|
Principal Ethnic Groups by Province (Census 1981)
| Province |
Sinhalese |
Sri
Lankan Tamil |
Indian
Tamil |
Sri
Lankan Moor |
Burgher |
Malay |
Others |
| Western |
3,321,830 |
228,516 |
59,402 |
238,728 |
28,542 |
31,670 |
11,119 |
| Central |
1,318,530 |
149,819 |
380,826 |
146,937 |
3,090 |
4,465 |
5,581 |
| Southern |
1,789,914 |
14,454 |
25,215 |
46,699 |
575 |
4,710 |
1,094 |
| Northern |
35,128 |
957,247 |
63,759 |
50,831 |
539 |
160 |
1,740 |
| Eastern |
243,701 |
399,299 |
10,857 |
315,436 |
4,158 |
1,045 |
755 |
| North-Western |
1,532,979 |
47,202 |
8,905 |
109,791 |
1,002 |
2,213 |
2,242 |
| North-Central |
774,799 |
13,293 |
843 |
50,413 |
287 |
447 |
1,410 |
| Uva |
696,596 |
42,866 |
138,357 |
31,912 |
683 |
1,612 |
2,496 |
| Sabaragamuwa |
1,266,091 |
34,168 |
130,492 |
48,180 |
498 |
641 |
1,961 |
| Total |
10,979,568 |
1,886,864 |
818,656 |
1,038,927 |
39,374 |
46,963 |
28,398 |
Source:
Dept. of Census and Statistics, Satistical Abstract 1997
Estimated mid year population by ethnic group, 1980 - 1989
(in Thousands)
| Ethnic
group |
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
| Sinahalese |
10827 |
11027 |
11252 |
11430 |
11578 |
11757 |
11955 |
12121 |
12280 |
12437 |
| Sri
Lankan Tamil |
1714 |
1752 |
1919 |
1951 |
1976 |
2008 |
2042 |
2072 |
2096 |
2124 |
| Indian
Tamil |
1031 |
1031 |
824 |
812 |
807 |
811 |
828 |
845 |
859 |
873 |
| Sri
Lankan Moor |
1031 |
1056 |
1088 |
1111 |
1129 |
1152 |
1179 |
1203 |
1226 |
1249 |
| Burghers |
49 |
49 |
39 |
39 |
40 |
40 |
41 |
41 |
41 |
42 |
| Malays |
50 |
50 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
48 |
| Others |
45 |
45 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
36 |
44 |
50 |
52 |
| Total* |
14742 |
15011 |
15195 |
15417 |
15603 |
15842 |
16127 |
16373 |
16599 |
16825 |
*Total figure may not
tally due to rounding off.
Source:
Department of Census and Statistics, Statistical Abstract,
1997
Population by religion, census years (in Thousands)
| Religion |
1881 |
1891 |
1901 |
1911 |
1921 |
1931(1) |
1946 |
1953 |
1963 |
1971 |
1981 |
| Buddhist |
1698.1 |
1877.0 |
2141.4 |
2474.2 |
2769.8 |
3266.6 |
4294.9 |
5209.4 |
7003.3 |
8536.8 |
10288.3 |
| Hindus |
593.6 |
615.9 |
826.8 |
938.3 |
982.1 |
1166.9 |
1320.4 |
1610.5 |
1958.4 |
2238.6 |
2297.8 |
| Muslims |
197.8 |
212 |
246.1 |
283.6 |
302.5 |
354.2 |
436.6 |
541.5 |
724.0 |
901.7 |
1121.7 |
| Christians |
268.0 |
302.1 |
349.2 |
409.2 |
443.4 |
518.1 |
603.2 |
724.4 |
884.9 |
1004.3 |
1130.6 |
| Others |
2.3 |
0.7 |
2.4 |
1.1 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
2.3 |
11.9 |
11.4 |
8.2 |
8.3 |
| Total |
2759.8 |
3007.7 |
3565.9 |
4106.4 |
4497.9 |
5306.8 |
6657.4 |
8097.7 |
10582.0 |
12689.6 |
14846.7 |
(1)
Estimated by distributing the total population according to
the percent distribution of religions in the 1921 census.
The figures include 442 persons of unspecified sex enumerated
at the partial census of 1931.
Source:
Department of Census and Statistics, Statistical Abstract,
1997
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Principal
Ethnic Groups: Sri Lanka