Map of Sri Lanka | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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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
Country comparison total: 0 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 29.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land 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 m³ (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
Total: 21,982,608
Male: 10,642,043
Female: 11,340,565 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.39% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 14.3% (2019 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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) 87%, Tamil (official) 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: 22.6% (male 2,537,918/female 2,423,615)
15-64 years: 65% (male 6,954,869/female 7,336,897)
65 years and over: 12.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,149,256/female 1,580,053)

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: 34.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 32.2 years
Female: 35.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.39% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 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 (2024 est.)
Male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.7 years
Female: 79.9 years

Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 64.6% (2016)

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

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

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

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 96.6% of population
Improved rural: 97.9% of population
Improved total: 97.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 3.4% of population
Unimproved rural: 2.1% of population
Unimproved total: 2.4% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

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: 25.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 20.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 33.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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 Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
Head of government: Prime Minister Harini AMARASURIYA (since 24 September 2024)
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 21 September 2024 (next to be held in 2,029); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: 2024: Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE elected president; percent of vote after reallocation - Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (JVP) 55.9%, Sajith PREMADASA (SJB) 44.1%; 2022: Ranil WICKREMESINGHE elected president by Parliament on 20 July 2022; Parliament vote - WICKREMESINGHE (UNP) 134, Dullas ALAHAPPERUMA (SLPP) 82

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 on 14 November 2024)
Elections results: percent of vote by party/coalition - 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 party/coalition - SLFPA 145, SJB 54, TNA 10, JVP 3, other 13; composition- men 213, women 12, percentage 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: Crusaders for Democracy or CFD, Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP, Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi or ITAK, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP, Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU, National People's Power or NPP (also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya or JJB), People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE, Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB, Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC, Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance or SLPFA (includes SLPFP, SLPP, and several smaller parties), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Sri Lanka's People's Front) or SLPP, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO, Tamil National Alliance or TNA (includes ITAK, PLOTE, TELO), Tamil National People's Front or TNPF, Tamil People's National Alliance or TPNA, United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG (coalition includes JHU, UNP), United National Party or UNP

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] 202-232-2,329
In the us email address and website: slemb.washington@mfa.gov.lk; [link]
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles
In the us consulates: New York
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: colomboacs@state.gov; [link]

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: economic contraction in 2022-23 marked by increased poverty and significant inflation; IMF two-year debt relief program following 2022 sovereign default; structural challenges from non-diversified economy and rigid labor laws; heavy dependence on tourism receipts and remittances

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $287.132 billion (2023 est.); $293.885 billion (2022 est.); $317.188 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: -2.3% (2023 est.); -7.35% (2022 est.); 4.21% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $13,000 (2023 est.); $13,200 (2022 est.); $14,300 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 69.3% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 6.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 7.7% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 20.4% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -21.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 25.6% (2023 est.)
Services: 59.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: rice, coconuts, plantains, tea, sugarcane, milk, cassava, fiber crops, maize, chicken (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining

Industrial production growth rate: -9.23% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 8.707 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.36% (2023 est.); 6.33% (2022 est.); 5.26% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 25.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 20.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 33.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 14.3% (2019 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $7.365 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $15.477 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 7.28% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 79.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 16.54% (2023 est.); 49.72% (2022 est.); 7.01% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: $1.559 billion (2023 est.); -$1.448 billion (2022 est.); -$3.284 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $17.327 billion (2023 est.); $16.169 billion (2022 est.); $14.974 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 24%, India 8%, UK 7%, Germany 6%, Italy 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: garments, tea, used rubber tires, rubber products, precious stones (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $18.823 billion (2023 est.); $19.244 billion (2022 est.); $21.526 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: India 34%, China 19%, UAE 5%, Malaysia 4%, Singapore 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, fabric, ships, cotton fabric, synthetic fabric (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.137 billion (2021 est.); $5.664 billion (2020 est.); $7.648 billion (2019 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $37.487 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 5.04 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 10.401 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.62 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 47.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 5.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 40.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 2.084 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
Imports: 2.205 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 121,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 21.766 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 4.663 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 17.103 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 14.449 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.582 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 31.237 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 143 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.); 2% of GDP (2020 est.); 2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Sri Lanka Armed Forces: Sri Lanka Army (includes National Guard and the Volunteer Force), Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard; Civil Security Department (Home Guard); Ministry of Public Security: Sri Lanka National Police (2024)
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

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 the Terrorism reference guide


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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 (2024)

Heliports: 1 (2024)

Pipelines: 7 km refined products

Railways

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

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

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