Sri Lanka

Introduction

Background

The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in July 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a ceasefire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in May 2009.During the post-conflict years under President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced significant allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society.  In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, governance, anti-corruption, reconciliation, justice, and accountability reforms. However, implementation of these reforms has been uneven. In October 2018, President SIRISENA attempted to oust Prime Minister WICKREMESINGHE, swearing in former President RAJAPAKSA as the new prime minister and issuing an order to dissolve the parliament and hold elections. This sparked a seven-week constitutional crisis that ended when the Supreme Court ruled SIRISENA’s actions unconstitutional, RAJAPAKSA resigned, and WICKREMESINGHE was reinstated. In November 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother, Mahinda, prime minister.

Geography

Location

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,630 sq km
water: 980 sq km
country comparison to the world: 123

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

1,340 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
contiguous zone: 24nm
continental shelf: 200nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation

mean elevation: 228 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 43.5% (2011 est.)
arable land: 20.7% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 15.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 7% (2011 est.)
forest: 29.4% (2011 est.)
other: 27.1% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

5,700 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

Natural hazards

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; coral reef destruction; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km long Bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone

People and Society

Population

22,576,592 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57

Nationality

noun: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups

Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)

Languages

Sinhala (official and national language) 87%, Tamil (official and national language) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)
note: data represent main languages spoken by the population aged 10 years and older; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; English is commonly used in government and is referred to as the "link language" in the constitution

Religions

Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.75%(male 2,734,114 /female 2,627,695)
15-24 years: 14.6%(male 1,677,547 /female 1,618,922)
25-54 years: 41.46%(male 4,596,388 /female 4,762,913)
55-64 years: 10.22%(male 1,067,258 /female 1,239,204)
65 years and over: 9.98%(male 951,213 /female 1,301,338) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.2 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 37.2 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 14.1 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.1 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 33.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 31.8 years
female: 34.4 years
country comparison to the world: 96

Population growth rate

0.73% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138

Birth rate

14.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Death rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Net migration rate

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

Population distribution

the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

Urbanization

urban population: 18.6% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.85% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 606,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

25.6 years (2016 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 30-34

Maternal mortality rate

36 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 150

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 73.7 years
female: 80.8 years
country comparison to the world: 80

Total fertility rate

2.05 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Contraceptive prevalence rate

61.7% (2016)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 98.5% of population
rural: 95% of population
total: 95.6% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.5% of population
rural: 5% of population
total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

3.9% (2016)

Physicians density

0.96 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 88.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 96.7% of population (2015 est.)
total: 95.1% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 11.9% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 3.3% of population (2015 est.)
total: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,500 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<200 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2016)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A (2016)
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2016)
water contact diseases: leptospirosis (2016)
animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.2% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 182

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

20.5% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 27

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 148

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 93%
female: 91% (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2017)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 21%
male: 16.8%
female: 28.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu
local short form: Shri Lanka/Ilankai
former: Serendib, Ceylon
etymology: the name means "resplendent island" in Sanskrit

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Colombo may derive from the Sinhala "kolon thota," meaning "port on the river" (referring to the Kelani River that empties into the Indian Ocean at Colombo); alternatively, the name may derive from the Sinhala "kola amba thota" meaning "harbor with mango trees"; it is also possible that the Portuguese named the city after Christopher COLUMBUS, who lived in Portugal for many years (as Cristovao COLOMBO) before discovering the Americas for the Spanish crown in 1492 - not long before the Portuguese made their way to Sri Lanka in 1505; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte translates as "Resplendent City of Growing Victory" in Sinhala

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Independence

4 February 1948 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and in some cases approval in a referendum by absolute majority of valid votes; amended many times, last in 2015; note - deliberations by a constitutional assembly tasked with revising the constitution in March 2016 stalled after the prime minister tabled an experts’ report on proposals for a new constitution in January 2019 (2019)

Legal system

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka
dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA (since 18 November 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 21 November 2019)
head of government: Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA (elected 16 November, sworn in 18 November 2019)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 16 November 2019 (next to by held in 2024); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of Parliament for a 5-year term)
election results: Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of vote - Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA (SLPP) 52.2%, Sajith PREMADASA (UNP) 42%, other 5.8%

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; 196 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote using a preferential method in which voters select 3 candidates in order of preference; remaining 29 seats allocated to other political parties and groups in proportion to share of national vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 17 August 2015 (next to be held by August 2020)
election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - UNFGG 45.7%, UPFA 42.4%, JVP 4.9%, TNA 4.6%, SLMC 0.4%, EPDP 0.3% other 1.7%; seats by coalition/party UNFGG 106, UPFA 95, TNA 16, JVP 6, SLMC 1, EPDP 1; composition - men 214, women 11, percent of women 4.9%

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); note - the court has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation
judge selection and term of office: chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts

Political parties and leaders

Crusaders for Democracy [Ganeshalingam CHANDRALINGAM]

Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE]
Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU [Karunarathna PARANAWITHANA, Ven. Hadigalle Wimalasara THERO]
Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Maithripala SIRISENA]
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna or SLPP [G. L. PEIRIS]
Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Rajavarothiam SAMPANTHAN] (alliance includes Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi [Mavai SENATHIRAJAH], People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam [D. SIDDARTHAN], Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization [Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN])
United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] (coalition includes JHU, UNP)
United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE]
United People's Freedom Alliance or UPFA [Maithripala SIRISENA] (coalition includes SLFP)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador E. Rodney M. PERERA (since 8 July 2019)
chancery: 3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028
FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alaina B. TEPLITZ (since 1 November 2018); note - also accredited to Maldives
telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other larger panel depicts a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon rectangular field that also displays a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels; the lion represents Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the sword demonstrates the sovereignty of the nation; the four bo leaves - symbolizing Buddhism and its influence on the country - stand for the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange signifies Sri Lankan Tamils, green Sri Lankan Moors, and maroon the Sinhalese majority; yellow denotes other ethnic groups; also referred to as the Lion Flag

National symbol(s)

lion, water lily; national colors: maroon, yellow

National anthem

name: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)
lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE
note: adopted 1951

Economy

Economy - overview

Sri Lanka is attempting to sustain economic growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability under the IMF program it began in 2016. The government's high debt payments and bloated civil service, which have contributed to historically high budget deficits, remain a concern. Government debt is about 79% of GDP and remains among the highest of the emerging markets. In the coming years, Sri Lanka will need to balance its elevated debt repayment schedule with its need to maintain adequate foreign exchange reserves.In May 2016, Sri Lanka regained its preferential trade status under the European Union’s Generalized System of Preferences Plus, enabling many of its firms to export products, including its top export garments, tax free to the EU. In 2017, Parliament passed a new Inland Revenue Act in an effort to increase tax collection and broaden the tax base in response to recommendations made under its IMF program. In November 2017, the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering and terrorist financing listed Sri Lanka as non-compliant, but reported subsequently that Sri Lanka had made good progress in implementing an action plan to address deficiencies.Tourism has experienced strong growth in the years since the resolution of the government's 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In 2017, the government promulgated plans to transform the country into a knowledge-based, export-oriented Indian Ocean hub by 2025.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$275.8 billion (2017 est.)
$267 billion (2016 est.)
$255.6 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 61

GDP (official exchange rate)

$87.35 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2017 est.)
4.5% (2016 est.)
5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,900 (2017 est.)
$12,600 (2016 est.)
$12,200 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 121

Gross national saving

33.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
32.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
28.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 62% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 8.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 10.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -29.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 7.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 30.5% (2017 est.)
services: 61.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Industries

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; tourism, shipping; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services, construction

Industrial production growth rate

4.6% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

Labor force

8.937 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 27%
industry: 26%
services: 47% (31 December 2016)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2017 est.)
4.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59

Population below poverty line

6.7% (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 32.2% (2012 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.2 (2012 est.)
46 (1995)
country comparison to the world: 73

Budget

revenues: 12.07 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 16.88 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Public debt

79.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
79.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: covers central government debt and excludes debt instruments directly owned by government entities other than the treasury (e.g. commercial bank borrowings of a government corporation); the data includes treasury debt held by foreign entities as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement; sub-national entities are usually not permitted to sell debt instruments
country comparison to the world: 35

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.5% (2017 est.)
4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190

Central bank discount rate

7.25% (30 November 2017)
6% (31 December 2015)
country comparison to the world: 45

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
10.49% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68

Stock of narrow money

$5.19 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.184 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Stock of broad money

$5.19 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.184 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104

Stock of domestic credit

$53.53 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$46.21 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Market value of publicly traded shares

$18.9 billion (30 September 2017 est.)
$23.67 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$18.81 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Current account balance

-$2.31 billion (2017 est.)
-$1.743 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Exports

$11.36 billion (2017 est.)
$10.31 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88

Exports - partners

US 24.6%, UK 9%, India 5.8%, Singapore 4.5%, Germany 4.3%, Italy 4.3% (2017)

Exports - commodities

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; rubber manufactures; precious stones; coconut products, fish

Imports

$20.98 billion (2017 est.)
$19.18 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Imports - commodities

petroleum, textiles, machinery and transportation equipment, building materials, mineral products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

India 22%, China 19.9%, Singapore 6.9%, UAE 5.7%, Japan 4.9% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.959 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.019 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Debt - external

$51.72 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$45.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA (31 December 2016)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

NA

Exchange rates

Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar -
154.1 (2017 est.)
145.58 (2016 est.)
145.58 (2015 est.)
135.86 (2014 est.)
130.57 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 95.6% (2016)
electrification - urban areas: 100% (2016)
electrification - rural areas: 94.6% (2016)

Electricity - production

13.66 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - consumption

12.67 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - installed generating capacity

3.998 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - from fossil fuels

52% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - from other renewable sources

6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Crude oil - imports

33,540 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - production

34,210 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84

Refined petroleum products - consumption

116,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,871 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96

Refined petroleum products - imports

66,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

25.19 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,603,178
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 28,199,083
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Telephone system

general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country; 4G moving to 5G trials; strong growth anticipated as Sri Lanka is lagging behind other Asian telecoms; increase in mobile broadband penetration (2018)
domestic: fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular 126 per 100; national trunk network consists of digital microwave radio relay and fiber-optic links; fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing (2018)
international: country code - 94; landing points for the SeaMeWe -3,-5,  Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network, WARF Submarine Cable, Bharat Lanka Cable System and the Bay of Bengal Gateway submarine cables providing connectivity to Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)

Broadcast media

government operates 5 TV channels and 19 radio channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 25 private TV stations and about 43 radio stations; 6 non-profit TV stations and 4 radio stations

Internet country code

.lk

Internet users

total: 7,126,540
percent of population: 32.1% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1,220,504
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.89% of GDP (2018)
2.14% of GDP (2017)
2.14% of GDP (2016)
2.55% of GDP (2015)
2.41% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 57

Military and security forces

Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 25 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,911,730 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 381,381,300mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4R (2016)

Airports

19 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 138

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 (2013)
over 3,047 m: 2 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
under 914 m: 3 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Pipelines

7 km refined products

Railways

total: 1,562 km (2016)
broad gauge: 1,562 km1.676-m gauge (2016)
country comparison to the world: 82

Roadways

total: 114,093 km (2010)
paved: 16,977 km (2010)
unpaved: 97,116 km (2010)
country comparison to the world: 43

Waterways

160 km(primarily on rivers in southwest) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 100

Merchant marine

total: 87
by type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 11, oil tanker 11, other 55 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 94

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Colombo
container port(s) (TEUs): Colombo (6,209,000) (2017)

Terrorism

Terrorist groups - home based

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE): aim(s): revive the movement to establish a Tamil homeland
area(s) of operation: presence is primarily in the east where members occasionally plot attacks (2018)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 37,000 (civil war; more than half displaced prior to 2008; many of the more than 480,000 IDPs registered as returnees have not reached durable solutions) (2018)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Sri Lanka is primarily a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; some Sri Lankan adults and children who migrate willingly to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Afghanistan to work in the construction, garment, and domestic service sectors are subsequently subjected to forced labor or debt bondage (incurred through high recruitment fees or money advances); some Sri Lankan women are forced into prostitution in Jordan, Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries; within Sri Lanka, women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, and children are also forced to beg and work in the agriculture, fireworks, and fish-drying industries; a small number of women from Asia, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have been forced into prostitution in Sri Lanka in recent years
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Sri Lanka was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; law enforcement continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding of trafficking crimes and inadequate investigations, relying on trafficking cases to be prosecuted under the procurement statute rather than the trafficking statute, which carries more stringent penalties; authorities convicted only one offender under the procurement statute, a decrease from 2013; the government approved guidelines for the identification of victims and their referral to protective services but failed to ensure that victims were not jailed and charged for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked; no government employees were investigated or prosecuted, despite allegations of complicity (2015)

Flag of Sri Lanka