📜 A long story
Sri Lanka, 1800 → today
Sri Lanka grew from 1.75 million in 1800 to 23 million; a newborn can expect 44.9 more years of life than in 1901, and output per person is 12× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 1.75 million people lived in Sri Lanka.
1900
4.06 million people.
2.3× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1891.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 14% between 1800 and 1808 (1.75 million → 1.51 million).
1950
7.81 million people.
1.9× the 1900 level
2023
23 million people, the latest year in this series.
2.9× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1956.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1995.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1901
In 1901, a newborn in Sri Lanka could expect to live 32.6 years, on average.
1950
53.2 years.
+21 years since 1901
Passed 40 years in 1935 (no data between 1921 and 1935, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 50 years in 1948.
2023
77.5 years, the latest year in this series.
+24 years since 1950
Passed 60 years in 1959.
Passed 70 years in 1993.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Sri Lanka produced about Int$877 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$2,060.
2.3× the 1820 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1897.
1950
Int$2,000.
about the same as in 1900
The sharpest fall in the data: down 21% between 1942 and 1946 (Int$2,110 → Int$1,670).
2022
Int$10,700, the latest year in this series.
5.4× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 1994.
Reached 10 times the 1820 level in 2011.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1950
In 1950, fossil fuels and industry in Sri Lanka emitted about 0.2 t of CO₂ per person.
2024
0.9 t, the latest year in this series.
4.3× the 1950 level
Reached twice the 1950 level in 1999.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 44% between 1969 and 1976 (0.4 t → 0.2 t).
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Sri Lanka had spent 0.2 years in school, on average.
1900
0.5 years.
+0.32 years since 1870
1950
3.6 years.
+3.1 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1925.
2015
10.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.6 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1960.
Passed 6 years in 1970.
Passed 8 years in 1990.
Passed 10 years in 2000.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).