Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 1.58 million in 2023. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka is 1.58 million, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.30 million in 1986 and was at its lowest, 1.44 million, in 1975.
Sri Lanka ranks 75th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.67 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.71 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 1.56 million | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 1.54 million | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 1.47 million | -4.5% |
| 1975 | 1.44 million | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 1.44 million | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 1.53 million | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 1.94 million | +26.8% |
| 1979 | 2.00 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 2.08 million | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 2.13 million | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 2.14 million | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 2.15 million | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.19 million | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 2.24 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 2.30 million | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 2.04 million | -11.6% |
| 1988 | 2.08 million | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 2.11 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 2.11 million | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 2.11 million | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.06 million | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 2.01 million | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 1.96 million | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 1.96 million | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.84 million | -6.0% |
| 1997 | 1.82 million | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 1.80 million | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 1.79 million | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 1.78 million | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 1.77 million | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 1.73 million | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 1.67 million | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 1.58 million | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 1.61 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 1.61 million | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.62 million | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.63 million | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 1.62 million | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 1.72 million | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 1.74 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 1.75 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 1.77 million | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.78 million | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.78 million | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.76 million | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 1.75 million | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 1.73 million | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 1.71 million | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.69 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 1.67 million | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 1.62 million | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 1.58 million | -2.9% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1.58 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 519,452, 3.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 1.58 million is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.57 million, 61% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +26.8% | 1.53 million | 1.94 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.63 million | 1.44 million | 2.00 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.15 million | 2.04 million | 2.30 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.95 million | 1.79 million | 2.11 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.66 million | 1.58 million | 1.78 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.75 million | 1.71 million | 1.78 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.64 million | 1.58 million | 1.69 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Sri Lanka was 1.58 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.30 million in 1986.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.44 million in 1975.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- Sri Lanka ranks 75th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.