Sri Lanka: Administrative Division

flag Contents: Sri Lanka

Republic

20,359,439 Population [2012] – census

21,781,800 Population [2024] – census

65,610km² Area

332.0/km² Density [2024]

Contents: Provinces and Districts

The population of the provinces and districts of Sri Lanka according to census results.

The Details icon links to further information about a selected division including its population structure (gender, age groups, age distribution, urbanization, ethnic group, religion).

Name	Status	Population Census 1981-03-17	Population Census 2001-07-17	Population Census 2012-03-20	Population Census 2024-12-19
Central (Madhyama)	Province	2,009,248	2,423,966	2,571,557	2,714,045	→
Kandy	District	1,048,317	1,279,028	1,375,382	1,461,895	→
Matale	District	357,354	441,328	484,531	526,870	→
Nuwara Eliya	District	603,577	703,610	711,644	725,280	→
Eastern (Kilakku, Negenahira)	Province	975,251	1,419,602	1,555,510	1,783,214	→
Ampara	District	388,970	592,997	649,402	744,551	→
Batticaloa	District	330,333	486,447	526,567	595,918	→
Trincomalee	District	255,948	340,158	379,541	442,745	→
North Central (Uturumeda)	Province	849,492	1,104,677	1,266,663	1,407,610	→
Anuradhapura	District	587,929	745,693	860,575	960,080	→
Polonnaruwa	District	261,563	358,984	406,088	447,530	→
Northern (Vatakku, Uturu)	Province	1,109,404	1,040,963	1,061,315	1,150,148	→
Jaffna	District	738,788	490,621	583,882	594,751	→
Kilinochchi	District	91,764	127,263	113,510	136,710	→
Mannar	District	106,235	151,577	99,570	123,756	→
Mullaitivu	District	77,189	121,667	92,238	122,619	→
Vavuniya	District	95,428	149,835	172,115	172,312	→
North Western (Wayamba)	Province	1,704,334	2,169,892	2,380,861	2,586,972	→
Kurunegala	District	1,211,801	1,460,215	1,618,465	1,768,156	→
Puttalam	District	492,533	709,677	762,396	818,816	→
Sabaragamuwa	Province	1,482,031	1,801,331	1,928,655	2,015,899	→
Kegalle	District	684,944	785,524	840,648	870,476	→
Ratnapura	District	797,087	1,015,807	1,088,007	1,145,423	→
Southern (Dakunu)	Province	1,882,661	2,278,271	2,477,285	2,606,679	→
Galle	District	814,531	990,487	1,063,334	1,097,372	→
Hambantota	District	424,344	526,414	599,903	671,418	→
Matara	District	643,786	761,370	814,048	837,889	→
Uva	Province	914,522	1,177,358	1,266,463	1,399,892	→
Badulla	District	640,952	779,983	815,405	872,307	→
Moneragala	District	273,570	397,375	451,058	527,585	→
Western (Basnahira)	Province	3,919,807	5,381,197	5,851,130	6,117,341	→
Colombo	District	1,699,241	2,251,274	2,324,349	2,375,415	→
Gampaha	District	1,390,862	2,063,684	2,304,833	2,436,142	→
Kalutara	District	829,704	1,066,239	1,221,948	1,305,784	→
Sri Lanka	Republic	14,846,750	18,797,257	20,359,439	21,781,800

Source: Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka.

Further information about the population structure:

Gender (C 2024)
Males	10,512,344
Females	11,269,456

Age Groups (C 2024)
0-14 years	4,506,839
15-64 years	14,537,147
65+ years	2,737,814

Age Distribution (C 2024)
0-9 years	2,771,643
10-19 years	3,530,234
20-29 years	2,981,064
30-39 years	2,866,763
40-49 years	3,093,109
50-59 years	2,617,863
60-69 years	2,175,124
70-79 years	1,318,529
80-89 years	379,444
90+ years	48,027

Urbanization (C 2024)
Rural	17,962,597
Urban	3,819,203

Ethnic Group (C 2024)
Sinhalese	16,144,037
Sri Lankan Tamil	2,681,627
Indian Tamil	600,360
Sri Lankan Moor	2,283,246
Other ethnic group	72,530

Religion (C 2024)
Buddhists	15,199,093
Hindus	2,734,839
Muslims	2,337,379
Christians	1,506,533
Other religion	3,956