Map of Sri Lanka | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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 cease-fire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in May 2009.


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

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 65,610 km²
Land: 64,630 km²
Water: 980 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm 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
Highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 228 m

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 43.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 20.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 15.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 7% (2018 est.)
Forest: 29.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 27.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,700 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 810 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 830 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 11.31 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 52.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes

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


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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: 23,326,272 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.56% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 4.1% (2016 est.)

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.95% (male 2,609,642/female 2,511,570)
15-64 years: 66.22% (male 7,609,573/female 7,836,480)
65 years and over: 11.83% (2023 est.) (male 1,156,637/female 1,602,370)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 53.7
Youth dependency ratio: 35.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 17
Potential support ratio: 5.9 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 33.9 years (2023 est.)
Male: 32.1 years
Female: 35.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.56% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 14.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

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: 19.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 103,000 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) (2018), 633,000 COLOMBO (capital) (2023)

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

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 23.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 23.36 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 10.95 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 25.6 years (2016 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 30-34

Maternal mortality ratio: 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.6 years (2023 est.)
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 79.8 years

Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 64.6% (2016)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.7% of population
Improved rural: 91.2% of population
Improved total: 92.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.3% of population
Unimproved rural: 8.8% of population
Unimproved total: 7.2% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 4.1% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 1.23 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density: 4.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Water contact diseases: leptospirosis
Animal contact diseases: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 2.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 22% (2020 est.)
Male: 41.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 2.6% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 20.5% (2016)

Education expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.3%
Male: 93%
Female: 91.6% (2019)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2018)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 26.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.1%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 35.6%


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Country name
Conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Conventional short form: Sri Lanka
Local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)
Local short form: Shri Lanka (Sinhala)/ Ilankai (Tamil)
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

Dependent areas

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 2020

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 Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 20 July 2022); the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Dinesh GUNAWARDENA (since 22 July 2022)
Head of government: President Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 20 July 2022)
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 be held in 2024); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of Parliament for a 5-year term)
Election results: Ranil WICKREMESINGHE elected president by Parliament on 20 July 2022; Parliament vote - WICKREMESINGHE (UNP) 134, Dullas ALAHAPPERUNA (SLPP) 82
Note: amid public protests which began in March 2022, President Gotabaya RAJAPAKSE fled the country on 13 July and Ranil WICKREMESINGHE became acting president; RAJAPAKSE announced his resignation on the 14th, which was accepted by the speaker of Parliament the following day

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; 196 members directly elected in multi-seat district constituencies by proportional representation vote using a preferential method in which voters select 3 candidates in order of preference; remaining 29 seats, referred to as the "national list" are allocated by each party secretary according to the island wide proportional vote the party obtains; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 5 August 2020 (next to be held in August 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - SLFPA 59.1%, SJB 23.9%, JVP 3.8%, TNA 2.8%, UNP 2.2%, TNPF 0.6%, EPDP 0.5%, other 7.1%; seats by coalition/party - SLFPA 145, SJB 54, TNA 10, JVP 3, other 13; composition - men 213, women 12, percent of women 5.3%

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:

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 chief of mission: Ambassador Mahinda SAMARASINGHE (since 13 January 2022)
In the us chancery: 3,025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-4,025
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-7,181
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)
From the us embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03
From the us mailing address: 6,100 Colombo Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,100
From the us telephone: [94] (11) 249-8,500
From the us FAX: [94] (11) 243-7,345
From the us email address and website:

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 symbols: lion, water lily; national colors: maroon, yellow

National anthem
Name: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)
Lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE
Note: adopted 1951

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview: lower middle-income South Asian island economy; extremely high public debts; rapid inflation; facing domestic food, fuel, and medicine shortages; tourism industry disrupted by COVID-19; known garment and commodities exporter; low foreign exchange reserves

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

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, coconuts, sugar cane, plantains, milk, tea, cassava, maize, poultry, coir

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: 5.62% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 8.268 million (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 26.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 21.1%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 35.6%

Population below poverty line: 4.1% (2016 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 39.3 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 3%
Highest 10%: 32.2% (2012 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $10.623 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $17.496 billion (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 7.68% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:
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

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: United States 24%, India 8%, United Kingdom 7%, Germany 7% (2019)
Commodities: clothing and apparel, tea, used tires, rubber products, precious stones, cinnamon (2019)

Imports:
Partners: India 24%, China 23%, Singapore 7%, United Arab Emirates 6%, Malaysia 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, textiles, gold, cars, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 4.527 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 13,991,420,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.337 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 32.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 2.237 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 2.586 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 131,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 35,300 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 34,210 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports: 3,871 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 66,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 23.939 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 5.546 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 18.393 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 17.268 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,582,154 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 31,237,303 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 143 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

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
Users total: 14.74 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 67% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,781,530 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:
Note 1: the Civil Security Department, also known as the Civil Defense Force, is an auxiliary force administered by the Ministry of Defense
Note 2: the Sri Lanka Police includes the Special Task Force, a paramilitary unit responsible for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations; it coordinates internal security operations with the military

Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)

Space program
Overview: has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and conducting research and development in space-related technologies, such as electronics, telecommunications, information technology, and robotics; has cooperated with the space agencies or industries of China, France, India, Japan, and the US (2023)
Overview note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in space programs

Terrorist groups
Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in terrorist organizations


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,882,376 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 436.2 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4R

Airports: 18 (2021)
With paved runways: 11
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 7
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports: 1 (2021)

Pipelines: 7 km refined products

Railways
Total: 1,562 km (2016)
Broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge

Roadways
Total: 114,093 km (2010)
Paved: 16,977 km (2010)
Unpaved: 97,116 km (2010)

Waterways: 160 km (2012) (primarily on rivers in southwest)

Merchant marine
Total: 92 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 13, oil tanker 11, other 63

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Colombo
Container ports teus: Colombo (7,250,000) (2021)


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Disputes international: none identified

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 12,000 (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) (2022)
Stateless persons: 35 (2022)

Illicit drugs