Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life was 80.9% in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)
80.9%
World rank
1st
of 61 countries
All-time high
80.9%
in 2016
All-time low
10.2%
in 1987
Years of data
5
1987–2016

Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka, 1987–2016

204060801987200120161987: 10.21993: 17.12000: 52.62007: 75.82016: 80.9

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2016, infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka stood at 80.9%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

The figure is up 6.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka peaked at 80.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 10.2%, in 1987.

That places Sri Lanka 1st out of 61 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top 10%.

Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life (%) in Sri Lanka, 1987 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1987 10.2%
1993 17.1% +67.6%
2000 52.6% +207.6%
2007 75.8% +44.1%
2016 80.9% +6.8%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 80.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40.7%, 2.0× the median. (16 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 10.2% 10.2% 10.2% 1
1990s 17.1% 17.1% 17.1% 1
2000s 64.2% 52.6% 75.8% 2
2010s 80.9% 80.9% 80.9% 1

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 2 Rwanda 80.9% compare
  2. 3 Burundi 71.9% compare
  3. 4 Zambia 69.9% compare

See the full ranking of 61 places →

More health data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka?
Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka was 80.9% in 2016, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 80.9% in 2016.
What is the lowest infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 10.2% in 1987.
How does Sri Lanka rank for infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life?
Sri Lanka ranks 1st out of 61 countries with data for 2016.
Is infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/infants-exclusively-breastfed-for-the-first-six-months-of-life-percent/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
61 places, 414 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed