Suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Suicide rate, by age was 21.49 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
21.49 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 24.6%
World rank
18th
of 194 countries
All-time high
64.47 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
All-time low
16.28 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2015
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 21.49 deaths per 100,000 people for suicide rate, by age in 2021.
That represents a change of up 24.6% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka peaked at 64.47 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.28 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2015.
That places Sri Lanka 18th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 64.47 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 51.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -19.7% |
| 2002 | 42.16 deaths per 100,000 people | -18.6% |
| 2003 | 37.2 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.8% |
| 2004 | 29.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.0% |
| 2005 | 29.11 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 32.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.6% |
| 2007 | 29.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.2% |
| 2008 | 28.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 24.14 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.9% |
| 2010 | 21 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 24.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.0% |
| 2012 | 23.36 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 19.87 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.9% |
| 2014 | 17.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.1% |
| 2015 | 16.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 18.39 deaths per 100,000 people | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 18.5 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 19.33 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 21.66 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 17.25 deaths per 100,000 people | -20.3% |
| 2021 | 21.49 deaths per 100,000 people | +24.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.92 deaths per 100,000 people | 24.14 deaths per 100,000 people | 64.47 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 16.28 deaths per 100,000 people | 24.37 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.37 deaths per 100,000 people | 17.25 deaths per 100,000 people | 21.49 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 15 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 24.91 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 16 Cook Islands 24.61 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 17 Japan 22.38 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 19 Thailand 21.28 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 20 Eswatini 20.74 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 21 Lesotho 20.4 deaths per 100,000 people 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)
- 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)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka?
- Suicide rate, by age in Sri Lanka was 21.49 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest suicide rate, by age recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 64.47 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest suicide rate, by age recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.28 deaths per 100,000 people in 2015.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for suicide rate, by age?
- Sri Lanka ranks 18th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is suicide rate, by age rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. 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 Suicide rate, by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from self-harm among both sexes aged 20-24 year olds, per 100,000 people.