Urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Urban population, annual growth rate was 0.0056 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka is 0.0056 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 97.3% on the previous year and down 99.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka peaked at 5.39 % change on previous year in 1966 and was at its lowest, -1.95 % change on previous year, in 1990.
Sri Lanka ranks 184th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.16 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 5 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 1963 | 4.75 % change on previous year | -5.0% |
| 1964 | 4.88 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 5.26 % change on previous year | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 5.39 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 5.31 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 5.02 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 4.5 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 1970 | 3.78 % change on previous year | -16.0% |
| 1971 | 2.86 % change on previous year | -24.3% |
| 1972 | 2.06 % change on previous year | -27.9% |
| 1973 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -12.9% |
| 1974 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 1975 | 1.44 % change on previous year | -9.5% |
| 1976 | 1.35 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 1977 | 1.28 % change on previous year | -5.2% |
| 1978 | 1.24 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 1.23 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 1981 | 0.9809 % change on previous year | -15.8% |
| 1982 | 0.3189 % change on previous year | -67.5% |
| 1983 | -0.5656 % change on previous year | -277.4% |
| 1984 | -1.16 % change on previous year | +105.1% |
| 1985 | -1.1 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 1986 | -0.7889 % change on previous year | -28.1% |
| 1987 | -1.01 % change on previous year | +28.2% |
| 1988 | -1.34 % change on previous year | +32.1% |
| 1989 | -1.44 % change on previous year | +7.5% |
| 1990 | -1.95 % change on previous year | +35.6% |
| 1991 | -1.9 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1992 | -1.1 % change on previous year | -42.1% |
| 1993 | -0.9746 % change on previous year | -11.5% |
| 1994 | -1.14 % change on previous year | +17.2% |
| 1995 | -0.8186 % change on previous year | -28.3% |
| 1996 | -0.3635 % change on previous year | -55.6% |
| 1997 | -0.1322 % change on previous year | -63.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1832 % change on previous year | -238.6% |
| 1999 | 0.5501 % change on previous year | +200.2% |
| 2000 | 0.9824 % change on previous year | +78.6% |
| 2001 | 1.28 % change on previous year | +29.8% |
| 2002 | 1.3 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 1.53 % change on previous year | +17.2% |
| 2004 | 1.96 % change on previous year | +28.5% |
| 2005 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +20.1% |
| 2006 | 2.77 % change on previous year | +17.4% |
| 2007 | 3.1 % change on previous year | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 3.35 % change on previous year | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 3.5 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 3.63 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 3.77 % change on previous year | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 3.45 % change on previous year | -8.6% |
| 2013 | -1.85 % change on previous year | -153.8% |
| 2014 | 1.94 % change on previous year | -204.7% |
| 2015 | 1.9 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 2.1 % change on previous year | +10.3% |
| 2017 | 2.09 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 1.93 % change on previous year | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 1.5 % change on previous year | -22.0% |
| 2020 | 1.4 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 1.93 % change on previous year | +38.0% |
| 2022 | 0.9265 % change on previous year | -51.9% |
| 2023 | 0.1349 % change on previous year | -85.4% |
| 2024 | 0.212 % change on previous year | +57.1% |
| 2025 | 0.0056 % change on previous year | -97.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population, annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | -277.4% | 0.3189 % change on previous year | -0.5656 % change on previous year |
| 1998 | +238.6% | -0.1322 % change on previous year | 0.1832 % change on previous year |
| 2014 | +204.7% | -1.85 % change on previous year | 1.94 % change on previous year |
| 1999 | +200.2% | 0.1832 % change on previous year | 0.5501 % change on previous year |
| 2013 | -153.8% | 3.45 % change on previous year | -1.85 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.03 % change on previous year | 4.5 % change on previous year | 5.39 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.86 % change on previous year | 1.23 % change on previous year | 3.78 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.4929 % change on previous year | -1.44 % change on previous year | 1.17 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.765 % change on previous year | -1.95 % change on previous year | 0.5501 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.21 % change on previous year | 0.9824 % change on previous year | 3.5 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 % change on previous year | -1.85 % change on previous year | 3.77 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7669 % change on previous year | 0.0056 % change on previous year | 1.93 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 181 Italy 0.0463 % change on previous year compare
- 182 Montenegro 0.0377 % change on previous year compare
- 183 Channel Islands 0.0109 % change on previous year compare
- 185 Uruguay 0.0019 % change on previous year compare
- 186 Jordan -0.0009 % change on previous year compare
- 187 Trinidad and Tobago -0.0257 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Sri Lanka was 0.0056 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 5.39 % change on previous year in 1966.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.95 % change on previous year in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Sri Lanka ranks 184th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 99.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.