Sri Lanka: Administrative Division
Contents: Provinces and Districts
The population of the provinces and districts of Sri Lanka according to census results and latest official estimates.
icon links to further information about a selected division including its population structure (gender, urbanization, age groups, age distribution, ethnic group, religion, place of birth).| Name | Status | Population Census 1981-03-17 | Population Census 2001-07-17 | Population Census 2012-03-20 | Population Estimate 2018-07-01 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central (Madhyama) | Province | 2,009,248 | 2,423,966 | 2,571,557 | 2,750,000 | → |
| Kandy | District | 1,048,317 | 1,279,028 | 1,375,382 | 1,468,000 | → |
| Matale | District | 357,354 | 441,328 | 484,531 | 519,000 | → |
| Nuwara Eliya | District | 603,577 | 703,610 | 711,644 | 763,000 | → |
| Eastern (Kilakku, Negenahira) | Province | 975,251 | 1,419,602 | 1,555,510 | 1,710,000 | → |
| Ampara | District | 388,970 | 592,997 | 649,402 | 719,000 | → |
| Batticaloa | District | 330,333 | 486,447 | 526,567 | 570,000 | → |
| Trincomalee | District | 255,948 | 340,158 | 379,541 | 421,000 | → |
| North Central (Uturumeda) | Province | 849,492 | 1,104,677 | 1,266,663 | 1,366,000 | → |
| Anuradhapura | District | 587,929 | 745,693 | 860,575 | 930,000 | → |
| Polonnaruwa | District | 261,563 | 358,984 | 406,088 | 436,000 | → |
| Northern (Vatakku, Uturu) | Province | 1,109,404 | 1,040,963 | 1,061,315 | 1,131,000 | → |
| Jaffna | District | 738,788 | 490,621 | 583,882 | 613,000 | → |
| Kilinochchi | District | 91,764 | 127,263 | 113,510 | 126,000 | → |
| Mannar | District | 106,235 | 151,577 | 99,570 | 109,000 | → |
| Mullaitivu | District | 77,189 | 121,667 | 92,238 | 96,000 | → |
| Vavuniya | District | 95,428 | 149,835 | 172,115 | 187,000 | → |
| North Western (Wayamba) | Province | 1,704,334 | 2,169,892 | 2,380,861 | 2,536,000 | → |
| Kurunegala | District | 1,211,801 | 1,460,215 | 1,618,465 | 1,711,000 | → |
| Puttalam | District | 492,533 | 709,677 | 762,396 | 825,000 | → |
| Sabaragamuwa | Province | 1,482,031 | 1,801,331 | 1,928,655 | 2,047,000 | → |
| Kegalle | District | 684,944 | 785,524 | 840,648 | 884,000 | → |
| Ratnapura | District | 797,087 | 1,015,807 | 1,088,007 | 1,163,000 | → |
| Southern (Dakunu) | Province | 1,882,661 | 2,278,271 | 2,477,285 | 2,637,000 | → |
| Galle | District | 814,531 | 990,487 | 1,063,334 | 1,124,000 | → |
| Hambantota | District | 424,344 | 526,414 | 599,903 | 655,000 | → |
| Matara | District | 643,786 | 761,370 | 814,048 | 858,000 | → |
| Uva | Province | 914,522 | 1,177,358 | 1,266,463 | 1,364,000 | → |
| Badulla | District | 640,952 | 779,983 | 815,405 | 873,000 | → |
| Moneragala | District | 273,570 | 397,375 | 451,058 | 491,000 | → |
| Western (Basnahira) | Province | 3,919,807 | 5,381,197 | 5,851,130 | 6,129,000 | → |
| Colombo | District | 1,699,241 | 2,251,274 | 2,324,349 | 2,439,000 | → |
| Gampaha | District | 1,390,862 | 2,063,684 | 2,304,833 | 2,409,000 | → |
| Kalutara | District | 829,704 | 1,066,239 | 1,221,948 | 1,281,000 | → |
| Sri Lanka | Republic | 14,846,750 | 18,797,257 | 20,359,439 | 21,670,000 |
Source: Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka (web).
Explanation: All 2018 estimates are provisional.