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Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Sri Lanka

Labor force in Sri Lanka in 2025 — 8,264,760 people. Ranked 62 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 21.9%.

2025 8.26M people −0.48% vs 2024
World rank 62of 182
Period maximum 8.78M people2017
Period minimum 6.5M people1992

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Sri Lanka, 1990–20256M7M8M9M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 6,778,262 people1991: 6,610,226 people1992: 6,504,657 people1993: 6,700,476 people1994: 6,911,166 people1995: 6,824,556 people1996: 7,078,162 people1997: 7,240,418 people1998: 7,899,169 people1999: 7,882,204 people2000: 7,826,298 people2001: 7,959,198 people2002: 8,042,001 people2003: 8,091,441 people2004: 8,130,380 people2005: 8,161,482 people2006: 8,192,105 people2007: 8,222,663 people2008: 8,251,260 people2009: 8,275,626 people2010: 8,298,948 people2011: 8,295,313 people2012: 8,326,733 people2013: 8,033,442 people2014: 8,054,629 people2015: 8,475,356 people2016: 8,605,342 people2017: 8,776,309 people2018: 8,523,299 people2019: 8,697,166 people2020: 8,485,010 people2021: 8,500,316 people2022: 8,527,218 people2023: 8,109,783 people2024: 8,304,691 people2025: 8,264,760 people
Change over the period: +1.49M (+21.93%) Average annual rate: 0.57 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka 8.26M people
World 3.74B people
South Asia 710M people
Southern Asia computed 834M people
Lower-middle-income countries computed 1.34B people
Labor force — Sri Lanka, by year Sri Lanka All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 8.26M −39,931 −0.48%
2024 8.3M +194,908 +2.4%
2023 8.11M −417,435 −4.9%
2022 8.53M +26,902 +0.32%
2021 8.5M +15,306 +0.18%
2020 8.49M −212,156 −2.44%
2019 8.7M +173,867 +2.04%
2018 8.52M −253,010 −2.88%
2017 8.78M +170,967 +1.99%
2016 8.61M +129,986 +1.53%
2015 8.48M +420,727 +5.22%
2014 8.05M +21,187 +0.26%
2013 8.03M −293,291 −3.52%
2012 8.33M +31,420 +0.38%
2011 8.3M −3,635 −0.04%
2010 8.3M +23,322 +0.28%
2009 8.28M +24,366 +0.3%
2008 8.25M +28,597 +0.35%
2007 8.22M +30,558 +0.37%
2006 8.19M +30,623 +0.38%
2005 8.16M +31,102 +0.38%
2004 8.13M +38,939 +0.48%
2003 8.09M +49,440 +0.61%
2002 8.04M +82,803 +1.04%
2001 7.96M +132,900 +1.7%
2000 7.83M −55,906 −0.71%
1999 7.88M −16,965 −0.21%
1998 7.9M +658,751 +9.1%
1997 7.24M +162,256 +2.29%
1996 7.08M +253,606 +3.72%
1995 6.82M −86,610 −1.25%
1994 6.91M +210,690 +3.14%
1993 6.7M +195,819 +3.01%
1992 6.5M −105,569 −1.6%
1991 6.61M −168,036 −2.48%
1990 6.78M — —

Southern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

IN India 618M PK Pakistan 85.16M BD Bangladesh 74.74M IR Iran 29.52M AF Afghanistan 9.43M NP Nepal 8.36M LK Sri Lanka 8.26M BT Bhutan 411,263 MV Maldives 272,320
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for Sri Lanka

Labor Labor productivity

How much output one employed person creates in a year — in constant PPP dollars.

Sri Lanka by year Labor Female share of the labor force

What part of the labor force of a country is made up of women.

Sri Lanka by year Labor Labor force participation rate

What share of the population aged 15 and over works or looks for work.

Sri Lanka by year Labor Employment-to-population ratio

The share of the population aged 15 and over that actually works.

Sri Lanka by year
All indicators for Sri Lanka