Share of the population using the Internet in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of the population using the Internet was 54.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Sri Lanka, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Sri Lanka is 54.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.6% on the previous year and up 419.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Sri Lanka peaked at 54.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Sri Lanka 156th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | +97.8% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | +894.5% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | +197.2% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +82.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +17.6% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +86.0% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | +22.6% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | +32.3% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | +38.9% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +23.9% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | +41.6% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | +52.9% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | +24.3% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +21.6% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | +17.8% |
| 2011 | 8.0% | +15.1% |
| 2012 | 9.0% | +13.1% |
| 2013 | 10.0% | +11.6% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 15.3% | +45.4% |
| 2016 | 22.2% | +45.4% |
| 2017 | 25.1% | +13.0% |
| 2018 | 28.3% | +13.0% |
| 2019 | 32.0% | +13.0% |
| 2020 | 36.2% | +13.0% |
| 2021 | 44.5% | +22.9% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | +8.7% |
| 2023 | 51.2% | +6.0% |
| 2024 | 54.6% | +6.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 54.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 81.5%, 67% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 54.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 62.3%, 88% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +894.5% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1997 | +197.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 7 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 0.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 6.9% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.9% | 36.2% | 54.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More science & technology data for Sri Lanka
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 132.55 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.4 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 30.62 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 528.35 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -6.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -6.3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 2,322 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Sri Lanka?
- Share of the population using the internet in Sri Lanka was 54.6% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 54.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Sri Lanka ranks 156th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 419.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.