Birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Birth rate vs. death rate was 14.11 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
14.11 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
113th
of 236 countries
All-time high
36.85 births per 1,000 people
in 1959
All-time low
14.11 births per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka stood at 14.11 births per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka peaked at 36.85 births per 1,000 people in 1959 and was at its lowest, 14.11 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 113th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 35.93 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 36.36 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1952 | 36.5 births per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1953 | 36.52 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 36.38 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 36.18 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 35.91 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1957 | 36.38 births per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 36.82 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 36.85 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 36.33 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 35.57 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 35.1 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1963 | 34.74 births per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 34.47 births per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 33.81 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 33.22 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 33.19 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 32.56 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 31.79 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 31.16 births per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 30.23 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 29.71 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 28.9 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 28.19 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 28.19 births per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 28.33 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 28.34 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 29.03 births per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 29.28 births per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 28.6 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 28.14 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 25.95 births per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1983 | 24.42 births per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1984 | 23.49 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 22.42 births per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1986 | 21.39 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1987 | 20.83 births per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 20.34 births per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 20.58 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 20.54 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 20.16 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 20.06 births per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 19.98 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 19.96 births per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 19.62 births per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 19.04 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 18.45 births per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 17.82 births per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 17.86 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 18.4 births per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 18.95 births per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 19.17 births per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 19.09 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 18.83 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 18.72 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 18.85 births per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 18.81 births per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 18.2 births per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 17.63 births per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 17.15 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 17.09 births per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 17.15 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 17.03 births per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 16.52 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 16.02 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 15.65 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 15.37 births per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 15.15 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 14.92 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 14.68 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 14.47 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 14.28 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 14.11 births per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 14.11 births per 1,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.97 births per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 14.11 births per 1,000 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 15.13 births per 1,000 people, 93% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36.39 births per 1,000 people | 35.91 births per 1,000 people | 36.85 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 34.08 births per 1,000 people | 31.79 births per 1,000 people | 36.33 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.14 births per 1,000 people | 28.19 births per 1,000 people | 31.16 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.62 births per 1,000 people | 20.34 births per 1,000 people | 28.6 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.35 births per 1,000 people | 17.82 births per 1,000 people | 20.54 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.67 births per 1,000 people | 17.63 births per 1,000 people | 19.17 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.2 births per 1,000 people | 14.92 births per 1,000 people | 17.15 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.38 births per 1,000 people | 14.11 births per 1,000 people | 14.68 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 110 Ecuador 15.03 births per 1,000 people compare
- 111 New Caledonia 14.26 births per 1,000 people compare
- 112 Greenland 14.11 births per 1,000 people compare
- 114 Niue 13.87 births per 1,000 people compare
- 115 Vietnam 13.83 births per 1,000 people compare
- 116 Tunisia 13.75 births per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0353 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka?
- Birth rate vs. death rate in Sri Lanka was 14.11 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate vs. death rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 36.85 births per 1,000 people in 1959.
- What is the lowest birth rate vs. death rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.11 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for birth rate vs. death rate?
- Sri Lanka ranks 113th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate vs. death rate rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate vs. death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.