Sri Lanka brief – People:

Population

Sri Lanka -- 23.3 million
Australia -- 28 million
India -- 1.5 billion

Ethnic composition of populations

Sri Lanka -- The Sinhalese are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, making up approximately 74.1% of the population (17 million), followed by Sri Lankan Tamils at 12.3% (2.8 million), and Sri Lanka Moors (Muslims) at 10.5%.

Australia -- Around 17% to 19% of the Australian population has Asian ancestry, with estimates indicating that roughly 12% to 15% were actually born in Asia.

Australians of Sri Lankan origin represent a large, culturally diverse diaspora that includes Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, and Burgher ancestries. Numbering over 172,000 (0.6 percent of total), the community is predominantly based in Victoria and New South Wales and is characterized by high levels of education, skilled migration, and vibrant cultural integration.

India’s Buddhist population is approximately 8.4 million to 10 million people, making up about 0.7% to 0.8% of the country's total population. In 2025, the total Tamil population in India is estimated to be approximately 72 million to 78 million people. In the primary state of Tamil Nadu, the projected population hovers around 76 million to 78 million, making up roughly 6% of India's total population.

Fertility

Sri Lanka's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.3 children per woman, putting the country on the verge of "ultra-low fertility". This represents a sharp drop from 2.2 children per woman in 2016, driven largely by the severe 2022 economic crisis, delayed marriages, and increased out-migration.

Australia's fertility rate for 2025–2026 is projected to hit a record low of 1.42 children per woman. This is a sharp decline from the 1.48 recorded in 2024 and falls far short of the 2.1 replacement level needed to sustain generational population growth without relying on overseas migration.

India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.9, officially dropping below the required replacement level of 2.1. This indicates a shift in the population's trajectory, driven by increased education, delayed marriages, and family planning initiatives.

Migration

Outbound migration from Sri Lanka is a defining socioeconomic and demographic phenomenon. Approximately 3 million Sri Lankans (about 1 in 20 citizens) live and work abroad, representing one of the highest diaspora-to-population ratios in the world. The outflow is primarily driven by economic factors, with an estimated 250,000 workers leaving annually.

Inward migration into Australia focuses heavily on economic and skilled pathways to manage labor shortages and sustain long-term economic growth. The permanent migration target is set at around 295,000 places to offset demographic shifts. Net Overseas Migration (NOM) for the current financial year is projected to reach approximately 305,000,

The top ten source countries of overseas-born residents living in Australia are: England 963,000; India 916,000; China 700,000; New Zealand 617,000; Philippines 394,000; Vietnam 318,000; South Africa 224,000; Nepal 197,000; Malaysia 183,000; Sri Lanka 172,000.

Gender equality of opportunity

Global Gender Gap Report 2025 , based on 148 countries

Australia 13th
Sri Lanka 130th
India 131st

Sri Lanka demonstrates significant progress in gender equality regarding education and health, yet faces critical challenges in economic participation and political representation. While literacy rates for men and women are nearly identical at over 92%, cultural barriers, discriminatory laws, and systemic wage gaps prevent true equality of opportunity.

Social discrimination in Sri Lanka

Systemic discrimination against Tamils in Sri Lanka persists in political, economic, and social spheres. Despite the end of the civil war in 2009, Tamil-majority areas in the north and east remain heavily militarized. Tamils face severe obstacles regarding land rights, freedom of expression, justice for past atrocities, and equitable employment.

The indigenous people of Sri Lanka are the Vedda (or Veddah), who call themselves Wanniyala-Aetto (meaning "forest-dwellers"). They are the island's earliest known inhabitants, with a lineage and a unique indigenous language that dates back thousands of years. Today, they represent a small marginalized community making up less than \(1\%\) of the country's population.

Key details of the Vedda community include:
Lifestyle: Traditionally, they are hunter-gatherers and forest dwellers who subsist on wild game, fish, yams, and honey.
Current Settlement: While some maintain their traditional nomadic lifestyle in the remote forests, many have integrated into broader Sri Lankan society. The largest groups live in the Anuradhapura District, the Eastern Province, and the central jungles near Dambana.