Sri Lanka

Presidential RepublicPop22.1MGDP (PPP)$343.1BCI44Beta CP−1.5↓Beta

Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →

Sri Lanka

⌘K

Overview

Background: The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from about 200 B.C. to about A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about A.D. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a South Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century, followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; the name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter-century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a cease-fire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in 2009.
During the post-conflict years under then-President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society. In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, political, and judicial reforms. However, implementation of these reforms was uneven. In 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother Mahinda prime minister. Civil society raised concerns about the RAJAPAKSA administration’s commitment to pursuing justice, human rights, and accountability reforms, as well as the risks to foreign creditors that Sri Lanka faced given its ongoing economic crisis. A combination of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic; severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel; and power outages triggered increasingly violent protests in Columbo beginning in 2022. In response, WICKREMESINGHE -- who had already served as prime minister five times -- was named to replace the prime minister, but he became president within a few months when Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA fled the country.

Geography

Area

Land: 64,630 sq km
Water: 980 sq km
Total: 65,610 sq km

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Land Use

Other: 16.7% (2023 est.)
Forest: 34.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.)

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Coastline: 1,340 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Mean elevation: 228 m

Irrigated land: 5,700 sq km (2012)
Map references: Asia

Land Boundaries

Total: 0 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Geography note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km (31-mi) bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century, when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone
Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land
Area comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Population distribution: the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 93.4% (2023 est.)
Female: 92% (2023 est.)
Total population: 92.7% (2023 est.)

Languages: Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)
Religions: Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 14.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 32.2 years
Total: 34.2 years (2025 est.)
Female: 35.8 years

Population

Male: 10,668,528
Total: 22,050,561 (2025 est.)
Female: 11,382,033

Nationality

Noun: Sri Lankan(s)
Adjective: Sri Lankan

Tobacco Use

Male: 36.3% (2025 est.)
Total: 18.2% (2025 est.)
Female: 2% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 22.6% (male 2,537,918/female 2,423,615)
15 64 years: 65% (male 6,954,869/female 7,336,897)
65 years and over: 12.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,149,256/female 1,580,053)

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)

Child Marriage

Women married BY age 15: 0.9% (2016)
Women married BY age 18: 9.8% (2016)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 53.9 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 34.2 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 1.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.1% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 87.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 89.3% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 10.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 7.2% national budget (2024 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 0.22% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.03 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 73.7 years
Female: 79.9 years
Total population: 76.8 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 2.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 633,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.2% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 25.6 years (2016 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 66.3% (2016 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.1% (2024 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 12 years (2023 est.)
Total: 13 years (2023 est.)
Female: 14 years (2023 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

Flag: description: yellow with two panels; the smaller panel on the left has two equal vertical bands of green (left side) and orange; the larger panel has a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon field, with a yellow bo leaf in each corner

meaning: the sword stands for national sovereignty; the lion for Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the four bo leaves for Buddhism and the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange stands for Tamils, green for Moors, and maroon for the Sinhalese majority; yellow represents other ethnic groups

Capital

Name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
Etymology: the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
Time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: no
Citizenship BY descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka
Dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Constitution

History: several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
Amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and in some cases approval in a referendum by absolute majority of valid votes

Country Name

Former: Serendib, Ceylon
Etymology: the name is composed of the Sanskrit words shri (happiness or holiness) and lanka (island); the former name Serendib was an Arabic derivation of the Sanskrit word simhaladvipa, or "island of the place of lions;" the former name Ceylon came from the Sanskrit simha, or "lion"
Local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)
Local short form: Shri Lanka (Sinhala)/ Ilankai (Tamil)
Conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Conventional short form: Sri Lanka

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from the UK)
Legal system: mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law
Government type: presidential republic

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65

Executive Branch

Note: note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
Chief of state: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
Election results: 2024: Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE elected president; percent of vote after reallocation - Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (JVP) 55.9%, Sajith PREMADASA (SJB) 44.1%
Head of government: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
Most recent election date: 21 September 2024
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
Expected date of next election: 2029

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)
National color(s): maroon, yellow

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales: Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (c); Ancient City of Sigiriya (c); Sacred City of Anuradhapura (c); Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (c); Sacred City of Kandy (c); Sinharaja Forest Reserve (n); Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple (c); Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (n)

Political parties: Crusaders for Democracy or CFD
Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi or ITAK
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP
Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU
National People's Power or NPP (also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya or JJB)
People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE
Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB
Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC
Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance or SLPFA (includes SLPFP, SLPP, and several smaller parties)
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Sri Lanka's People's Front) or SLPP
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO
Tamil National Alliance or TNA (includes ITAK, PLOTE, TELO)
Tamil National People's Front or TNPF
Tamil People's National Alliance or TPNA
United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG (coalition includes JHU, UNP)
United National Party or UNP

Legislative Branch

Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 225 (196 directly elected; 29 indirectly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Legislature name: Parliament
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 11/14/2024
Expected date of next election: November 2029
Percentage of women in chamber: 9.8%
Parties elected and seats per party: National People's Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya, NPP) (159); Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) (40); Other (26)

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)
History: adopted 1951
Lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE (Sinhala),M. NALLATHAMBY (Tamil)/Ananda SAMARKONE

National symbol(s): lion, water lily
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] 202-232-2329
Chancery: 3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025
Consulate(s): New York
Chief of mission: Ambassador Mahinda SAMARASINGHE (since 13 January 2022)
Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Email address and website: slemb.washington@mfa.gov.lk

https://slembassyusa.org/

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [94] (11) 243-7345
Embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03
Telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500
Mailing address: 6100 Colombo Place, Washington DC  20521-6100
Chief of mission: Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)
Email address and website: colomboacs@state.gov

https://lk.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Legislature

SRI LANKA · LEGISLATURE

Parliament

225 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

225

Majority line

114

Largest party

National People's Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya, NPP)

Parties

All political parties13 parties · 225 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

AD
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
- Head of StateSince 2024
HA
Harini Amarasuriya
- Head of GovernmentSince 2024

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $9.387 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $17.144 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $19.7B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2021: $14.974 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $16.169 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $17.327 billion (2023 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $22.3B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2021: $21.526 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $19.244 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $18.823 billion (2023 est.)

Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining
Labor force: 8.499 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 100.8%

Note: note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2017: 79.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021: 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2019: 178.745 (2019 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 185.593 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 198.764 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 322.633 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 327.507 (2023 est.)

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $42.198 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview: economic contraction in 2022-23 marked by increased poverty and significant inflation; IMF two-year debt relief program following 2022 sovereign default; structural challenges from non-diversified economy and rigid labor laws; heavy dependence on tourism receipts and remittances

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 4.0%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 4.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 5% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: USA 22%, India 7%, Germany 7%, UK 7%, Italy 5% (2023)
Imports partners: India 21%, China 19%, UAE 10%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $15,633

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $13,200 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $13,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $13,800 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 5.0%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -7.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -2.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: rice, coconuts, tea, sugarcane, plantains, milk, fiber crops, cassava, chicken, pumpkins/squash (2023)
Exports commodities: garments, tea, precious stones, used rubber tires, rubber products (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, fabric, crude petroleum, packaged medicine, cotton fabric (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.2B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2021: -$3.284 billion (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$1.448 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $1.559 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 9.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $98.963 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 68.7% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 7% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 8.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 18.8% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 19.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -22.5% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line: 14.3% (2019 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 27.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): -0.4%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 49.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 16.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: -0.4% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: 11% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $343.1B

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $293.878 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $287.031 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $301.407 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 18.4% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 22.3% (2024 est.)
Female: 29.6% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.896 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $4.405 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $6.094 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 25.5% (2024 est.)
Services: 57.5% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 8.3% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 3.1% (2019 est.)
Highest 10%: 30.8% (2019 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2019: 37.7 (2019 est.)

Energy

Coal

Imports: 2.238 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 2.323 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption: 15.763 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 5.326 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.457 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 12.372 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 49.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 40.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 51% (2023 est.)

Broadcast media: government operates 5 TV channels and 19 radio channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 25 private TV stations and about 43 radio stations; 6 non-profit TV stations and 4 radio stations
Internet country code: .lk

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 1.707 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 30.6 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 2.01 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 1
Medium: 2
Key ports: Batticaloa Roads, Colombo, Galle Harbor, Hambantota, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee Harbor
Very small: 1
Total ports: 6 (2024)
Size unknown: 2
Ports with oil terminals: 2

Airports: 18 (2025)

Railways

Total: 1,562 km (2016)
Broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 96 (2023)
BY type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 15, oil tanker 11, other 65

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4R

Environment

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Land Use

Other: 16.7% (2023 est.)
Forest: 34.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.632 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; soil erosion; poaching; effects of urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and pollution; coral reef destruction; freshwater resources polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 805 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 831 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural: 11.31 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 19.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 5.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 14.003 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 24.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 52.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

Military & Security

Military note: the military of Sri Lanka is responsible for external defense, maritime security, and maintaining internal security; it has sent small numbers of personnel on UN peacekeeping missions; from 1983 to 2009, the military fought against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a conflict that involved both guerrilla and conventional warfare, as well as acts of terrorism and human rights abuses, and cost the military nearly 30,000 killed; since the end of the war, a large portion of the Army reportedly remains deployed in the majority Tamil-populated northern and eastern provinces; the military over the past decade also has increased its role in a range of commercial sectors including agriculture, hotels, leisure, and restaurants

Sri Lanka traditionally has had close security ties to India; the Sri Lankan and Indian militaries conduct exercises together, and India trains approximately 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers per year; in recent years, Sri Lanka has increased military ties with China, including acquiring military equipment, hosting naval port calls, and sending personnel to China for training (2025)
Military deployments: 120 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.4%

Military expenditures 2020: 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military and security forces: Sri Lanka Armed Forces: Sri Lanka Army (includes National Guard and the Volunteer Force), Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard; Civil Security Department (Home Guard)

Ministry of Public Security: Sri Lanka Police (2025)
Military service age and obligation: generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, although upper age limits may vary by branch of service, roles, specialties, etc; no conscription (2026)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's armaments are mostly of Chinese, Indian, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 210,000 active Armed Forces (140,000 Army; 25,000 Air Force; 45,000 Navy) (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Transnational Issues

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Idps: 5,549 (2024 est.)
Refugees: 500 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons: 229 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index44.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4101 / 1902024-Q4

Civica Pulse−1.5as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.49as of 2024-Q462 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusNot Free (50/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (53/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Sri Lanka — vintage 2026-Q1: Sri Lanka factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/sri-lanka

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Sri Lanka

Area

Land Use

Elevation

Land Boundaries

Maritime Claims

Literacy

Sex Ratio

Median Age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco Use

Urbanization

Age Structure

Child Marriage

Dependency Ratios

Health Expenditure

Drinking Water Source

Education Expenditure

Infant Mortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

Sanitation Facility Access

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

How power is organised

Capital

Citizenship

Constitution

Country Name

Judicial Branch

Executive Branch

National Heritage

Legislative Branch

National Anthem(s)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Parliament

Current

Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Harini Amarasuriya

Budget

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Remittances

Exchange Rates

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Unemployment Rate

Real GDP Per Capita

Real GDP Growth Rate

Current Account Balance

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Average Household Expenditures

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Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Electricity Access

Energy Consumption Per Capita

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Internet Users

Telephones Fixed Lines

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Ports

Railways

Merchant Marine

Land Use

Urbanization

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Total Water Withdrawal

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

International Environmental Agreements

Military Expenditures