Population by labor force status in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Population by labor force status was 5.04 million people in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
5.04 million people
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
71st
of 186 countries
All-time high
5.37 million people
in 2015
All-time low
5.04 million people
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Sri Lanka, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 5.04 million people for population by labor force status in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Sri Lanka peaked at 5.37 million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.04 million people, in 2025.
That places Sri Lanka 71st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Population by labor force status in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.28 million people | — |
| 1992 | 5.25 million people | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 5.21 million people | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 5.16 million people | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 5.13 million people | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 5.13 million people | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 5.14 million people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 5.17 million people | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 5.19 million people | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 5.21 million people | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 5.22 million people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 5.21 million people | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 5.21 million people | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 5.21 million people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 5.22 million people | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 5.24 million people | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 5.26 million people | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 5.28 million people | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 5.29 million people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 5.31 million people | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 5.32 million people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 5.33 million people | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 5.35 million people | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 5.36 million people | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.37 million people | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 5.36 million people | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 5.35 million people | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 5.33 million people | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 5.30 million people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 5.27 million people | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 5.22 million people | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 5.18 million people | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 5.14 million people | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 5.09 million people | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 5.04 million people | -1.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 5.04 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.99 million people, 2.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 5.04 million people is below the median for South Asia, which is 6.67 million people, 76% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.18 million people | 5.13 million people | 5.28 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.24 million people | 5.21 million people | 5.29 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.34 million people | 5.30 million people | 5.37 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.16 million people | 5.04 million people | 5.27 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 68 Rwanda 5.39 million people compare
- 69 South Korea 5.27 million people compare
- 70 Cambodia 5.26 million people compare
- 72 North Korea 5.03 million people compare
- 73 Australia 4.77 million people compare
- 74 South Sudan 4.58 million people compare
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5407 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5702 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,218 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,672 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 10,578 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 21,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by labor force status in Sri Lanka?
- Population by labor force status in Sri Lanka was 5.04 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 5.37 million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.04 million people in 2025.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for population by labor force status?
- Sri Lanka ranks 71st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).