be held every 10 years but this one was being conducted only after five years under the influence of some ethnic groups.

He said that people of Sindh would not remain silent if injustice was meted out to the province. The QAT and other political parties of Sindh had been warning since January this year that they would reject the census results if their reservations were not addressed, he said.

He said that a 12 member-advisory committee formed to finalise a working paper for holding of census exercise did not have a single demographer from Sindh. The census, he said, was a subject that fell under the purview of Council of Common Interests (CCI) but all decisions on its conduct were taken by a coterie of anti-Sindh individuals, who had made Census 2017 and 2023 controversial and unacceptable, he said.

Palijo said that highly inaccurate and moth-eaten block maps were fed into tablets used in the much trumpeted digital census and thousands of villages of Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Benazirbad and Hyderabad divisions and over 20 million people living in riverine areas, Kohistan, Thar, Nara, Achro Thar, coastal belt and Kachho were left out of the count.

He said that it was a shame that even British colonial rulers who used only pencils and paper in their census had not done such injustice to Sindh as the technologically advanced federal government had done. Other countries completed counting within a single day while this census was lingering on for two months, he said.

He said that Rs35bn spent on this exercise had gone down the drain because not only the methodology but the very intent was foul. Therefore, he said, no extension in census date could undo the damage done to Sindh.

Govt urged to take back hike in life-saving drugs’ prices

Palijo demanded in a statement issued here on Tuesday immediate withdrawal of recent raise in the prices of life-saving drugs and said it was tantamount to depriving the poor of their right to life.

He said that rulers were in fact making death cheaper than life. The insensitive government did not have anything for labourers, peasants and the poor and their life did not matter to them because they saw people as only their ‘voting machines’.

He said that privileged class easily proceeded to London, Dubai and America for treatment and that was why public healthcare sector had been left in a shambles.

The government must put an end to anti-people steps and take back raise in the prices of life-saving drugs, he said.

He said that on the one hand people did not have quality healthcare facilities while on the other medicines’ prices were being raised, which were already pretty beyond their reach.

He said that healthcare facilities, if any, were available only to rulers, capitalists, jagirdars and the affluent, leaving only a faulty, malfunctioning health system for the poor.

He said that PML-N, PPP, JUI-F and MQM would not be allowed to play with integrity of Sindh through digital census. These parties might do anything for their lust for power but they should leave Sindh alone, he said, adding real change could be brought about with change in system and not change of faces.

Palijo said that rich, capitalists, rulers and jagirdars had handed over the country to international imperialist forces for their petty gains. Pakistan faced a crisis and it required a national government to settle down things, he said. (Dawn)

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