Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 84.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 84.7% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka peaked at 84.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 59.5%, in 1950.
Sri Lanka ranks 56th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 59.5% | — |
| 1955 | 61.7% | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 64.2% | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 66.9% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 69.5% | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 71.5% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 74.3% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 75.3% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 77.0% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 78.6% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 80.7% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 81.5% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 82.4% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 83.4% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 84.7% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 60.6% | 59.5% | 61.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 65.6% | 64.2% | 66.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 70.5% | 69.5% | 71.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 74.8% | 74.3% | 75.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 77.8% | 77.0% | 78.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 81.1% | 80.7% | 81.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 82.9% | 82.4% | 83.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 84.7% | 84.7% | 84.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 53 Uzbekistan 85.4% compare
- 54 Philippines 84.8% compare
- 55 Iran, Islamic Republic of 84.7% compare
- 57 Burundi 84.6% compare
- 58 Guam 84.5% compare
- 59 Afghanistan 84.4% compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Sri Lanka was 84.7% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.5% in 1950.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Sri Lanka ranks 56th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.