Sri Lanka Travel Podcast with Tharushi Perera

Location

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Terrain

Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Climate

Tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Elevation

Highest point

Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Mean elevation

228 m

Area

Total

65,610 sq km

Land

64,630 sq km

Water

980 sq km

Size comparison

Slightly larger than West Virginia

Coastline

1,340 km

Land borders

Total 0 km

Natural resources

Limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Land use

Agricultural land

48.6% (2023 est.)

Arable land

22.2% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops

19.3% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture

7.1% (2023 est.)

Forest

34.4% (2023 est.)

Other

16.7% (2023 est.)

Natural hazards

Occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Note

Strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km (31-mi) bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century, when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone

Population

Total

22,050,561 (2025 est.)

Male

10,668,528

Female

11,382,033

Nationality

Noun

Sri Lankan(s)

Adjective

Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups

Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)

Languages

Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)

Religions

Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)

Median age

Total

34.2 years (2025 est.)

Male

32.2 years

Female

35.8 years

Life expectancy

Total population

76.8 years (2024 est.)

Male

73.7 years

Female

79.9 years

Urbanisation

Urban population

19.2% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Where people live

The population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

Largest cities

103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 633,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2023)

Background

The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from about 200 B.C. to about A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about A.D. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a South Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century, followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; the name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter-century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a cease-fire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in 2009.

During the post-conflict years under then-President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society. In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, political, and judicial reforms. However, implementation of these reforms was uneven. In 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother Mahinda prime minister. Civil society raised concerns about the RAJAPAKSA administration’s commitment to pursuing justice, human rights, and accountability reforms, as well as the risks to foreign creditors that Sri Lanka faced given its ongoing economic crisis. A combination of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic; severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel; and power outages triggered increasingly violent protests in Columbo beginning in 2022. In response, WICKREMESINGHE -- who had already served as prime minister five times -- was named to replace the prime minister, but he became president within a few months when Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA fled the country.

Government

Presidential republic

Capital

Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Time zone

UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Local name

Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)

Independence

4 February 1948 (from the UK)

National day

Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)

Overview

Economic contraction in 2022-23 marked by increased poverty and significant inflation; IMF two-year debt relief program following 2022 sovereign default; structural challenges from non-diversified economy and rigid labor laws; heavy dependence on tourism receipts and remittances

GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

$13,800 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$13,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,200 (2022 est.)

Inflation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

-0.4% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

16.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

49.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment

Unemployment rate 2024

5% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

4.6% (2022 est.)

Exchange rate

Currency

Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2023

327.507 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

322.633 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

198.764 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

185.593 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

178.745 (2019 est.)

Main industries

Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining

Agriculture

Rice, coconuts, tea, sugarcane, plantains, milk, fiber crops, cassava, chicken, pumpkins/squash (2023)

Airports

18 (2025)

Railways

Total

1,562 km (2016)

Broad gauge

1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge

Ports

Total ports

6 (2024)

Large

0

Medium

2

Small

1

Very small

1

Size unknown

2

Ports with oil terminals

2

Key ports

Batticaloa Roads, Colombo, Galle Harbor, Hambantota, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee Harbor

Internet domain

.lk

Internet users

Percent of population 51% (2023 est.)

Mobile subscriptions

Total subscriptions

30.6 million (2024 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2024 est.)

Environmental issues

Deforestation; soil erosion; poaching; effects of urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and pollution; coral reef destruction; freshwater resources polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Fresh water

52.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)