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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 Sunniest Cities
Geography & Infrastructure
Highest Elevation Most Restaurants
All Countries  ·  Sri Lanka

Largest Cities — Sri Lanka

1 Colombo 36 648,034
2 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 36 219,827
3 Maharagama 36 195,355
4 Jaffna 38 169,102
5 Moratuwa 36 168,280
6 Negombo 36 137,223
7 Pita Kotte 36 118,179
8 Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte 36 115,826
9 Kandy 29 111,701
10 Trincomalee 37 108,420
11 Kalmunai 37 100,171
12 Galle 34 93,118
13 Point Pedro 38 89,810
14 Batticaloa 37 86,742
15 Katunayaka 36 84,643
16 Ambalantota 34 80,506
17 Valvedditturai 38 78,205
18 Matara 34 76,254
19 Battaramulla South 36 75,633
20 Dambulla 29 66,716
21 Kolonnawa 36 64,887
22 Kotikawatta 36 64,565
23 Anuradhapura 30 60,943
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 Badulla 35 47,587
30 Pottuvil 37 45,727
31 Puttalam 32 45,661
32 Devinuwara 34 45,000
33 Ampara 37 43,720
34 Welisara 36 41,306
35 Kalutara 36 37,081
36 Bentota 34 37,000
37 Matale 29 36,462
38 Mannar 38 35,817
39 Homagama 36 34,664
40 Beruwala 36 34,250
41 Panadura 36 33,735
42 Mulleriyawa 36 33,540
43 Kandana 36 33,424
44 Ja Ela 36 32,175
45 Wattala 36 30,725
46 Mullaittivu 38 28,973
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 Hambantota 34 19,999
59 Kegalle 33 17,962
60 Hatton 29 15,073
61 Polonnaruwa 30 13,900
62 Kilinochchi 38 13,006
63 Tangalle 34 10,497
64 Monaragala 35 10,236
65 Wellawaya 35 10,000
66 Gampaha 36 9,350
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 648,034, 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 7 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 7 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 1,400,598.

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