Sri Lanka population pyramid 2026
23,348,315 people in 2026 (projected). Sri Lanka reached near-replacement fertility decades before most of South Asia, and its pyramid swung from a large male surplus in 1950 to a female one today.
- 2026 population
- 23.3Mrank 60 of 237
- Median age
- 33.6 yearsoldest rank 115
- Fertility rate
- 1.93births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Transitional12.8% age 65+
Sri Lanka population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Sri Lanka age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 21.4% of the population, while 12.8% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 65.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Sri Lanka’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 52.0: about 52 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (32.5 children and 19.5 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Sri Lanka’s population pyramid
A transition ahead of its region
Sri Lanka’s demographic transition ran well ahead of most of South Asia. Infant mortality fell from about 104 per 1,000 live births in 1950 to about 36 by 1980, and life expectancy was already above 64 in 1970, gains widely credited to early public investment in health care, schooling and malaria control. Fertility followed: the total fertility rate dropped from about 5.5 in 1950 to 2.5 by 1990 and has hovered near or just below replacement since 2000.
The pyramid records this in its lower half. Already in 2000 the 15–19 band, born about 1981–85, was wider than the 0–4 band, and in 2026 the three largest bands cover ages 10–24 while the youngest is noticeably smaller. Higher up, the 45–49 band, born about 1977–1981, is about 9% larger than its neighbours and wider than the 35–39 band below it. The chart shows this irregularity clearly, but it cannot by itself establish whether it reflects a temporary rise in births or later differences in migration.
From missing women to missing men
The 1950 pyramid is strikingly male: men outnumbered women in every band, by about a third at ages 35–49. A large, mainly male workforce brought from southern India to the plantations, together with high maternal and female mortality, is often cited for Ceylon’s masculine sex ratio in that period. As those factors faded, the balance shifted.
By 2026 the overall ratio has fallen to about 94 men per 100 women. Women outnumber men from the early thirties onwards, with about 92 men per 100 women at ages 40–54, and the gap widens to 74 at 70–74 as a life expectancy difference of about six years accumulates. The UN estimates net emigration of about 1.2 million between 2000 and 2023; labour migration to the Gulf and the long civil war that ended in 2009 may both contribute to the adult deficit of men, though the guide to sex ratios by age explains why mortality differences matter as well.
Approaching the peak
Sri Lanka’s 2026 structure is closest to those of New Caledonia, Argentina and Tunisia, which combine a broad working-age middle with a narrowing base. Under the medium scenario the population peaks in 2051 at about 24.8 million, and deaths first exceed births in 2058. By 2050 the widest bands sit at ages 35–44, the median age passes 40 and about one person in five is 65 or older. The population peak year ranking shows how Sri Lanka’s timing compares with that of its larger neighbours.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Sri Lanka’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2058. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2045.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Sri Lanka is projected to record 316,459 births (about 866 births a day) and 169,566 deaths, a natural increase of 146,893. Net migration adds −30,760 people, ranking #163 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 8,566,056 births, 3,431,932 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,213,256. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −743,359 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 81.0 years54.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 74.9 years52.1 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 17.6 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.7per 1,000 births · 104 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 5.8per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.7 yearssex ratio at birth 104.4
Women in Sri Lanka are projected to live 6.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 104 to 4.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #176 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.7 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Sri Lanka
The median age of 33.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.93 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 78.0 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,348,315 | #60 | Largest first |
| Median age | 33.6 years | #115 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.93 | #114 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.5% | #135 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 years | #86 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 12.8% | #98 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Sri Lanka
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15–19 | 1,797,692 | 7.7% | 909.3K / 888.4K |
| 2 | 10–14 | 1,748,323 | 7.5% | 891.1K / 857.2K |
| 3 | 20–24 | 1,746,029 | 7.5% | 882.8K / 863.3K |
| 4 | 5–9 | 1,650,940 | 7.1% | 842.5K / 808.4K |
| 5 | 25–29 | 1,632,265 | 7.0% | 825.9K / 806.4K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Sri Lanka has 11,292,879 males and 12,055,436 females. That is 93.7 males per 100 females, ranking #195 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.4% of the population and females for 51.6%. There are 762,557 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 70.6 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.4 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Sri Lanka has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 7,811,047 in 1950 to 23,348,315 in 2026, a change of 199%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.9 to 33.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 38.9% to 21.4%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 7.6% to 12.8%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Sri Lanka’s population is projected to grow by about 6%, reaching 24,813,690 in 2050. The median age changes from 33.6 to 40.2 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 7.5 percentage points to 20.3%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 17.3%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 24,814,757 in 2051. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7,811,047 | 19.9 | 5.46 | 53.2 | 280,651 | 148,586 | +7,785 | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 9,661,389 | 18.5 | 5.35 | 60.6 | 350,999 | 103,367 | −12,610 | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 12,287,110 | 19.0 | 4.39 | 64.4 | 382,894 | 96,168 | −16,299 | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 14,847,974 | 20.4 | 3.72 | 68.0 | 424,706 | 96,559 | −63,541 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 16,352,458 | 22.6 | 2.54 | 69.2 | 335,791 | 111,344 | −195,736 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 19,293,054 | 26.2 | 2.21 | 71.2 | 355,040 | 127,969 | +123,894 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 20,879,089 | 29.2 | 2.13 | 74.5 | 358,011 | 133,680 | −98,060 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 22,561,807 | 32.1 | 2.01 | 76.9 | 331,170 | 153,684 | −29,875 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 22,971,617 | 32.8 | 1.97 | 77.5 | 324,102 | 162,453 | −28,011 | +0.6% |
| 2024* | 23,103,565 | 33.1 | 1.95 | 77.7 | 320,429 | 162,934 | −27,245 | +0.6% |
| 2026* | 23,348,315 | 33.6 | 1.93 | 78.0 | 316,459 | 169,566 | −30,760 | +0.5% |
| 2030* | 23,767,952 | 34.8 | 1.88 | 78.7 | 311,150 | 183,726 | −30,852 | +0.4% |
| 2040* | 24,526,699 | 37.3 | 1.81 | 80.5 | 299,294 | 216,338 | −29,129 | +0.2% |
| 2050* | 24,813,690 | 40.2 | 1.77 | 82.1 | 269,537 | 238,427 | −28,105 | +0.0% |
| 2060* | 24,659,373 | 42.9 | 1.74 | 83.6 | 247,498 | 254,408 | −26,878 | -0.1% |
| 2070* | 24,171,322 | 45.0 | 1.72 | 85.0 | 232,614 | 269,576 | −23,634 | -0.3% |
| 2080* | 23,424,964 | 46.7 | 1.71 | 86.3 | 211,224 | 275,255 | −26,094 | -0.4% |
| 2090* | 22,409,403 | 48.6 | 1.70 | 87.5 | 191,935 | 280,189 | −24,539 | -0.5% |
| 2100* | 21,249,406 | 50.0 | 1.69 | 88.7 | 178,724 | 281,079 | −16,149 | -0.6% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 813,836 | 780,451 | 1,594,287 | 6.8% |
| 5–9 | 842,498 | 808,442 | 1,650,940 | 7.1% |
| 10–14 | 891,149 | 857,174 | 1,748,323 | 7.5% |
| 15–19 | 909,309 | 888,383 | 1,797,692 | 7.7% |
| 20–24 | 882,750 | 863,279 | 1,746,029 | 7.5% |
| 25–29 | 825,890 | 806,375 | 1,632,265 | 7.0% |
| 30–34 | 807,429 | 817,207 | 1,624,636 | 7.0% |
| 35–39 | 741,439 | 796,729 | 1,538,168 | 6.6% |
| 40–44 | 759,884 | 823,456 | 1,583,340 | 6.8% |
| 45–49 | 772,789 | 830,399 | 1,603,188 | 6.9% |
| 50–54 | 647,614 | 704,942 | 1,352,556 | 5.8% |
| 55–59 | 612,890 | 681,477 | 1,294,367 | 5.5% |
| 60–64 | 544,956 | 639,966 | 1,184,922 | 5.1% |
| 65–69 | 467,221 | 583,295 | 1,050,516 | 4.5% |
| 70–74 | 353,973 | 479,703 | 833,676 | 3.6% |
| 75–79 | 239,792 | 362,894 | 602,686 | 2.6% |
| 80–84 | 118,352 | 204,833 | 323,185 | 1.4% |
| 85–89 | 45,654 | 88,555 | 134,209 | 0.6% |
| 90–94 | 13,113 | 31,427 | 44,540 | 0.2% |
| 95–99 | 2,182 | 5,923 | 8,105 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 162 | 526 | 688 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Sri Lanka’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- New Caledonia97% overlap · median age 34.8
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines97% overlap · median age 34.7
- Argentina96% overlap · median age 33.3
- Turkey96% overlap · median age 33.9
- Tunisia96% overlap · median age 33.4
- Kosovo95% overlap · median age 33.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Sri Lanka.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Sri Lanka Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sri-lanka/
MLA
“Sri Lanka Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sri-lanka/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Sri Lanka Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sri-lanka/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sri Lanka in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Sri Lanka's population in 2026 is projected at 23,348,315.
What is the median age in Sri Lanka?
The projected median age in Sri Lanka in 2026 is 33.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Sri Lanka?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.93 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Sri Lanka's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 6%, from 23.3M to 24.8M.
What share of Sri Lanka is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 12.8% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 20.3%.
How many babies are born in Sri Lanka each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 316,459 births and 169,566 deaths in 2026, about 866 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 146,893.
What is life expectancy in Sri Lanka for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 81.0 years for women and 74.9 years for men, a gap of 6.1 years in favour of women.
Does Sri Lanka have more immigrants or emigrants?
Sri Lanka is projected to lose about 30,760 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,213,256.
What is the sex ratio in Sri Lanka?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 93.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.