Sri Lanka’s population hits 21.7 million in 2024 census

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (April 7) officially received the preliminary report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024”, conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics.

The report was handed over at a special event held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. The event was attended by several key officials, including Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardena, and Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senaviratne.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka’s total population stands at 21,763,170. This reflects an increase of 1,403,731 people compared to the 2012 census figures. The average annual population growth rate between 2012 and 2024 was 0.5%.

Among the provinces, the Western Province accounts for the highest share of the population at 28.1%, while the Northern Province records the lowest at 5.3%. At the district level, Gampaha has the highest population with 2,433,685 residents, followed closely by Colombo with 2,374,461.

President Dissanayake emphasized the importance of the census findings in shaping national policies and development strategies. He noted that the data would be invaluable not only to the government but also to institutions and stakeholders involved in the country’s development.

A significant milestone of this year’s census was the use of tablet computers and smart mobile devices for data collection. This marked the first time in Sri Lanka’s history that such technology was employed in a nationwide census. The President praised this development as a major step forward in the digital transformation of the country’s data management systems.

He extended his gratitude to all individuals and organizations involved in the successful completion of the 2024 census and underscored the importance of accurate and timely data in guiding Sri Lanka’s future.

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