THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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.

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,630 sq km
water: 980 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 1,340 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Elevation: highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 228 m
Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 34.4% (2023 est.)
other: 16.7% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,700 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: 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
Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Geography - 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.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.6% (male 2,537,918/female 2,423,615)
15-64 years: 65% (male 6,954,869/female 7,336,897)
65 years and over: 12.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,149,256/female 1,580,053)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 53.9 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 34.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 34.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 32.2 years
female: 35.8 years
Population growth rate: 0.22% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 14.38 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: 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
Urbanization: urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 633,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 25.6 years (2016 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 18 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.7 years
female: 79.9 years
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.03 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 98.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 87.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 89.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 10.7% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.1% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 1.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 5.2% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 2.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 18.2% (2025 est.)
male: 36.3% (2025 est.)
female: 2% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.1% (2024 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 66.3% (2016 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.9% (2016)
women married by age 18: 9.8% (2016)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 7.2% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 92.7% (2023 est.)
male: 93.4% (2023 est.)
female: 92% (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 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
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation
Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Land use: agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 34.4% (2023 est.)
other: 16.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 19.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 14.003 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 24.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.632 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 805 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 831 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 11.31 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 52.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)
local short form: Shri Lanka (Sinhala)/ Ilankai (Tamil)
former: Serendib, Ceylon
etymology: the name is composed of the Sanskrit words shri (happiness or holiness) and lanka (island); the former name Serendib was an Arabic derivation of the Sanskrit word simhaladvipa, or "island of the place of lions;" the former name Ceylon came from the Sanskrit simha, or "lion"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
Legal system: mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and in some cases approval in a referendum by absolute majority of valid votes
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka
dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
head of government: President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
election/appointment process: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 21 September 2024
election results: 2024: Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE elected president; percent of vote after reallocation - Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (JVP) 55.9%, Sajith PREMADASA (SJB) 44.1%
expected date of next election: 2029
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 225 (196 directly elected; 29 indirectly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 11/14/2024
parties elected and seats per party: National People's Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya, NPP) (159); Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) (40); Other (26)
percentage of women in chamber: 9.8%
expected date of next election: November 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation
judge selection and term of office: chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts
Political parties: Crusaders for Democracy or CFDEelam People's Democratic Party or EPDPEelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLFIllankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi or ITAKJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVPJathika Hela Urumaya or JHUNational People's Power or NPP (also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya or JJB)People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam or PLOTESamagi Jana Balawegaya or SJBSri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFPSri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMCSri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance or SLPFA (includes SLPFP, SLPP, and several smaller parties)Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Sri Lanka's People's Front) or SLPPTamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELOTamil National Alliance or TNA (includes ITAK, PLOTE, TELO)Tamil National People's Front or TNPFTamil People's National Alliance or TPNAUnited National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG (coalition includes JHU, UNP)United National Party or UNP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahinda SAMARASINGHE (since 13 January 2022)
chancery: 3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025
FAX: [1] 202-232-2329
email address and website: slemb.washington@mfa.gov.lkhttps://slembassyusa.org/
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03
mailing address: 6100 Colombo Place, Washington DC 20521-6100
telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
email address and website: colomboacs@state.govhttps://lk.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 4 February 1948 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)
Flag: description: yellow with two panels; the smaller panel on the left has two equal vertical bands of green (left side) and orange; the larger panel has a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon field, with a yellow bo leaf in each cornermeaning: the sword stands for national sovereignty; the lion for Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the four bo leaves for Buddhism and the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange stands for Tamils, green for Moors, and maroon for the Sinhalese majority; yellow represents other ethnic groups
National symbol(s): lion, water lily
National color(s): maroon, yellow
National anthem(s): title: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)
lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE (Sinhala),M. NALLATHAMBY (Tamil)/Ananda SAMARKONE
history: adopted 1951
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (c); Ancient City of Sigiriya (c); Sacred City of Anuradhapura (c); Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (c); Sacred City of Kandy (c); Sinharaja Forest Reserve (n); Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple (c); Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (n)

Economic 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $301.407 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $287.031 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $293.878 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -2.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -7.3% (2022 est.)
Real 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.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $98.963 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 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.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 8.3% (2024 est.)
industry: 25.5% (2024 est.)
services: 57.5% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 68.7% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 18.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 8.2% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 19.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -22.5% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, coconuts, tea, sugarcane, plantains, milk, fiber crops, cassava, chicken, pumpkins/squash (2023)
Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining
Industrial production growth rate: 11% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 8.499 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 4.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 22.3% (2024 est.)
male: 18.4% (2024 est.)
female: 29.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 14.3% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019: 37.7 (2019 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 27.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% (2019 est.)
highest 10%: 30.8% (2019 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 7.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $9.387 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $17.144 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2017: 79.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 9.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: $1.559 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$1.448 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$3.284 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $17.327 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $16.169 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $14.974 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 22%, India 7%, Germany 7%, UK 7%, Italy 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: garments, tea, precious stones, used rubber tires, rubber products (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $18.823 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $19.244 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $21.526 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: India 21%, China 19%, UAE 10%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, fabric, crude petroleum, packaged medicine, cotton fabric (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $6.094 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $4.405 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.896 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $42.198 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: 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.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 5.326 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 15.763 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.457 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 49.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 40.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 2.323 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 2.238 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 12.372 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1.707 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 30.6 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: government operates 5 TV channels and 19 radio channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 25 private TV stations and about 43 radio stations; 6 non-profit TV stations and 4 radio stations
Internet country code: .lk
Internet users: percent of population: 51% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 2.01 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4R
Airports: 18 (2025)
Heliports: 1 (2025)
Railways: total: 1,562 km (2016)
broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 96 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 15, oil tanker 11, other 65
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

Military and security forces: Sri Lanka Armed Forces: Sri Lanka Army (includes National Guard and the Volunteer Force), Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard; Civil Security Department (Home Guard) Ministry of Public Security: Sri Lanka Police (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 210,000 active Armed Forces (140,000 Army; 25,000 Air Force; 45,000 Navy) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's armaments are mostly of Chinese, Indian, Russian/Soviet, and US origin (2025)
Military service age and obligation: generally 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, although upper age limits may vary by branch of service, roles, specialties, etc; no conscription (2026)
Military deployments: 120 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)
Military - note: the military of Sri Lanka is responsible for external defense, maritime security, and maintaining internal security; it has sent small numbers of personnel on UN peacekeeping missions; from 1983 to 2009, the military fought against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a conflict that involved both guerrilla and conventional warfare, as well as acts of terrorism and human rights abuses, and cost the military nearly 30,000 killed; since the end of the war, a large portion of the Army reportedly remains deployed in the majority Tamil-populated northern and eastern provinces; the military over the past decade also has increased its role in a range of commercial sectors including agriculture, hotels, leisure, and restaurantsSri Lanka traditionally has had close security ties to India; the Sri Lankan and Indian militaries conduct exercises together, and India trains approximately 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers per year; in recent years, Sri Lanka has increased military ties with China, including acquiring military equipment, hosting naval port calls, and sending personnel to China for training (2025)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 500 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 5,549 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 229 (2024 est.)

Sri Lanka