Colombo's 2026 population is now estimated at 468,377. In 2025, the population of Colombo was 474,472. Colombo experienced a decrease of -6,095 residents over the past year, marking an annual decline of -1.28%. These population values and projections come from World Population Review Internal Projections .
Colombo is located in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city and also the largest by population. This city is known for being a popular tourist destination, with tourism fueling the local economy. It is also a financial center of Sri Lanka. The city has a population of 752,993 people. The larger urban area has a population of over 2.3 million, while the metropolitan area has a population of more than 5.6 million residents.
The city proper covers a total area of 14.41 square miles, making the population density over 52,000 per square mile.
Colombo is a very ethnically diverse city and has many different ethnic communities residing within the city property. This includes such groups as the Sri Lankan Moor, Sinhalese, Chinese, Malay, and Indian. The largest ethnic group in Colombo is the Sinhalese, which make up over 41% of the total population. The city is also home to a large number of European expatriates.
In terms of religion, 31.4% are affiliated with Islam, 31.2% are Buddhist, 22.6% follow Hinduism, and about 14% are affiliated with some form of Christianity.
The languages used in Colombo include Sinhala and Tamil, and English is also used commonly.
Over 29% of males and over 30% of females in Colombo are in the 15 to 29 age range.
The city through the years has recorded slow but steady population growth every ten years when the census is taken. This city’s appeal to foreigners and its thriving tourism industry make this an appealing city that is expected to see continued population growth.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Colombo | 468,377 | -1.28% |
| Kaduwela (Battaramulla) | 319,383 | 1.71% |
| Maharagama | 211,706 | 0.54% |
| Negombo | 174,048 | 1.44% |
| Moratuwa | 157,164 | -0.49% |
| Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | 155,896 | -1.19% |
| Kalmunai (incl. Sainthamarathu) | 107,090 | 0.5% |
| Sri Jayawardenepura | 98,062 | -0.68% |
| Batticaloa | 94,388 | 0.65% |
| Kandy | 86,895 | -0.91% |
| Galle | 81,570 | -0.4% |
| Matara | 71,650 | -0.25% |
| Gampaha | 69,141 | 0.74% |
| Jaffna | 68,075 | -1.22% |
| Gampola | 66,672 | 4.12% |
| Kolonnawa | 66,612 | 0.74% |
| Puttalam | 50,775 | 0.79% |
| Trincomalee | 50,293 | 0.28% |
| Kattankudy (Kathankudi) | 48,819 | 1.37% |
| Ratnapura | 48,305 | 0.18% |
| Katunayake (-Seeduwa) | 48,118 | -1.67% |
| Anuradhapura | 47,519 | -0.45% |
| Hambantota | 46,792 | 5.13% |
| Seethawakapura (Avissawella) | 46,650 | 3.13% |
| Beruwala | 44,821 | 1.23% |
| Badulla | 43,859 | 0.27% |
| Matale | 36,476 | 0% |
| Ja-Ela | 31,647 | 0.09% |
| Ampara | 30,014 | 2.08% |
| Wattala-Mabole | 27,020 | -0.26% |
| Kalutara | 26,977 | -1.3% |
| Panadura | 26,274 | -0.96% |
| Kadugannawa | 25,482 | 5.13% |
| Peliyagoda | 25,228 | -0.68% |
| Balangoda | 24,617 | 2.89% |
| Weligama | 23,156 | 0.24% |
| Nuwara Eliya | 21,930 | -0.58% |
| Kurunegala | 20,933 | -1.21% |
| Ambalangoda | 20,339 | 0.12% |
| Vavuniya | 20,325 | -3.77% |
| Chilaw | 18,472 | -1.06% |
| Hatton-Dickoya | 15,016 | 0.21% |
| Kegalle | 14,645 | -0.62% |
| Nawalapitiya | 13,094 | -0.13% |
| Horana | 10,086 | 0.39% |
| Wattegama | 8,575 | 0.36% |
| Minuwangoda | 7,363 | -0.16% |
| Tangalle | 6,482 | -1.89% |
| Thalawakele-Lindula | 6,246 | 2.08% |
| Haputale | 6,013 | 0.92% |
| Kuliyapitiya | 4,569 | -1.32% |
