Number of deaths in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Number of deaths was 162,453 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
162,453
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
63rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
169,409
in 2021
All-time low
95,515
in 1968
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of deaths in Sri Lanka, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of deaths in Sri Lanka is 162,453, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of deaths in Sri Lanka peaked at 169,409 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 95,515, in 1968.
Sri Lanka ranks 63rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of deaths in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 148,586 | — |
| 1951 | 141,806 | -4.6% |
| 1952 | 135,166 | -4.7% |
| 1953 | 129,485 | -4.2% |
| 1954 | 124,283 | -4.0% |
| 1955 | 119,663 | -3.7% |
| 1956 | 115,434 | -3.5% |
| 1957 | 112,244 | -2.8% |
| 1958 | 108,964 | -2.9% |
| 1959 | 106,065 | -2.7% |
| 1960 | 103,368 | -2.5% |
| 1961 | 101,011 | -2.3% |
| 1962 | 99,340 | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 98,238 | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 97,640 | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 96,647 | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 96,012 | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 95,559 | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 95,515 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 95,646 | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 96,169 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 98,261 | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 98,019 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 98,829 | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 99,535 | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 99,444 | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 98,995 | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 98,173 | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 98,315 | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 97,126 | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 96,560 | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 96,736 | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 96,705 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 97,987 | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 99,568 | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 100,714 | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 102,691 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 105,171 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 107,851 | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 121,926 | +13.1% |
| 1990 | 111,340 | -8.7% |
| 1991 | 113,953 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 113,503 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 113,875 | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 116,005 | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 122,738 | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 125,676 | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 128,520 | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 130,270 | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 131,555 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 127,967 | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 127,046 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 126,875 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 128,929 | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 165,637 | +28.5% |
| 2005 | 129,685 | -21.7% |
| 2006 | 134,966 | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 137,176 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 143,310 | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 165,718 | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 133,676 | -19.3% |
| 2011 | 134,596 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 133,879 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 134,377 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 136,637 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 139,041 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 142,273 | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 145,951 | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 148,576 | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 151,041 | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 153,685 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 169,409 | +10.2% |
| 2022 | 159,013 | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 162,453 | +2.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 162,453 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43,965, 3.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 162,453 is below the median for South Asia, which is 184,148, 88% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of deaths in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +28.5% | 128,929 | 165,637 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 124,170 | 106,065 | 148,586 | 10 |
| 1960s | 97,898 | 95,515 | 103,368 | 10 |
| 1970s | 98,287 | 96,169 | 99,535 | 10 |
| 1980s | 102,591 | 96,560 | 121,926 | 10 |
| 1990s | 120,744 | 111,340 | 131,555 | 10 |
| 2000s | 138,731 | 126,875 | 165,718 | 10 |
| 2010s | 140,005 | 133,676 | 151,041 | 10 |
| 2020s | 161,140 | 153,685 | 169,409 | 4 |
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)
- 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 number of deaths in Sri Lanka?
- Number of deaths in Sri Lanka was 162,453 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of deaths recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 169,409 in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of deaths recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 95,515 in 1968.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for number of deaths?
- Sri Lanka ranks 63rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of deaths rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Number of deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).