ARCHIVE // LK // TIME-SERIES
Population
Sri Lanka — 36 years of data
Historical Values
| Year | Value |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 17,196,436 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990) |
| 1991 | 17,423,736 (July 1991), growth rate 1.2% (1991) |
| 1992 | 17,631,528 (July 1992), growth rate 1.2% (1992); note - about 120,000 people fled to India in 1991 because of fighting between government forces and Tamil insurgents; about 200,000 Tamils will be repatriated in 1992 |
| 1993 | 17,838,190 (July 1993 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid 1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West; fewer than 10,000 Tamils have been successfully repatriated to Sri Lanka |
| 1994 | 18,129,850 (July 1994 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 1995 | 18,342,660 (July 1995 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 1996 | 18,553,074 (July 1996 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 1997 | 18,721,178 (July 1997 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1996, 63,068 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 30,000-40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 1998 | 18,933,558 (July 1998 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1996, 63,068 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 30,000-40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 1999 | 19,144,875 (July 1999 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1996, 63,068 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 30,000-40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West |
| 2000 | 19,238,575 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2000 est.) |
| 2001 | 19,408,635 (July 2001 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West |
| 2002 | 19,576,783 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2002 est.) |
| 2003 | 19,742,439 (2003 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000, approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2003 est.) |
| 2004 | 19,905,165 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000, approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2004 est.) |
| 2005 | 20,064,776 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.) |
| 2006 | 20,222,240 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2006 est.) |
| 2007 | 20,926,315 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2007 est.) |
| 2008 | 21,128,772 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2008 est.) |
| 2009 | 21,324,791 country comparison to the world: 53 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2009 est.) |
| 2010 | 21,513,990 country comparison to the world: 55 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2010 est.) |
| 2011 | 21,283,913 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2012 | 21,481,334 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2013 | 21,675,648 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 |
| 2014 | 21,866,445 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2015 | 22,053,488 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2016 | 22.235 million (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2017 | 22,409,381 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57 |
| 2018 | 22,576,592 (July 2018 est.) |
| 2019 | 22,576,592 (July 2018 est.) |
| 2020 | 22,889,201 (July 2020 est.) |
| 2021 | 23,044,123 (July 2021 est.) |
| 2022 | 23,187,516 (2022 est.) |
| 2023 | 23,326,272 (2023 est.) |
| 2024 | total: 21,982,608 male: 10,642,043 female: 11,340,565 (2024 est.) |
| 2025 | total: 22,050,561 (2025 est.) male: 10,668,528 female: 11,382,033 |