Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 1.95 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.95 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
107th
of 218 countries
All-time high
5.35 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
1.95 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in Sri Lanka, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 1.95 births per woman for fertility rate, total in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Sri Lanka peaked at 5.35 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.95 births per woman, in 2024.
Sri Lanka ranks 107th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.35 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 5.24 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 5.18 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 5.12 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 5.06 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 4.93 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 4.83 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 4.79 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 4.66 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1969 | 4.5 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1970 | 4.39 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 4.27 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 4.16 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 4 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1974 | 3.85 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 3.82 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 3.78 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 3.74 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 3.81 births per woman | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 3.82 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 3.73 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 3.65 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 3.32 births per woman | -9.0% |
| 1983 | 3.11 births per woman | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 3.01 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 2.9 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 2.74 births per woman | -5.3% |
| 1987 | 2.64 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 2.56 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 2.58 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 2.54 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 2.51 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 2.49 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 2.44 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 2.4 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 2.35 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.29 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 2.21 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 2.14 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 2.14 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.21 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 2.28 births per woman | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 2.31 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 2.3 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 2.27 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 2.26 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 2.29 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 2.29 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.23 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.18 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 2.13 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 2.14 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 2.17 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 2.18 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 2.13 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 2.09 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 2.06 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 2.04 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.03 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.02 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 2.01 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 2 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 1.98 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 1.97 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 1.95 births per woman | -1.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1.95 births per woman is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 1.95 births per woman is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.96 births per woman, 100% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.96 births per woman | 4.5 births per woman | 5.35 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.96 births per woman | 3.74 births per woman | 4.39 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.02 births per woman | 2.56 births per woman | 3.73 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.35 births per woman | 2.14 births per woman | 2.54 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.26 births per woman | 2.18 births per woman | 2.31 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1 births per woman | 2.02 births per woman | 2.18 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.98 births per woman | 1.95 births per woman | 2.01 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 104 New Caledonia 1.96 births per woman compare
- 105 India 1.96 births per woman compare
- 106 Nepal 1.96 births per woman compare
- 108 Faroe Islands 1.91 births per woman compare
- 109 Vietnam 1.9 births per woman compare
- 110 Philippines 1.89 births per woman 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 304 (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 fertility rate, total in Sri Lanka?
- Fertility rate, total in Sri Lanka was 1.95 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 5.35 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.95 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for fertility rate, total?
- Sri Lanka ranks 107th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.