SRI LANKA: general data

POPULATION STATISTICS: historical demography of all countries, their divisions and towns

SRI LANKA

general data of the country

General useful information

Note: some data are of constant value, while other are due to changes, fluctuations etc.

Nation and population

official name (short form): Srî Lanka ; Ilankai

country code ISO: LK //; - FIPS: CE

location: South Asia

time zone: +5:30 UT

surface (land) area: 65610 sq.km = 25332 sq.mi //; - area incl. inland waters: sq.km = sq.mi

geographical position in extreme co-ordinates: North: 10° N / South: 6° N / East: 82° E / West: 80° E

borders (land): none

borders (coastline): Indian Ocean

climate: tropical, humid, monsoon

Government

independent since: 1948-02-04

type of government: republic

capital: Colombo (administrative), Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative)

administrative division: province (9) into district (25)

Population

population according to the last two censuses: (1981): 14848,364 /-; (2001:) 19410,000

total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 19238,575; or: 19359,000 / -; 2001: 19408,635

population density: 294 per sq.km = 762 per sq.mi

population growth: 1,4% //; - doubling time: 52 years

birth rate: 17 - 20 per 1000

death rate: 6 per 1000

fertility rate: 2 children per female

maternal mortality: 60 per 100,000

infant mortality (1-4 years): 24 per 1000

life expectancy: 73 years (male: 71; female: 75)

age breakdown: 0-14 years: 33% //; - 15-59 years: 59% //; - 60+ years: 8%

urbanisation: 24% //; - urbanisation growth: 4%

percentage of urban population in the greatest city: 16%

Ethnic composition, language, religion

ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73,9%; Tamil 12,7%; Sri Lankan Moor 7,1%; Indian Tamil 5,5%; Burgher 0,3%; Malayan 0,3%

languages: Sinhala, Tamil (both official); English

religious affiliation: Buddhist 69,3%; Hindu 15,5%; Muslim 7,5%; Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 6,9%; other: 0,8%

Health

daily food intake: 2314 calories per capita

population with access to safe water: 20, or 83%

people per physician: 2740

people per hospital bed: 355

Education, literacy

school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 98%

school enrolment: secondary education: 53%

school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 1%

adult literacy: 87% (male: 90%; female: 84%) [later as total figure found: 92%]

Economy and infrastructure

Economy and trade

currency: Sri Lanka rupee = 100 cents

annual inflation rate: 9%

population below poverty line: 25%

Gross Domestic Product: USD 640 per capita

GNI USD 850 per capita //; - [ppp: 3460]

GDP growth: 4%

income: USD 500 per capita

import: USD 2833 per capita //; - export: USD 2391 per capita

trade: USD 293 per capita //; - or 73% of GDP

trade partners: JP IN SK US GB DE BE NL FR

human development index: 0,735 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 81

female labour force: 37%

unemployment: 8%

tourism: 0,4 million

Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy

land use: arable land: 29% //; - grass land: 7% //; - wooded area: 32% //; - arid land and desert: %

agriculture: labour force: 43% //; - part of agriculture in GDP: 27%

agricultural products: tea, rice, coconuts, sugarcane, cassava, cattle, rubber, timber

livestock (1000s): buffalo 694 / cattle: 1557 / goats: 495 / horses: 1 / pigs: 71 / poultry: 10200 / sheep: 11

fish catch: 247000 - 271595 metric tonnes

industry: labour force: 12% //; - part of industry in GDP: 25%

industrial products: food manufacturing & processing, textiles, clothing, oil refining

mining products: quartz stone, limestone, titanium, gemstones, petroleum, graphite, phosphates

CO2 emission per capita: 0,4

services: labour force: 46% //; - part of services in GDP: 48%

energy use (kg per capita): 406

electricity use (per capita): 255

annual water use (per capita): 503

Traffic, communication

road network: 102600 km //; - of which paved: 11% //; - of which are motorways: 0 km

vehicles: 10 per 1000

railways: 1447, or 1493 km //; - railways passenger/km: 3264

navigable inland waterways: 430 km

ownership telephone: 11 - 36 per 1000

ownership radio receivers: 182 - 210 per 1000

ownership tv-sets: 66 - 92 per 1000

newspaper circulation: 25 per 1000

persons per post office: 4440

personal computers: 7 per 1000

Some physical landmarks

mountains: Pidurutalagala 2524 m, Kirigalpota 2395, Totapolakanda 2357, Kudahagala 2320, Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) 2243, Kikiimana 2240

lowest point: sea level

lakes (natural): Senanayake Samudra, Nanthi Kadal, and lots of other small lakes

lakes (artificial reservoirs): Uda Walawe Reservoir, and possibly some more

lakes (deepest): unknown

rivers: Mahaweli Ganga 335 km, Aruvi Aru 164, Kala Oya 148, Kelani 145

canals: none, or unknown

waterfalls: Bambarakanda 263 m

caves: longest system: none, or unknown / deepest:

islands: Karaitiv, Mannar, Kayts, Punkudutivi, Delft

deserts: none

other natural features:

Additional remarks, especially on the statistical information

other important features:

apart from physical landmarks most of the above figures are changeable, in most cases they date from the 1990's

primary sources used for the general information:

BB CA EV PW WA WB WR, and some national statistical yearbooks

particulars concerning population data:

due to the unstable political situation the census of 2001 is not held in the Northern-Northeastern districts

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POPULATION STATISTICS: historical demography of all countries, their divisions and towns

general data of the country