People displaced internally by natural disasters in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: People displaced internally by natural disasters was 17,000 number of cases in 2023. ◆ Volatile
People displaced internally by natural disasters in Sri Lanka, 2008–2023
Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in number of cases.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 17,000 number of cases for people displaced internally by natural disasters in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 54.5% on the previous year and down 94.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people displaced internally by natural disasters in Sri Lanka peaked at 685,000 number of cases in 2011 and was at its lowest, 11,000 number of cases, in 2022.
Sri Lanka ranks 58th of 146 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 444,000 number of cases | 363,000 number of cases | 525,000 number of cases | 2 |
| 2010s | 233,200 number of cases | 66,000 number of cases | 685,000 number of cases | 10 |
| 2020s | 42,000 number of cases | 11,000 number of cases | 121,000 number of cases | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 55 Burundi 21,000 number of cases compare
- 56 South Africa 20,000 number of cases compare
- 57 Bahamas 18,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Chad 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 East Timor 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Ecuador 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Paraguay 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Togo 16,000 number of cases compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1264 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.2745 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.7892 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.372 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 292.34 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people displaced internally by natural disasters in Sri Lanka?
- People displaced internally by natural disasters in Sri Lanka was 17,000 number of cases in 2023, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 685,000 number of cases in 2011.
- What is the lowest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,000 number of cases in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for people displaced internally by natural disasters?
- Sri Lanka ranks 58th out of 146 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people displaced internally by natural disasters rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 94.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People displaced internally by natural disasters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Internally-displaced persons are defined as people or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, as a result of natural or human-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border.