South Asia
Living in Sri Lanka
Photo: Sigiriya rock fortress above the forest · Vishwa Navod Gunawickrama, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
A tropical island in the Indian Ocean with beaches, tea-growing hills and wildlife, and widely used English. Editorial
The numbers
Main city climate25° to 28°CColdest and warmest month averages, Colombo · 2020
Average temperature26.4°CColombo (whole country 27.2°C) · 2020
Price level27%Of US prices for everyday goods and services · 2025
Average spending$1,044Per person per month (international $, PPP) · 2025
Income per person$17,100GDP per person a year (international $, PPP) · 2025
Unemployment4.0%Of the labour force · 2025
Homicides3.3Per 100,000 people a year · 2019
Life expectancy77.7 yearsAt birth · 2024
Clean air23 µg/m³Average fine-particle pollution (WHO guideline: 5) · 2023
Forest34%Of the land area · 2024
City dwellers20%Of people live in cities and towns · 2025
Tax revenue9.9%Of GDP · 2023
Language and getting around Editorial
- Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English. English is widely spoken.
- Public transport: Moderate: good in the main cities, a car helps elsewhere.
- Geography: Has a coastline, with mountain areas. Capital: Colombo.
Moving to Sri Lanka
Visa and residence rules depend on your nationality, job, studies and family, and they change often. Start with the government's own website: www.immigration.gov.lk.
Sources
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per person (PPP) | 17,065.03 international $ | 2025 | World Bank WDI |
| Unemployment | 4.01 % of labour force | 2025 | World Bank WDI (ILO estimate) |
| Intentional homicides | 3.31 per 100,000 people | 2019 | World Bank WDI (UNODC) |
| Political stability and absence of violence | -0.04 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Government effectiveness (public services) | -0.13 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.67 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Health spending per person | 134.24 US$ per person | 2023 | World Bank WDI (WHO) |
| Tax revenue | 9.88 % of GDP | 2023 | World Bank WDI (IMF) |
| People living in cities and towns | 20.45 % of population | 2025 | World Bank WDI (UN) |
| Forest area | 34.36 % of land | 2024 | World Bank WDI (FAO) |
| Fine-particle air pollution (PM2.5) | 22.68 µg/m³, annual mean | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Price level of household goods and services | 0.27 ratio, United States = 1 | 2025 | Calculated: PPP conversion factor (private consumption) / official exchange rate, World Bank WDI |
| Average household spending per person | 1,043.5 international $ per person per month | 2025 | Calculated: household consumption (PPP) / population / 12, World Bank WDI |
| Average temperature, whole country 1991-2020 | 27.2 °C | 2020 | World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (CRU TS 4.08, 1991-2020) |
| Average temperature, main city | 26.4 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Coldest month average, main city | 25.4 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Warmest month average, main city | 27.6 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Rainfall, main city | 1,997 mm per year | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
Data checked 2 November 2026. National averages hide differences between cities and regions. Climate figures for Colombo are 2001–2020 averages.
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