Sri Lanka has a population density of 918 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Sri Lanka has 32,224 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sri Lanka ranked 25th out of 197.
Sri Lanka has 0.27% of the world's population and 0.04% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Sri Lanka compared to the World's average
Sri Lanka
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 918 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 25/197 | N/A |
| Population |
22149346
|
8280917972
|
| Land area | 23,884 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 30,382 sq ft | 196,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 79.7% | 42.4% |
| Urban population | 20.3% | 57.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Sri Lanka population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Sri Lanka has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 10.6%. The population density rank was 24th 22 years ago and is 25th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 918 | 25 |
| 2023 | 923 | 25 |
| 2022 | 929 | 25 |
| 2021 | 928 | 25 |
| 2020 | 918 | 25 |
| 2019 | 913 | 27 |
| 2018 | 907 | 27 |
| 2017 | 898 | 28 |
| 2016 | 888 | 28 |
| 2015 | 878 | 28 |
| 2014 | 858 | 29 |
| 2013 | 850 | 29 |
| 2012 | 874 | 27 |
| 2011 | 868 | 27 |
| 2010 | 862 | 26 |
| 2009 | 857 | 26 |
| 2008 | 852 | 26 |
| 2007 | 846 | 25 |
| 2006 | 841 | 25 |
| 2005 | 835 | 24 |
| 2004 | 830 | 24 |
| 2003 | 824 | 23 |
| 2002 | 818 | 23 |
| 2001 | 810 | 23 |
| 2000 | 797 | 23 |
| 1999 | 782 | 21 |
| 1998 | 768 | 21 |
| 1997 | 754 | 21 |
| 1996 | 739 | 21 |
| 1995 | 725 | 21 |
| 1994 | 714 | 22 |
| 1993 | 703 | 23 |
| 1992 | 691 | 23 |
| 1991 | 680 | 23 |
| 1990 | 675 | 22 |
| 1989 | 671 | 21 |
| 1988 | 664 | 21 |
| 1987 | 657 | 21 |
| 1986 | 650 | 21 |
| 1985 | 642 | 21 |
| 1984 | 638 | 21 |
| 1983 | 636 | 20 |
| 1982 | 631 | 19 |
| 1981 | 624 | 19 |
| 1980 | 613 | 19 |
| 1979 | 602 | 20 |
| 1978 | 591 | 20 |
| 1977 | 580 | 19 |
| 1976 | 570 | 20 |
| 1975 | 560 | 20 |
| 1974 | 550 | 20 |
| 1973 | 539 | 20 |
| 1972 | 529 | 20 |
| 1971 | 518 | 20 |
| 1970 | 507 | 20 |
| 1969 | 496 | 20 |
| 1968 | 485 | 22 |
| 1967 | 473 | 22 |
| 1966 | 462 | 23 |
| 1965 | 451 | 23 |
| 1964 | 440 | 23 |
| 1963 | 429 | 23 |
| 1962 | 419 | 23 |
| 1961 | 409 | 24 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Sri Lanka from 1960 to 2024: 17.6% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 14.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 20.3%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20.3% | 190 |
| 2023 | 20.1% | 190 |
| 2022 | 20% | 190 |
| 2021 | 19.8% | 190 |
| 2020 | 19.7% | 190 |
| 2019 | 19.5% | 189 |
| 2018 | 19.3% | 189 |
| 2017 | 19.2% | 189 |
| 2016 | 19% | 190 |
| 2015 | 18.8% | 189 |
| 2014 | 18.6% | 188 |
| 2013 | 18.4% | 188 |
| 2012 | 18.3% | 187 |
| 2011 | 17.8% | 188 |
| 2010 | 17.2% | 189 |
| 2009 | 16.7% | 190 |
| 2008 | 16.3% | 190 |
| 2007 | 15.9% | 190 |
| 2006 | 15.5% | 190 |
| 2005 | 15.2% | 190 |
| 2004 | 14.9% | 191 |
| 2003 | 14.7% | 192 |
| 2002 | 14.6% | 192 |
| 2001 | 14.6% | 192 |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 192 |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 189 |
| 1998 | 14.9% | 189 |
| 1997 | 15.2% | 188 |
| 1996 | 15.5% | 186 |
| 1995 | 15.9% | 185 |
| 1994 | 16.3% | 184 |
| 1993 | 16.7% | 182 |
| 1992 | 17.1% | 180 |
| 1991 | 17.6% | 179 |
| 1990 | 18.1% | 179 |
| 1989 | 18.6% | 174 |
| 1988 | 19% | 169 |
| 1987 | 19.5% | 168 |
| 1986 | 19.9% | 166 |
| 1985 | 20.3% | 165 |
| 1984 | 20.7% | 164 |
| 1983 | 21% | 160 |
| 1982 | 21.3% | 156 |
| 1981 | 21.5% | 156 |
| 1980 | 21.6% | 156 |
| 1979 | 21.8% | 155 |
| 1978 | 21.9% | 152 |
| 1977 | 22% | 152 |
| 1976 | 22.1% | 145 |
| 1975 | 22.2% | 145 |
| 1974 | 22.3% | 144 |
| 1973 | 22.4% | 144 |
| 1972 | 22.4% | 143 |
| 1971 | 22.4% | 141 |
| 1970 | 22.3% | 140 |
| 1969 | 22% | 140 |
| 1968 | 21.5% | 141 |
| 1967 | 21% | 141 |
| 1966 | 20.4% | 141 |
| 1965 | 19.8% | 142 |
| 1964 | 19.3% | 142 |
| 1963 | 18.9% | 141 |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 141 |
| 1961 | 18% | 141 |
| 1960 | 17.6% | 139 |
Densely populated cities
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 753K |
| Gampaha | 191K |
| Beruwala | 165K |
| Negombo | 142K |
| Kandy | 120K |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 116K |
| Trincomalee | 99.1K |
| Galle | 93.1K |
| Matara | 68.2K |
| Anuradhapura | 63.2K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Sri Lanka topic pages:
Population density comparisons
