Data as of Aug 2, 2026, 11:38 PM UTC

SERIAL · 144Asia

Sri Lanka

CapitalSri Jayawardenepura Kotte

CurrencyLKR · Sri Lankan rupee

LanguageTamil, Sinhala

Since1972

ISOLKA · LK

Population

21.8Mas of 2025

— THE COUNTRY —

Country in South Asia

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with the Maldives to the southwest and India to the northwest, and lies across the Bay of Bengal from Bangladesh and Myanmar to the northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India to the east. Its executive and judicial capital is Colombo, which is also its largest city and the political, financial and cultural centre of the country; neighboring Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital. Sri Lanka's population is 22 million. About 74% of the population are Sinhalese, who speak the Sinhala language, and about 15% are Tamils who speak the Tamil language. Other long-established ethnic groups include the Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and Vedda.

Text: Wikipedia — Sri LankaCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-07-23

— FACTS —

Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Official language: Tamil, Sinhala
Drives on the: Left
Calling code: +94
Licence plate code: CL
Top-level domain: .lk
Independence / founding: 22 May 1972
Highest point: Pidurutalagala (2,524 m)
Lowest point: Indian Ocean (0 m)
Anthem: Sri Lanka Matha

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) · as of 2026-08-02

— LAND —

5 of 5 figures unavailable for Sri Lanka.

— PEOPLE —

Population

21.8Mpeople

#62 of 2162025

57% of world average

Population growth

-0.7%% per year

#205 of 2162025

-74% of world average

Population density

356people per km²

#31 of 2152023

79% of world average

People living in cities

20.5%% of population

#211 of 2162025

32% of world average

Urban population growth

0.0%% per year

#182 of 2162025

0% of world average

People living rurally

79.5%% of population

#6 of 2162025

217% of world average

Population aged 0-14

21.7%% of population

#110 of 2162025

86% of world average

Population aged 15-64

65.8%% of population

#78 of 2162025

103% of world average

Population aged 65+

12.5%% of population

#81 of 2162025

115% of world average

▸ ISSUE 7 MORE

Age dependency ratio

51.9%% of working-age population

#139 of 2162025

90% of world average

Female population

51.6%% of population

#33 of 2162025

103% of world average

Births per woman

1.95births per woman

#107 of 2162024

83% of world average

Birth rate

10.1 /1,000per 1,000 people

#154 of 2162024

59% of world average

Death rate

7.8 /1,000per 1,000 people

#87 of 2162024

101% of world average

Net migration

-30,724people (5-year total)

#185 of 2162025

-27903% of world average

Migrants living in the country

0.2%% of population

#205 of 2152024

2% of world average

— MONEY —

GDP

$108.83Bcurrent US$

#72 of 2112025

20% of world average

GDP, purchasing power parity

$371.27Bcurrent int'l $

#62 of 1992025

36% of world average

GDP per person

$5,002current US$

#140 of 2112025

21% of world average

GDP per person, purchasing power parity

$17,065current int'l $

#115 of 1992025

51% of world average

GDP growth

5.0%% per year

#54 of 2102025

147% of world average

GDP per person growth

5.7%% per year

#20 of 2102025

241% of world average

Gross national income

$106.80Bcurrent US$

#70 of 2042025

19% of world average

Gross national income per person

$4,670current US$

#133 of 2032025

23% of world average

Gross national income per person, PPP

$16,750current int'l $

#115 of 1972025

53% of world average

▸ ISSUE 30 MORE

Inflation

-4.8%% per year

#2 of 1902025

-55% of world average

Inflation (GDP deflator)

3.7%% per year

#122 of 2092025

52% of world average

Real interest rate

7.1%%

#41 of 1342019

172% of world average

Lending interest rate

11.2%%

#47 of 1342019

99% of world average

Government debt

73.5%% of GDP

not enough data to rank2015

123% of world average

Government revenue

11.1%% of GDP

#139 of 1492023

42% of world average

Government spending

18.0%% of GDP

#112 of 1492023

65% of world average

Government consumption

6.7%% of GDP

#171 of 1812025

38% of world average

Household consumption

67.5%% of GDP

#73 of 1812025

105% of world average

Investment (gross capital formation)

29.6%% of GDP

#34 of 1782025

127% of world average

Fixed investment

20.8%% of GDP

#109 of 1732025

93% of world average

Gross savings

27.6%% of GDP

#50 of 1682024

126% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

$761.1Mcurrent US$

#107 of 2012024

9% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

0.8%% of GDP

#153 of 1982024

no comparison

Foreign investment outflows

0.1%% of GDP

#125 of 1792024

5% of world average

Current account balance

1.2%% of GDP

#67 of 1912024

no comparison

Foreign reserves

$6.09Bcurrent US$

#96 of 1772024

6% of world average

External debt

$56.83Bcurrent US$

#95 of 1212024

73% of world average

Income inequality (Gini)

37.70-100

#97 of 1472019

106% of world average

People below the poverty line

2.7%% of population

#84 of 1472019

21% of world average

Income share held by richest 10%

30.8%%

#112 of 1472019

111% of world average

Income share held by poorest 10%

3.1%%

#45 of 1472019

111% of world average

Stock market value

24.0%% of GDP

#62 of 882025

32% of world average

Money sent home by workers abroad

$6.72Bcurrent US$

#32 of 1862024

130% of world average

Foreign aid received

1.0%% of GNI

#94 of 1372023

17% of world average

Exchange rate

328local currency per US$

#50 of 2112023

23% of world average

Agriculture's share of the economy

8.4%% of GDP

#82 of 1992025

84% of world average

Industry's share of the economy

25.4%% of GDP

#79 of 2022025

104% of world average

Manufacturing's share of the economy

17.1%% of GDP

#34 of 1952025

156% of world average

Services' share of the economy

54.6%% of GDP

#124 of 2022025

94% of world average

— TRADE —

Exports

19.0%% of GDP

#152 of 1872025

44% of world average

Imports

22.8%% of GDP

#162 of 1872025

46% of world average

Trade balance

-3.9%% of GDP

#98 of 1872025

no comparison

Total trade (openness)

32.2%% of GDP

#172 of 2052025

50% of world average

Goods exported

$13.58Bcurrent US$

#92 of 2072025

11% of world average

Goods imported

$21.48Bcurrent US$

#85 of 2072025

17% of world average

Services exported

$6.91Bcurrent US$

#86 of 1912024

14% of world average

Services imported

$3.48Bcurrent US$

#105 of 1912024

8% of world average

Goods and services exported

$19.68Bcurrent US$

#91 of 1912024

11% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Goods and services imported

$22.32Bcurrent US$

#92 of 1912024

13% of world average

High-tech share of exports

1.5%% of manufactured exports

#144 of 1792024

13% of world average

Terms of trade

86.7index

#178 of 2062024

82% of world average

— HEALTH —

Life expectancy

77.7 yrsyears

#77 of 2162024

105% of world average

Life expectancy, women

80.7 yrsyears

#72 of 2162024

105% of world average

Life expectancy, men

74.4 yrsyears

#83 of 2162024

104% of world average

Infant deaths

5.2 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#51 of 1962024

28% of world average

Deaths under age 5

5.9 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#49 of 1962024

24% of world average

Maternal deaths

18per 100,000 live births

#68 of 1942023

15% of world average

Health spending

3.7%% of GDP

#165 of 1932023

54% of world average

Health spending per person

$134current US$

#138 of 1932023

9% of world average

Physicians

1.1 /1,000per 1,000 people

#112 of 1872023

54% of world average

▸ ISSUE 10 MORE

Nurses and midwives

2.3 /1,000per 1,000 people

#128 of 1962023

48% of world average

Hospital beds

3.9 /1,000per 1,000 people

#42 of 1572023

133% of world average

Access to clean drinking water

90.2%% of population

#152 of 2142024

99% of world average

Access to basic sanitation

95.4%% of population

#99 of 2132024

118% of world average

Suicide rate

14.7per 100,000 people

#156 of 1852021

172% of world average

Adults who smoke

20.7%% of adults

#91 of 1662024

105% of world average

HIV prevalence

0.1%% aged 15-49

#1 of 1532024

7% of world average

Tuberculosis cases

59per 100,000 people

#124 of 2082024

59% of world average

Undernourishment

7.4%% of population

#102 of 1682023

73% of world average

Children vaccinated against measles

99.0%% of children 12-23 months

#1 of 1932024

115% of world average

— LEARNING —

Education spending

1.8%% of GDP

#178 of 1902023

42% of world average

Education spending

7.2%% of government spending

#180 of 1892024

53% of world average

Adult literacy

92.7%% aged 15+

#58 of 1192024

111% of world average

Youth literacy

98.9%% aged 15-24

#45 of 1262024

108% of world average

Primary school enrolment

91.5%% gross

#168 of 2002023

91% of world average

Secondary school enrolment

88.0%% gross

#111 of 1882023

101% of world average

University enrolment

20.7%% gross

#128 of 1672023

42% of world average

Primary school completion

94.5%% of relevant age group

#90 of 1802023

105% of world average

Pupils per teacher, primary school

21.7pupils per teacher

#98 of 1602018

98% of world average

▸ ISSUE 1 MORE

Years of compulsory education

11.0 yrsyears

#62 of 1972025

110% of world average

— WORK —

Unemployment

4.0%% of labour force

#68 of 1862025

58% of world average

Youth unemployment

18.6%% of labour force aged 15-24

#129 of 1862025

118% of world average

Labour force participation

48.5%% aged 15+

#162 of 1862025

80% of world average

Women in the labour force

31.0%% of women aged 15+

#164 of 1862025

61% of world average

Men in the labour force

67.8%% of men aged 15+

#112 of 1862025

97% of world average

Labour force

8.3Mpeople

#64 of 1862025

41% of world average

Working in agriculture

25.9%% of employment

#71 of 1862025

117% of world average

Working in industry

26.3%% of employment

#34 of 1862025

134% of world average

Working in services

47.8%% of employment

#137 of 1862025

82% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Self-employed

42.1%% of employment

#73 of 1862025

109% of world average

Labour force with advanced education

81.0%% of labour force

#51 of 1712023

106% of world average

Employed

46.6%% aged 15+

#155 of 1862025

82% of world average

— CONNECTED —

People online

54.6%% of population

#158 of 2072024

77% of world average

Mobile phone subscriptions

133per 100 people

#53 of 2102024

114% of world average

Fixed broadband subscriptions

8.47per 100 people

#122 of 2082024

47% of world average

Fixed telephone lines

6.85per 100 people

#125 of 2132024

46% of world average

Access to electricity

100.0%% of population

#1 of 2142024

113% of world average

Access to clean cooking fuel

35.4%% of population

#144 of 1892023

51% of world average

Electricity used per person

644kWh per person

#118 of 1492023

15% of world average

Energy used per person

467kg oil equivalent per person

#123 of 1492023

21% of world average

Air passengers carried

3.9Mpassengers

#67 of 1652023

15% of world average

▸ ISSUE 8 MORE

Air freight

278million tonne-km

#49 of 1632023

21% of world average

Rail network

1,562route-km

#60 of 842019

15% of world average

Rail passengers

7,407million passenger-km

not enough data to rank2015

27% of world average

Container port traffic

7.8MTEU

#28 of 1672024

143% of world average

Research and development spending

0.1%% of GDP

#104 of 1272022

11% of world average

Patent applications by residents

266count

#56 of 1422021

2% of world average

Scientific journal articles published

2,322count

#70 of 1972023

14% of world average

Tourists arriving

540,000count

#119 of 1942020

11% of world average

1 of 18 figures unavailable for Sri Lanka.

— NATURE —

12 of 12 figures unavailable for Sri Lanka.

— STATE —

7 of 7 figures unavailable for Sri Lanka.

— TRADE PARTNERS —

Loading trade partner map…

— TRADE —

Exports toas of 2025

United States$2.96B
India$1.04B
United Kingdom$949.8M
Germany$703.1M
Italy$672.1M
Kingdom of the Netherlands$468.7M
United Arab Emirates$353.3M
Canada$313.2M

▸ ISSUE 7 MORE

France$298.9M
People's Republic of China$281.9M
Australia$259.8M
Belgium$252.6M
Hong Kong$191.2M
Iraq$188.8M
Mexico$188.8M

Imports fromas of 2025

People's Republic of China$5.08B
India$4.27B
United Arab Emirates$1.42B
Japan$1.11B
Singapore$971.2M
Malaysia$954.5M
Indonesia$549.2M
United States$540.2M

▸ ISSUE 7 MORE

Thailand$472.8M
Oman$432.4M
Russia$414.0M
Pakistan$346.2M
Germany$338.0M
Other$332.1M
New Zealand$324.8M

Trade balance, 2025-$7.86B

— EXTRAS —

Anthem

Sri Lanka MathaAudio: Wikimedia Commons

Capital time

--:--:--Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte · approx. UTC+5

Neighbours

Sri Lanka has no land borders

Landmarks

Dambulla cave templeImage: Wikimedia Commons

Sinharaja Forest ReserveImage: Wikimedia Commons

Central Highlands of Sri LankaImage: Wikimedia Commons

Old Town of Galle and its FortificationsImage: Wikimedia Commons

People

Sirimavo BandaranaikePrime Minister of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) from 1960–65, 1970–77, 1994–2000

Mahinda RajapaksaPresident of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015

Chandrika KumaratungaPresident of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005

Maithripala SirisenaPresident of Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2019

Ranil Wickremesinghe9th President of Sri Lanka from July 2022 to September 2024

M.I.A.British singer and rapper (born 1975)

Jacqueline FernandezSri Lankan actress

Gotabaya RajapaksaPresident of Sri Lanka from 2019 to 2022

Anura Kurankan DissanayakePresident of Sri Lanka since 2024

Velupillai Prabhakaranfounder of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a militant organization in Sri Lanka (1954-2009)

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike4th Prime Minister of the Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1956-59

Junius Richard JayewardenePresident of Sri Lanka from 1978 to 1989

History

14 Dec 1955Joined the United Nations

22 May 1972Sri Lanka founded as a sovereign state

Size, side by side

Loading size comparison…

1960 → now

2026

Population21.8M2025

GDP$108.83B2025

GDP per person$5,0022025