Number of deaths in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Number of deaths was 142,608 deaths in 2021. ▼ Falling
Number of deaths in Sri Lanka, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2021, number of deaths in Sri Lanka stood at 142,608 deaths.
The figure is up 40.7% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of deaths in Sri Lanka peaked at 160,230 deaths in 2004 and was at its lowest, 101,322 deaths, in 2020.
That places Sri Lanka 71st out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Number of deaths in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 134,132 deaths | — |
| 2001 | 126,023 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 122,882 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 125,263 deaths | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 160,230 deaths | +27.9% |
| 2005 | 129,324 deaths | -19.3% |
| 2006 | 133,094 deaths | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 131,751 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 139,272 deaths | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 143,845 deaths | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 134,150 deaths | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 131,107 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 128,054 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 129,943 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 129,470 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 129,748 deaths | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 128,504 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 130,676 deaths | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 131,501 deaths | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 131,233 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 101,322 deaths | -22.8% |
| 2021 | 142,608 deaths | +40.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 134,582 deaths | 122,882 deaths | 160,230 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 130,439 deaths | 128,054 deaths | 134,150 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 121,965 deaths | 101,322 deaths | 142,608 deaths | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1064 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -2.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1106 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of deaths in Sri Lanka?
- Number of deaths in Sri Lanka was 142,608 deaths in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of deaths recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 160,230 deaths in 2004.
- What is the lowest number of deaths recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 101,322 deaths in 2020.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for number of deaths?
- Sri Lanka ranks 71st out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of deaths rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths from all causes in both sexes.