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Population in Iran compared to Sri Lanka: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Iran was 91,567,738 in 2024 vs 21,916,000 people in Sri Lanka in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Iran's population is 93,468,444 people compared to 22,185,425 in Sri Lanka.

Population statistics:

  • Iran's population is 4.21 times bigger than Sri Lanka's.
  • Iran is ranked the 17th most populous country in the world, while Sri Lanka is the 63rd.
  • The countries together account for 1.4% of the world: 1.13% for Iran vs 0.27% for Sri Lanka.
  • For the last 10 years, Iran has had an average growth rate of +1.19% per year vs +0.57% in Sri Lanka.
  • Since 2006, the population of Iran has increased from 73.4M people to 93.5M (27.4% growth), while Sri Lanka has grown from 20.4M to 22.2M (9.01% growth).

Iran vs Sri Lanka: population by year and forecast

Iran
Factual

Projection
Sri Lanka
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Iran Sri Lanka
2100 80,713,760 20,270,496
2099 81,246,718 20,383,669
2098 81,770,953 20,498,567
2097 82,295,714 20,611,123
2096 82,818,575 20,723,560
2095 83,338,446 20,834,629
2094 83,854,648 20,943,809
2093 84,371,569 21,052,131
2092 84,888,626 21,158,833
2091 85,410,099 21,263,961
2090 85,934,675 21,371,263
2089 86,466,409 21,475,426
2088 87,004,165 21,577,177
2087 87,549,685 21,677,510
2086 88,105,571 21,777,420
2085 88,668,329 21,876,464
2084 89,239,709 21,970,336
2083 89,817,194 22,062,801
2082 90,402,538 22,151,745
2081 90,995,822 22,240,834
2080 91,595,122 22,326,555
2079 92,196,842 22,411,438
2078 92,801,160 22,489,772
2077 93,405,954 22,565,028
2076 94,007,669 22,637,463
2075 94,606,607 22,707,112
2074 95,197,577 22,778,489
2073 95,783,994 22,844,703
2072 96,355,853 22,905,707
2071 96,915,335 22,964,866
2070 97,460,813 23,022,515
2069 97,988,897 23,076,310
2068 98,496,927 23,129,541
2067 98,978,509 23,184,596
2066 99,439,391 23,234,419
2065 99,877,457 23,285,901
2064 100,288,977 23,331,390
2063 100,668,199 23,372,184
2062 101,017,348 23,409,522
2061 101,332,810 23,441,893
2060 101,612,261 23,474,032
2059 101,858,931 23,502,132
2058 102,061,144 23,528,076
2057 102,228,085 23,550,580
2056 102,358,266 23,570,923
2055 102,449,092 23,582,432
2054 102,498,594 23,591,414
2053 102,508,245 23,601,371
2052 102,480,373 23,605,361
2051 102,417,847 23,606,194
2050 102,318,917 23,603,330
2049 102,189,816 23,597,604
2048 102,024,233 23,587,307
2047 101,832,213 23,570,881
2046 101,613,554 23,547,409
2045 101,371,784 23,515,133
2044 101,104,998 23,483,546
2043 100,818,045 23,446,242
2042 100,512,032 23,404,983
2041 100,188,214 23,357,358
2040 99,849,875 23,306,148
2039 99,501,869 23,248,341
2038 99,137,385 23,187,512
2037 98,759,167 23,120,775
2036 98,366,612 23,053,427
2035 97,963,082 22,981,808
2034 97,546,148 22,906,587
2033 97,118,106 22,826,414
2032 96,671,440 22,742,267
2031 96,204,118 22,655,907
2030 95,718,604 22,564,038
2029 95,195,996 22,470,759
2028 94,623,034 22,370,999
2027 93,987,260 22,266,017
2026 93,276,075 22,155,543
2025 92,478,162 22,039,908
2024 91,567,738 21,916,000
2023 90,608,707 22,037,000
2022 89,524,246 22,181,000
2021 88,455,488 22,156,000
2020 87,723,443 21,919,000
2019 87,051,648 21,803,000
2018 86,117,998 21,670,000
2017 85,026,754 21,453,000
2016 83,812,228 21,209,000
2015 82,619,362 20,970,000
2014 81,502,045 20,778,000
2013 80,414,686 20,585,000
2012 79,370,580 21,169,458
2011 78,383,598 21,009,048
2010 77,420,842 20,879,089
2009 76,457,825 20,756,435
2008 75,514,204 20,629,378
2007 74,602,648 20,492,545
2006 73,392,747 20,352,411
2005 71,828,455 20,216,524
2004 70,256,316 20,087,605
2003 68,769,340 19,951,521
2002 68,011,317 19,805,752
2001 67,452,005 19,600,362
2000 66,418,659 19,293,054
1999 65,445,391 18,944,731
1998 64,519,859 18,596,003
1997 63,639,638 18,248,200
1996 62,881,300 17,905,018
1995 62,205,567 17,564,068
1994 61,520,598 17,275,773
1993 61,403,543 17,025,918
1992 61,184,983 16,739,284
1991 59,986,931 16,475,354
1990 58,380,092 16,352,458
1989 56,704,914 16,248,557
1988 55,072,694 16,078,621
1987 53,323,493 15,916,576
1986 51,446,045 15,731,256
1985 49,582,289 15,544,154
1984 47,793,998 15,441,860
1983 46,029,535 15,388,794
1982 44,272,141 15,286,567
1981 41,989,312 15,099,414
1980 39,842,324 14,847,974
1979 38,424,952 14,579,614
1978 37,126,535 14,310,128
1977 35,933,181 14,049,371
1976 34,837,271 13,796,770
1975 33,802,973 13,548,984
1974 32,796,463 13,305,693
1973 31,839,838 13,060,916
1972 30,921,179 12,809,205
1971 30,029,071 12,551,910
1970 29,145,100 12,287,110
1969 28,273,482 12,013,858
1968 27,437,391 11,736,088
1967 26,628,432 11,457,328
1966 25,829,270 11,183,928
1965 25,036,978 10,916,965
1964 24,262,859 10,653,397
1963 23,519,005 10,395,040
1962 22,807,907 10,143,754
1961 22,125,726 9,899,372
1960 21,470,434 9,661,389

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Iran increased by 10,419,481 people (a 14.2% growth), while Sri Lanka gained 856,589 people (a 4.21% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Iran gained 9,656,216 people (a 11.5% growth), while Sri Lanka's population increased by 976,425 people (a 4.6% growth).

Iran was ranked 17th most populous country in 2006 and is still 17th in 2026. Sri Lanka was ranked 55th in 2006 and ranked 63rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Iran's population will grow by 9.47% to 102,318,917 people with a rank change from 17th to 18th. The population of Sri Lanka will increase by 6.39% to 23,603,330 people and rank change from 63rd to 70th.

Iran is projected to reach its peak in 2053 at 103M people compared to the peak of 23.6M people in 2051 for Sri Lanka.

Population growth rate by year

Iran
Factual

Projection
Sri Lanka
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Iran Sri Lanka
2100 -0.66% -0.56%
2099 -0.64% -0.56%
2098 -0.64% -0.55%
2097 -0.63% -0.54%
2096 -0.62% -0.53%
2095 -0.62% -0.52%
2094 -0.61% -0.51%
2093 -0.61% -0.5%
2092 -0.61% -0.49%
2091 -0.61% -0.5%
2090 -0.61% -0.49%
2089 -0.62% -0.47%
2088 -0.62% -0.46%
2087 -0.63% -0.46%
2086 -0.63% -0.45%
2085 -0.64% -0.43%
2084 -0.64% -0.42%
2083 -0.65% -0.4%
2082 -0.65% -0.4%
2081 -0.65% -0.38%
2080 -0.65% -0.38%
2079 -0.65% -0.35%
2078 -0.65% -0.33%
2077 -0.64% -0.32%
2076 -0.63% -0.31%
2075 -0.62% -0.31%
2074 -0.61% -0.29%
2073 -0.59% -0.27%
2072 -0.58% -0.26%
2071 -0.56% -0.25%
2070 -0.54% -0.23%
2069 -0.52% -0.23%
2068 -0.49% -0.24%
2067 -0.46% -0.21%
2066 -0.44% -0.22%
2065 -0.41% -0.19%
2064 -0.38% -0.17%
2063 -0.35% -0.16%
2062 -0.31% -0.14%
2061 -0.28% -0.14%
2060 -0.24% -0.12%
2059 -0.2% -0.11%
2058 -0.16% -0.1%
2057 -0.13% -0.09%
2056 -0.09% -0.05%
2055 -0.05% -0.04%
2054 -0.009% -0.04%
2053 0.03% -0.02%
2052 0.06% -0.004%
2051 0.1% 0.01%
2050 0.13% 0.02%
2049 0.16% 0.04%
2048 0.19% 0.07%
2047 0.22% 0.1%
2046 0.24% 0.14%
2045 0.26% 0.13%
2044 0.28% 0.16%
2043 0.3% 0.18%
2042 0.32% 0.2%
2041 0.34% 0.22%
2040 0.35% 0.25%
2039 0.37% 0.26%
2038 0.38% 0.29%
2037 0.4% 0.29%
2036 0.41% 0.31%
2035 0.43% 0.33%
2034 0.44% 0.35%
2033 0.46% 0.37%
2032 0.49% 0.38%
2031 0.51% 0.41%
2030 0.55% 0.42%
2029 0.61% 0.45%
2028 0.68% 0.47%
2027 0.76% 0.5%
2026 0.86% 0.52%
2025 0.99% 0.57%
2024 1.06% -0.55%
2023 1.21% -0.65%
2022 1.21% 0.11%
2021 0.83% 1.08%
2020 0.77% 0.53%
2019 1.08% 0.61%
2018 1.28% 1.01%
2017 1.45% 1.15%
2016 1.44% 1.14%
2015 1.37% 0.92%
2014 1.35% 0.94%
2013 1.32% -2.76%
2012 1.26% 0.76%
2011 1.24% 0.62%
2010 1.26% 0.59%
2009 1.25% 0.62%
2008 1.22% 0.67%
2007 1.65% 0.69%
2006 2.18% 0.67%
2005 2.24% 0.64%
2004 2.16% 0.68%
2003 1.11% 0.74%
2002 0.83% 1.05%
2001 1.56% 1.59%
2000 1.49% 1.84%
1999 1.43% 1.88%
1998 1.38% 1.91%
1997 1.21% 1.92%
1996 1.09% 1.94%
1995 1.11% 1.67%
1994 0.19% 1.47%
1993 0.36% 1.71%
1992 2% 1.6%
1991 2.75% 0.75%
1990 2.95% 0.64%
1989 2.96% 1.06%
1988 3.28% 1.02%
1987 3.65% 1.18%
1986 3.76% 1.2%
1985 3.74% 0.66%
1984 3.83% 0.34%
1983 3.97% 0.67%
1982 5.44% 1.24%
1981 5.39% 1.69%
1980 3.69% 1.84%
1979 3.5% 1.88%
1978 3.32% 1.86%
1977 3.15% 1.83%
1976 3.06% 1.83%
1975 3.07% 1.83%
1974 3% 1.87%
1973 2.97% 1.97%
1972 2.97% 2.05%
1971 3.03% 2.16%
1970 3.08% 2.27%
1969 3.05% 2.37%
1968 3.04% 2.43%
1967 3.09% 2.44%
1966 3.16% 2.45%
1965 3.19% 2.47%
1964 3.16% 2.49%
1963 3.12% 2.48%
1962 3.08% 2.47%
1961 3.05% 2.46%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/sri-lanka | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Iran grew by 1.06%, while Sri Lanka's population declined by 0.55%.

Live population counters

Iran Sri Lanka
Current population
93468444
22185425
Population rank 17/197 63/197
Percent of world population 1.13% 0.27%
One net population change
32.9 seconds
4.34 minutes
One birth every
26.9 seconds
2.13 minutes
One death every
1.24 minutes
2.91 minutes
Daily growth/decline +2,627 -332
Annual growth/decline +959,031 -121,000
Annual growth/decline rate +1.06% -0.55%
Population growth rate rank 98/197 188/197
One migration net change every
4.51 minutes
17.2 minutes
Annual migration change +116,786 -30,724
Net migration rank 14/196 165/196
Foreign-born residents 3,840,654 40,698
Foreign-born residents rank 17/195 156/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.2% 0.2%
Foreign-born share rank 103/195 190/195

Natural population change vs migration

Iran
Natural

Migration
Sri Lanka
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Iran Sri Lanka
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 116,786 - -30,724
2024 - 190,156 - -27,245
2023 750,150 262,044 66,111 -28,011
2022 753,525 403,190 95,378 -27,435
2021 645,725 334,967 121,858 -29,586
2020 663,978 -180,680 170,968 -29,875
2019 893,063 -32,794 172,243 -28,426
2018 1,035,052 -27,946 183,610 -28,607
2017 1,140,549 34,849 187,993 -22,324
2016 1,186,949 66,630 194,232 -18,388
2015 1,178,317 -46,239 201,815 -29,797
2014 1,158,552 -56,042 211,541 -33,672
2013 1,119,533 -47,322 221,021 -37,754
2012 1,073,804 -57,823 229,138 -41,955
2011 1,023,925 -65,924 224,461 -90,839
2010 980,380 -12,849 224,325 -98,060
2009 958,322 211 200,175 -81,130
2008 940,983 -12,184 232,225 -97,144
2007 919,254 -24,950 248,287 -109,695
2006 884,529 640,932 248,706 -107,045
2005 837,305 765,873 248,683 -118,594
2004 801,203 739,996 212,527 -84,795
2003 732,600 700,222 252,008 -107,573
2002 752,205 -668,962 252,840 -105,718
2001 743,658 291,692 244,377 19,273
2000 731,203 300,133 227,060 123,894
1999 723,237 191,988 206,876 138,799
1998 717,655 218,171 201,059 150,724
1997 726,574 98,009 208,193 135,636
1996 784,508 -92,435 215,290 127,236
1995 879,648 -220,258 221,957 117,416
1994 1,008,076 -297,487 228,904 8,323
1993 1,219,658 -1,696,091 226,257 36,232
1992 1,365,466 -451,945 222,230 88,542
1991 1,495,594 -13,059 218,117 -1,047
1990 1,530,434 200,711 224,454 -195,736
1989 1,609,739 9,460 212,401 -33,305
1988 1,614,512 30,688 219,184 -58,415
1987 1,639,644 213,524 226,414 -63,105
1986 1,659,289 242,411 233,782 -26,460
1985 1,661,750 163,999 247,836 -80,950
1984 1,653,051 97,748 263,175 -225,450
1983 1,573,612 204,544 277,768 -209,362
1982 1,514,240 222,390 300,030 -163,987
1981 1,376,830 1,452,169 328,096 -89,824
1980 1,361,293 103,674 328,155 -63,541
1979 1,294,306 75,451 329,791 -57,683
1978 1,156,974 70,088 317,055 -50,189
1977 1,091,542 68,093 300,038 -45,383
1976 1,013,347 18,825 291,816 -41,258
1975 929,481 106,921 282,496 -37,475
1974 873,369 103,252 275,521 -33,979
1973 831,880 104,779 278,577 -30,582
1972 804,043 96,614 282,494 -27,071
1971 805,830 77,717 281,200 -22,021
1970 794,612 89,757 286,719 -16,299
1969 780,660 78,196 286,218 -10,152
1968 743,992 69,342 286,642 -7,163
1967 727,276 77,313 284,738 -6,696
1966 695,040 98,709 275,549 -6,794
1965 663,029 127,808 272,422 -7,249
1964 635,589 121,817 269,584 -7,614
1963 620,126 110,190 262,880 -8,118
1962 595,538 96,332 256,719 -8,909
1961 594,674 77,811 251,087 -10,144
1960 584,060 54,041 247,631 -12,610

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/sri-lanka | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 92.5% of the population change in Iran is from natural causes (a gain of 9,405,860 people) and 7.46% is from migration (a gain of 757,979 people). In Sri Lanka 85.3% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,605,749 people) and 14.7% is from migration (a loss of 276,121 people).

As of 2024, 3,840,654 residents or 4.2% of the population were not native-born in Iran, compared to 40,698 people or 0.2% in Sri Lanka.

Biggest cities by population

Iran
City Population
Tehran 8.69M
Mashhad 3M
Isfahan 1.96M
Karaj 1.59M
Shiraz 1.57M
Tabriz 1.56M
Qom 1.2M
Ahvaz 1.18M
Kermanshah 947K
Urmia 736K
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 map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/sri-lanka | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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