Sri Lanka: Quick Facts
News •
Sri Lanka launches pilot of Chinese flying taxi service
• Nov. 11, 2026, 6:35 AM ET (Straits Times)
Security officer attacked and killed near Sri Lankan Embassy in Jordan's capital
• Nov. 5, 2026, 11:01 AM ET (AP)
Sri Lanka provides medical help and repatriates 40 Iranian sailors stranded in the Indian Ocean
• Oct. 25, 2026, 10:41 AM ET (AP)
Facts
| Also Known As | Ilangai Jananayaka Socialisa Kudiarasu • Ceylon • Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya • Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Head Of State And Government | President: Anura Kumara Dissanayake, assisted by Prime Minister: Harini Amarasuriya |
| Capitals | Colombo (executive and judicial); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (Colombo suburb; legislative) |
| Population | (2026 est.) 21,938,000 |
| Currency Exchange Rate | 1 USD equals 336.133 Sri Lankan rupee |
| Form Of Government | unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Parliament [225]) |
| Official Languages | Sinhala; Tamil1 |
| Official Religion | none2 |
| Official Name | Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala); Ilangai Jananayaka Socialisa Kudiarasu (Tamil) (Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) |
| Total Area (Sq Km) | 65,610 |
| Total Area (Sq Mi) | 25,332 |
| Monetary Unit | Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) |
| Population Rank | (2026) 63 |
| Population Projection 2030 | 22,089,000 |
| Density: Persons Per Sq Mi | (2026) 866 |
| Density: Persons Per Sq Km | (2026) 334.4 |
| Urban-Rural Population | Urban: (2024) 19.4% • Rural: (2024) 80.6% |
| Life Expectancy At Birth | Male: (2021) 74.2 years • Female: (2021) 80.1 years |
| Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) | (2024) 84,551 |
| Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) | (2024) 3,860 |
| 1English has official status as “the link language” between Sinhala and Tamil.2Buddhism has special recognition. | |
Photos and Videos
National anthem of Sri Lanka
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