Largest Cities in Sri Lanka

Top 72 cities ranked by largest cities

Best Sri Lanka Cities

Composite rankings combining multiple weighted metrics, 4 topics from climate and air quality data.

Best Climate Cities
Warm temperatures, plenty of sunshine and clean air.
Cleanest Air Cities
Lowest pollution levels for healthy outdoor living.
Sunniest Cities
Most days of sunshine per year, with warm and dry climate.
Most Urban Cities
Densely populated city centers with the largest urban footprints.
Population & Density
Largest Cities Smallest Cities Most Dense Least Dense
Climate & Air
Warmest Cities Coldest Cities Rainiest Cities Driest Cities
Geography & Infrastructure
Highest Elevation Most Restaurants
All Countries  ·  Sri Lanka

Largest Cities - Sri Lanka

1 Colombo 36 647,557
2 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 36 234,559
3 Maharagama 36 195,355
4 Gampaha 36 191,040
5 Moratuwa 36 168,280
6 Beruwala 36 164,969
7 Negombo 36 142,136
8 Pita Kotte 36 118,179
9 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte 36 115,826
10 Kandy 29 111,701
11 Kalmunai 37 100,171
12 Trincomalee 37 99,135
13 Batticaloa 37 95,489
14 Galle 34 93,118
15 Jaffna 38 88,138
16 Katunayaka 36 84,643
17 Ambalantota 34 80,506
18 Battaramulla South 36 75,633
19 Matara 34 68,244
20 Dambulla 29 66,716
21 Kolonnawa 36 64,887
22 Kotikawatta 36 64,565
23 Anuradhapura 30 63,208
24 Vavuniya 38 60,176
25 Beliatta 34 58,675
26 Hendala 36 56,978
27 Ambalangoda 34 56,783
28 Ratnapura 33 47,832
29 Pottuvil 37 45,727
30 Puttalam 32 45,661
31 Devinuwara 34 45,000
32 Ampara 37 43,720
33 Badulla 35 42,923
34 Welisara 36 41,306
35 Mullaittivu 38 37,339
36 Kalutara 36 37,081
37 Bentota 34 37,000
38 Matale 29 36,462
39 Mannar 38 35,000
40 Homagama 36 34,664
41 Panadura 36 33,735
42 Mulleriyawa 36 33,540
43 Kandana 36 33,424
44 Ja Ela 36 32,175
45 Point Pedro 38 31,351
46 Wattala 36 30,725
47 Kelaniya 36 28,846
48 Peliyagoda 36 28,784
49 Kurunegala 32 28,571
50 Nuwara Eliya 29 27,500
51 Chilaw 32 24,712
52 Gampola 29 24,283
53 Eravur Town 37 22,982
54 Hanwella Ihala 36 22,918
55 Weligama 34 22,179
56 Vakarai 37 21,000
57 Kataragama 35 20,935
58 Valvedditturai 38 18,000
59 Kegalle 33 17,962
60 Hatton 29 15,073
61 Polonnaruwa 30 13,900
62 Kilinochchi 38 13,006
63 Hambantota 34 11,213
64 Tangalle 34 10,497
65 Monaragala 35 10,236
66 Wellawaya 35 10,000
67 Horana South 36 8,982
68 Keppapularu 38 8,361
69 Wattegama 35 8,000
70 Minuwangoda 36 7,772
71 Horawala Junction 36 7,500
72 Kuliyapitiya 32 6,877

The largest cities in Sri Lanka represent major centers of economic activity, cultural influence, and population growth. Colombo leads with a population of 647,557, followed by Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Maharagama. These cities serve as hubs for employment, education, and innovation, attracting residents from across the country and around the world.

Population size is a key indicator of a city's economic influence and infrastructure capacity. Larger cities typically offer more diverse job markets, extensive public transit systems, and a wider range of cultural amenities. 36 dominates the top 10 with 9 cities on the list, reflecting the state's strong economic pull and quality of life.

While large populations bring economic advantages, they also present challenges including higher costs of living, traffic congestion, and housing affordability concerns. Many of these cities have experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by job opportunities in technology, healthcare, and professional services.

Did You Know?

  • 1. Colombo's population is larger than that of many small nations.
  • 2. 36 has 9 cities in the top 10, more than any other state.
  • 3. The 50th largest city still has a population of 27,500 - larger than most cities worldwide.
  • 4. The top 5 cities combined have a population of 1,436,791.

Browse Rankings by Region

Sri Lanka - By Region

Central Province Eastern Province Northern Province Southern Province Uva Province Western Province

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe