Population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Population ages 65 and above was 12.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 12.5% for population ages 65 and above in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka peaked at 12.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1967.
That places Sri Lanka 82nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.2% | — |
| 1961 | 4.1% | -2.8% |
| 1962 | 4.0% | -2.5% |
| 1963 | 3.9% | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 3.9% | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 3.8% | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 3.8% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 3.8% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 3.8% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 3.8% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 3.9% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 3.9% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 3.9% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 4.0% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 4.0% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 4.1% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 4.2% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 4.3% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 4.5% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 4.6% | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 4.8% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 4.9% | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 5.1% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 5.3% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 5.4% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 5.8% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 5.9% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 6.0% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 6.1% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 6.1% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 6.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 6.2% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 6.3% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 6.4% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 6.5% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 7.4% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 8.6% | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 9.0% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 9.3% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 10.7% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 11.0% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 12.1% | +3.1% |
| 2025 | 12.5% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.9% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.0% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.6% | 6.2% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 7.4% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.6% | 10.7% | 12.5% | 6 |
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 30-34, female, annual growth rate -0.8577 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0351 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 0.4036 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0343 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka?
- Population ages 65 and above in Sri Lanka was 12.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 12.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1967.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for population ages 65 and above?
- Sri Lanka ranks 82nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Population ages 65 and above (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.