Number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Number of terrorist attacks was 1 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka is 1 attacks, measured in 2021.
The figure is unchanged over five years.
Over the whole period, number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka peaked at 510 attacks in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1970.
That places Sri Lanka 65th out of 188 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | attacks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1971 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1972 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1973 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1974 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1975 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1976 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1977 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1978 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1979 | 3 attacks | — |
| 1980 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1981 | 2 attacks | — |
| 1982 | 2 attacks | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 7 attacks | +250.0% |
| 1984 | 81 attacks | +1057.1% |
| 1985 | 110 attacks | +35.8% |
| 1986 | 142 attacks | +29.1% |
| 1987 | 115 attacks | -19.0% |
| 1988 | 350 attacks | +204.3% |
| 1989 | 510 attacks | +45.7% |
| 1990 | 140 attacks | -72.5% |
| 1991 | 115 attacks | -17.9% |
| 1992 | 103 attacks | -10.4% |
| 1994 | 35 attacks | -66.0% |
| 1995 | 126 attacks | +260.0% |
| 1996 | 176 attacks | +39.7% |
| 1997 | 63 attacks | -64.2% |
| 1998 | 35 attacks | -44.4% |
| 1999 | 46 attacks | +31.4% |
| 2000 | 67 attacks | +45.7% |
| 2001 | 36 attacks | -46.3% |
| 2002 | 3 attacks | -91.7% |
| 2003 | 9 attacks | +200.0% |
| 2004 | 33 attacks | +266.7% |
| 2005 | 133 attacks | +303.0% |
| 2006 | 216 attacks | +62.4% |
| 2007 | 132 attacks | -38.9% |
| 2008 | 100 attacks | -24.2% |
| 2009 | 37 attacks | -63.0% |
| 2010 | 3 attacks | -91.9% |
| 2011 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 2012 | 4 attacks | — |
| 2013 | 14 attacks | +250.0% |
| 2014 | 16 attacks | +14.3% |
| 2015 | 11 attacks | -31.2% |
| 2016 | 1 attacks | -90.9% |
| 2017 | 41 attacks | +4000.0% |
| 2018 | 7 attacks | -82.9% |
| 2019 | 15 attacks | +114.3% |
| 2020 | 1 attacks | -93.3% |
| 2021 | 1 attacks | +0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1 attacks is below the median for South Asia, which is 2 attacks, 50% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +4000.0% | 1 attacks | 41 attacks |
| 1984 | +1057.1% | 7 attacks | 81 attacks |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4 attacks | 0 attacks | 3 attacks | 10 |
| 1980s | 131.9 attacks | 0 attacks | 510 attacks | 10 |
| 1990s | 93.22 attacks | 35 attacks | 176 attacks | 9 |
| 2000s | 76.6 attacks | 3 attacks | 216 attacks | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.2 attacks | 0 attacks | 41 attacks | 10 |
| 2020s | 1 attacks | 1 attacks | 1 attacks | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 65 Albania 1 attacks compare
- 65 Algeria 1 attacks compare
- 65 Australia 1 attacks compare
- 65 Benin 1 attacks compare
- 65 El Salvador 1 attacks compare
- 65 Ghana 1 attacks compare
- 65 Guatemala 1 attacks compare
- 65 Latvia 1 attacks compare
- 65 Lebanon 1 attacks compare
- 65 Maldives 1 attacks compare
- 65 Rwanda 1 attacks compare
- 65 Serbia 1 attacks compare
- 65 Western Sahara 1 attacks compare
- 65 Zambia 1 attacks 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 number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka?
- Number of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka was 1 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 510 attacks in 1989.
- What is the lowest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for number of terrorist attacks?
- Sri Lanka ranks 65th out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.