Demographics of Sri Lanka
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Sri Lanka, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, also called Ceylon and many other names. It is about the size of Ireland. It is about 28 kilometres off the south-eastern coast of India with a population of about 20 million. Density is highest in the south west where Colombo, the country's main port and industrial center, is located. The net population growth is about 0.7%. Sri Lanka is ethnically, linguistically, and religiously diverse.
Overview
According to the 2012 census the population of Sri Lanka was 20,359,439, giving a population density of 325/km2. The population had grown by 5,512,689 since the 1981 census, equivalent to an annual growth rate of 1.1%. 3,704,470 lived in urban sectors - areas governed by municipal and urban councils.5,131,666 of the population were aged 14 or under whilst 2,525,573 were aged 60 or over, leaving a working age population of 12,702,700. The dependency ratio was 60.2%. The mean age was 32 years and the median age was 31 years. The sex ratio was 94 males per 100 females. The fertility rate for married females aged 15 or over was 2.65 live births. There were 5,264,282 households of which 3,986,236 were headed by males and 1,278,046 were headed by females.
Of the 15,227,773 aged 15 or over, 10,322,105 were married, 3,927,602 were never married, 792,947 were widowed and 185,119 were divorced or separated.
Of those aged 15 or over, 7,857,370 were economically active, 4,199,558 did housework, 1,431,105 were students, 914,934 were unable to work and 346,084 were pensioners. 521,938 of the economically active were unemployed. 604,540 Sri Lankans were living aboard for more than six months but were intending to return to Sri Lanka, mostly in the Gulf states.
The overall literacy rate for those aged 10 and over was 95.7% but amongst those living in the estate sector it was only 86.1%. Of the 18,615,577 aged 5 or over, 499,563 had received a higher education qualification, 2,293,841 had passed G.C.E. A/L, 3,159,402 had passed G.C.E. O/L and 700,419 had no formal schooling. The remaining 11,962,352 had left school with no qualifications or were currently at school.
Sri Lanka's population is aging faster than any other nation in South Asia and has the fifth highest rapidly growing population of older people in Asia after China, Thailand, South Korea and Japan. In 2015, Sri Lanka's population aged over 60 was 13.9%, by 2030 this will increase to 21% and by 2050 this number will reach 27.4%. Sri Lanka's rapidly growing older population has ignited concerns of the socio-economic challenges that the country will face because of this.
Ethnicity
The Sinhalese make up 74.9% of the population and are concentrated in the densely populated south-west and central parts of the island. The Sri Lanka Tamils, who live predominantly in the north and east of the island, form the largest minority group at 11.1% of the population.The Moors, descendants of Arab traders that settled in Sri Lanka and married local women, form the third largest ethnic group at 9.3% of the population. They are mostly concentrated in urban areas in the southern parts of the island with substantial populations in the Central and Eastern provinces. During times of Portuguese colonization, Moors were persecuted, and many forced to retreat to the central highlands and the eastern coast.
There are also Indian Tamils who form a distinct ethnic group comprising 4.1% of the population. The British brought them to Sri Lanka in the 19th century as tea and rubber plantation workers, and they remain concentrated in the "tea country" of south-central Sri Lanka. The Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka were considered to be "stateless" and over 300 000 Indian Tamils were deported back to India, due to the agreement between Sri Lanka and India in 1964. Under the pact, India granted citizenship to the remainder, some 200,000 of whom now live in India. Another 75,000 Indian Tamils, who themselves or whose parents once applied for Indian citizenship, now wish to remain in Sri Lanka. The government has stated these Tamils will not be forced to return to India, although they are not technically citizens of Sri Lanka. By the 1990s most Indian Tamils had received Sri Lankan citizenship, and some even were not granted Sri Lankan citizenship until 2003.
Smaller minorities include the Malays who descend from Austronesian settlers, the Burghers, who are descendants of European colonists, principally from Portugal, the Netherlands and the UK and ethnic Chinese migrants who came to the island in the 18th and 19th centuries and a small population who are descended from Africa.
Religion
According to the 2012 census Buddhists make up 70.2% of the population, Hindus 12.6%, Muslims 9.7% and Christians 7.6%. Most Sinhalese are Buddhist; most Tamils are Hindu; and the Moors and Malays are mostly Muslim. Sizeable minorities of both Sinhalese and Tamils are Christians, most of whom are Roman Catholic. The Burgher population is mostly Roman Catholic or Presbyterian. The Veddahs have Animist and Buddhist practices. The 1978 constitution, while assuring freedom of religion, gives "the foremost place" to Buddhism.Languages
, an Indo-European language, is the first language of the Sinhalese. Tamil, a Dravidian language, is the first language of the Tamils. Tamil is also the first language the majority of Moors and the Indian Tamils - according to the 2012 census 98% of Moors could speak Tamil but only 59% could speak Sinhala.Malays speak Sri Lanka Malay, a Creole language mixing Sinhala, Tamil and Malay. Many of the Burghers speak Sri Lankan Indo-Portuguese although its use has declined and the majority now speak Sinhala. The Veddahs speak Vedda, a Creole language closely based on Sinhala. Use of English has declined since independence, but it continues to be spoken by many in the middle and upper middle classes, particularly in Colombo. According to the 2012 census 24% of the population could speak English. The government is seeking to reverse the decline in the use of English, mainly for economic but also for political reasons. According to the constitution Sinhala and Tamil are official languages whilst English is the link language.
Vital statistics
UN estimates:Fertility and births
Total Fertility Rate and Crude Birth Rate :| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1981-1983 | 3,1 | 2,4 | 3,2 | 3,4 | ||||
| 1987 | 2,8 | 2,3 | 2,9 | 3,4 | ||||
| 2006-2007 | 18,7 | 2,3 | 18,5 | 2,2 | 18,6 | 2,3 | 20,0 | 2,5 |
Births and deaths
Life expectancy
Source: UN World Population ProspectsPopulation pyramid
Provisional estimates :| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 9 940 000 | 10 544 000 | 20 483 000 | 100 |
| 0-4 | 891 000 | 871 000 | 1 762 000 | 8.60 |
| 5-9 | 895 000 | 869 000 | 1 764 000 | 8.61 |
| 10-14 | 835 000 | 810 000 | 1 645 000 | 8.03 |
| 15-19 | 819 000 | 839 000 | 1 658 000 | 8.09 |
| 20-24 | 754 000 | 777 000 | 1 530 000 | 7.47 |
| 25-29 | 751 000 | 806 000 | 1 557 000 | 7.60 |
| 30-34 | 799 000 | 849 000 | 1 649 000 | 8.05 |
| 35-39 | 688 000 | 732 000 | 1 421 000 | 6.94 |
| 40-44 | 673 000 | 711 000 | 1 384 000 | 6.76 |
| 45-49 | 625 000 | 666 000 | 1 291 000 | 6.30 |
| 50-54 | 585 000 | 643 000 | 1 228 000 | 6.00 |
| 55-59 | 505 000 | 561 000 | 1 066 000 | 5.20 |
| 60-64 | 428 000 | 495 000 | 924 000 | 4.51 |
| 65-69 | 287 000 | 348 000 | 635 000 | 3.10 |
| 70-74 | 182 000 | 231 000 | 413 000 | 2.02 |
| 75-79 | 116 000 | 170 000 | 286 000 | 1.40 |
| 80+ | 107 000 | 164 000 | 270 000 | 1.32 |
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated:- Population - 21,481,334
- Age structure - 0–14 years: 23.9% ; 15–64 years: 68% ; 65 years and over:8.1%
- Median age - total: 31.1 years; male: 30.1 years; female: 32.2 years
- Population growth rate - 0.913%
- Birth rate - 17.04 births/1,000 population
- Death rate - 5.96 deaths/1,000 population
- Net migration rate - -1.95 migrant/1,000 population
- Urbanization - urban population: 14% of total population ; rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change
- Sex ratio - at birth: 1.04 male/female; under 15 years: 1.04 male/female; 15–64 years: 0.96 male/female; 65 years and over: 0.75 male/female; total population: 0.96 male/female
- Infant mortality rate - total: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 10.44 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 8.45 deaths/1,000 live births
- Life expectancy at birth - total population: 75.94 years; male: 72.43 years; female: 79.59 years
- Total fertility rate - 2.17 children born/woman
- Health expenditures - 4% of GDP
- Physicians density - 0.492 physicians/1,000 population
- Hospital bed density - 3.1 beds/1,000 population
- HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate - less than 0.1%
- HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS - 2,800
- HIV/AIDS - deaths - fewer than 200
- Major infectious diseases - degree of risk: high; food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A; vectorborne disease: dengue fever and chikungunya; water contact disease: leptospirosis; animal contact disease: rabies
- Nationality - noun: Sri Lankan;
- Ethnic group - Sinhalese 73.8%; Sri Lankan Tamil 11.15%; Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%; Indian Tamil 4.6%; other 0.5%; unspecified 2.75%
- Religion - Buddhism 70.19%; Hinduism 12.61%; Islam 9.71%; Christianity 7.45%; Other 0.05%
- Languages - Sinhala 74%; Tamil 25%; other 1%
- Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 91.2%; male: 92.6%; female:90%