Sri Lanka’s population growth hits all-time low

Sri Lanka’s population at the end of 2024 is 21,763,170 in  comparison to 20,359,439 in 2023

Working population decreases by 3.35 per cent since 2019  

Number of births reduced by 30.8 per cent since 2019 

Number of marriages reduced by 14.7 per cent since 2019

Number of deaths increased by 17.2 per cent since 2019 

Colombo District sees the highest decline in population growth 

By Huzefa Aliasger  

Sri Lanka is facing an astonishing decline in its growth  rate with the percentage hitting an all-time low of 0.5 per cent since  1871, leading to social issues such as the shrinkage in the working age  group and the increase in the aged population that will trigger  challenges for policymakers to spend more on welfare and health.  

The recent report released by the Department of Census and  Statistics (DCS) on the Census of Population and Housing of 2024,  reveals that Sri Lanka’s population at the end of 2024 is 21,763,170 in  comparison to 20,359,439 in 2023 which shows an increase of 6.9 per cent since last year (1.4 million) The report states that from 1953 the  average annual growth rate has been constantly reducing from 2.8 per  cent to 0.5 per cent, while a considerable amount of the growth rate  decline is seen in the Colombo District. 

It is a decrease in annual  growth rate from 1.43 to 0.17 per cent. The population of Sri Lanka in  1871 was recorded at 2,400,380 by the Department of Census and  Statistics.  

Country Representative of the United Nations Population  Fund (UNFPA) Sri Lanka Kunle Adeniyi in an event organised by the  Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies in  2024 said that “By 2041, one in four Sri Lankans is projected to be over  the age of 60. This transition, while reflective of improved  healthcare, presents a challenge that is exacerbated by Sri Lanka’s  lower per capita income and less developed social institutions compared  to other countries experiencing similar trends.”  

The report by the DCS says “When analysing the population  by district, Gampaha District has reported the highest population in Sri  Lanka, which has a population of 2,433,685. It is followed closely by  Colombo District, which has a population of 2,374,461. The population  difference between these two districts is 59,224 persons.”   

In another statistic released by the DCS the data shows the  number of births in Sri Lanka has decreased by 30.8 per cent since  before COVID (2019) to 2024, during the same period the number of marriages  decreased by 14.7 per cent and the number of deaths increased by 17.2 per  cent, in which Colombo District has had the most impact showing, 29.3  per cent decrease in the number of births, 12.1 per cent decrease in  marriages and 8.9 per cent increase in deaths.   

Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) Consultant Paediatrician Dr.  Deepal Perera told Daily Mirror in January 2025, “The paediatric  population has decreased primarily because many young people have  migrated, and a large proportion of them are either unwilling to marry  or choose not to have children due to the ongoing economic crisis, The  existing child population must be protected, as they are vulnerable to  various communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as  psychological issues.”  

The report states that Sri Lanka’s population of 21,763,170  is divided by 48.72 per cent of the population being males and 51.28 per  cent of the population being females.  

The elderly population aged 80 plus have been constant  since 2019 with a total of 293,000 persons of which 116,000 are males  and 177,000 are females, however the working population aged 20-54 have  been seeing a slight decrease of 3.35 per cent from 5,207,000 males and  5,710,000 females to 5,028,000 males and 5,524,000 females in the same  time period.