Sri Lanka has a population density of 928 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. Sri Lanka has 32,224 sq ft of land per person and ranks 25th out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
Sri Lanka has 0.27% of the world's population and 0.04% of the total land area of all countries.
Sri Lanka population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 928 | 25 |
| 2025 | 923 | 25 |
| 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 | 22 |
| 1998 | 768 | 22 |
| 1997 | 754 | 22 |
| 1996 | 739 | 22 |
| 1995 | 725 | 22 |
| 1994 | 714 | 23 |
| 1993 | 703 | 24 |
| 1992 | 691 | 24 |
| 1991 | 680 | 24 |
| 1990 | 675 | 23 |
| 1989 | 671 | 23 |
| 1988 | 664 | 23 |
| 1987 | 657 | 23 |
| 1986 | 650 | 23 |
| 1985 | 642 | 23 |
| 1984 | 638 | 23 |
| 1983 | 636 | 22 |
| 1982 | 631 | 20 |
| 1981 | 624 | 20 |
| 1980 | 613 | 20 |
| 1979 | 602 | 21 |
| 1978 | 591 | 21 |
| 1977 | 580 | 20 |
| 1976 | 570 | 21 |
| 1975 | 560 | 21 |
| 1974 | 550 | 21 |
| 1973 | 539 | 21 |
| 1972 | 529 | 21 |
| 1971 | 518 | 21 |
| 1970 | 507 | 21 |
| 1969 | 496 | 21 |
| 1968 | 485 | 23 |
| 1967 | 473 | 24 |
| 1966 | 462 | 25 |
| 1965 | 451 | 25 |
| 1964 | 440 | 25 |
| 1963 | 429 | 25 |
| 1962 | 419 | 25 |
| 1961 | 409 | 26 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sri-lanka | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in Sri Lanka has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 10.4%. Sri Lanka ranked 25th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 25th still.
Density metrics
Sri Lanka
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 928 ppl/mi² | 25/197 |
| Population |
22185425
|
61/197 |
| Land area | 23,884 sq mi | 122/197 |
| Land area per capita | 30,382 sq ft | 173/197 |
| Rural population | 79.7% | 6/195 |
| Urban population | 20.3% | 190/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 187/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| 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 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sri-lanka | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in Sri Lanka from 1960 to 2024: 17.6% lived in urban areas in 1960, 14.6% in 2000, and 20.3% in 2024.
Densely populated cities
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 648K |
| 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
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sri-lanka | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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