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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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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President Ranil Wickremesinghe, stressing the need to modernize Sri Lanka’s agricultural exports, said that he expects the country’s population to drop by at least one million over the next decades.

“Sri Lanka’s population will decline by 1 million by the year 2048. Relatively, the population around us will increase by at least 1 billion, especially, from Africa to Indonesia. This will be our market and we must prepare for it,” the President said.

President Wickremesinghe made these comments addressing the inauguration of the Athurugiriya National Institute of Plantation Management’s new academic and administrative complex.

The President highlighted the institute’s pivotal role in equipping graduates with contemporary skills essential for the plantation industry’s modernization.

“The eradication of poverty from our villages hinges on agricultural development, which is why plans have been devised to leverage existing crops and land while cultivating 500,000 acres of new land,” the President said highlighting the need to adopt modern agricultural practices and the promotion of agribusiness. (Newswire)

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An imbalance has been reported between the annual birth and death rates in Sri Lanka since the year 2020, according to the latest findings of the Registrar General’s Department. 

Senior Deputy Registrar General, Attorney-at-Law Lakshika Ganepola said the annual birth rate has dropped, while the annual death rate has increased since 2020. 

Stating that the annual birth rate before 2020 was at around 325,000, Ganepola revealed that it had significantly decreased to 280,000 within the last three years.

She further said that, however, the annual death rate which was around 140,000 before 2020 has now increased to around 180,000 within the last three years. 

As per the latest findings by the Registrar General’s Department, it is expected that the imbalance between the annual birth and death rates could negatively impact the population of Sri Lanka. 

Meanwhile, a recent report by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has also reported a 0.6% drop in the population of Sri Lanka, from 22.2 million in 2022 to 22 million in 2023. 

As per the report, the annual birth rate which was reported at 1.93% in 2007 has dropped to 1.12% in 2023, while the annual death rate which was at 0.59% in 2007 has increased to 0.82% in 2023.

The CBSL report also disclosed an imbalance between the annual birth and death rates of Sri Lanka.

Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila also recently highlighted the imbalance between Sri Lanka’s birth and death rates, pointing out that younger people leaving the country was a key contributing factor. 

Addressing the media, MP Gammanpila said that Sri Lanka will face a situation of more senior citizens compared to younger citizens in the future unless action is taken to retain the younger generation to prevent the impacts of the imbalance. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka will face a significant decline in its population in the future due to a drop in birth rate, Emeritus Professor of Demography at the University of Colombo, Prof. Indralal de Silva said. 

According to Ada Derana, Prof. de Silva has identified the current drop in the birth rate in Sri Lanka by 25% as one of the key reasons for the future population decline. 

Stating that the number of births recorded in Sri Lanka in 2022 shows a decreased figure of 90,000 compared to that recorded in 2013, he pointed out that the current birth rate is approaching the number of deaths.

Prof. de Silva also warned that this situation can further deteriorate due to the country’s youths migrating overseas. (NewsWire)

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India is set to reach a notable milestone this year—becoming the world’s most populous country. 

That squarely positions it as an alternative to China: Both as a manufacturer and, perhaps someday, as the world’s largest market.

The onus is now on the South Asian giant to fulfill that promise or bear the consequences. 

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-population-boom-is-an-opportunityand-a-threat-68633728

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India has surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country with 142.86 crore people, said the United Nation. 

China’s population dipped in the last year for the first time since 1960, when millions starved to death under the disastrous agricultural policies of former leader Mao Zedong.

According to the United Nations Population Funds’ (UNPF) report, India’s population is at 1,428.6 million or 1.4286 billion against 1.4257 billion for China. 

The United States is a distant third, with an estimated population of 340 million, the data showed.

China is witnessing a decline in the birthrate and its workforce is also ageing. Several regions in China have announced plans to boost birth rates — but official efforts have so far failed to reverse the decline.

On the other hand, India has no recent data on its population as the last census was conducted in 2011. In India, the census is done every 10 years. It was due to be held in 2021 but had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

India Becomes World’s Most Populous Country: Top Points

• Nearly 1/4th of India’s population is under the age of 14.
• 68 per cent of the population is in the 15 to 64 age group.
• While 7 per cent is above the age of 65.
• India’s population is expected to keep rising for nearly three decades before it peaks at 165 crore and then would start declining.
• The new UN report also estimated that the global population will have hit 8.045 billion by mid-2023. (Times Now)

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The long-feared “population bomb” may not go off, according to the authors of a new report that estimates that human numbers will peak lower and sooner than previously forecast.

The study, commissioned by the Club of Rome, projects that on current trends the world population will reach a high of 8.8 billion before the middle of the century, then decline rapidly. The peak could come earlier still if governments take progressive steps to raise average incomes and education levels.

The new forecasts are good news for the global environment. Once the demographic bulge is overcome, pressure on nature and the climate should start to ease, along with associated social and political tensions.

But the authors caution that falling birthrates alone will not solve the planet’s environmental problems, which are already serious at the 8 billion level and are primarily caused by the excess consumption of a wealthy minority.

Declining populations can also create new problems, such as a shrinking workforce and greater stress on healthcare associated with an ageing society, as countries like Japan and South Korea are finding.

One of the authors of the report, Ben Callegari, said the findings were cause for optimism – but there was a catch. “This gives us evidence to believe the population bomb won’t go off, but we still face significant challenges from an environmental perspective. We need a lot of effort to address the current development paradigm of overconsumption and overproduction, which are bigger problems than population.”

Previous studies have painted a grimmer picture. Last year, the UN estimated the world population would hit 9.7 billion by the middle of the century and continue to rise for several decades afterwards.

The new projection, released on Monday, was carried out by the Earth4All collective of leading environmental science and economic institutions, including the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Stockholm Resilience Centre and the BI Norwegian Business School. They were commissioned by the Club of Rome for a followup to its seminal Limits to Growth study more than 50 years ago.

The report is based on a new methodology which incorporates social and economic factors that have a proven impact on birthrate, such as raising education levels, particularly for women, and improving income. It sketches out two scenarios depending on the extent to which such policies are pursued.

In the business-as-usual case, it foresees existing policies being enough to limit global population growth to below 9 billion in 2046 and then decline to 7.3 billion in 2100. This, they warn, is too little too late: “Although the scenario does not result in an overt ecological or total climate collapse, the likelihood of regional societal collapses nevertheless rises throughout the decades to 2050, as a result of deepening social divisions both internal to and between societies. The risk is particularly acute in the most vulnerable, badly governed and ecologically vulnerable economies.”

In the second, more optimistic scenario – with governments across the world raising taxes on the wealthy to invest in education, social services and improved equality – it estimates human numbers could hit a high of 8.5 billion as early as 2040 and then fall by about a third to about 6 billion in 2100. Under this pathway, they foresee considerable gains by mid-century for human society and the natural environment.

“By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions are about 90% lower than they were in 2020 and are still falling,” according to the report. “Remaining atmospheric emissions of greenhouse gases from industrial processes are increasingly removed through carbon capture and storage. As the century progresses, more carbon is captured than stored, keeping the global temperature below 2C above pre-industrial levels. Wildlife is gradually recovering and starting to thrive once again in many places.” (The Guardian)

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