Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters was 17,000 number of cases in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in Sri Lanka, 2008–2023
Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Measured in number of cases.
Analysis
In 2023, internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in Sri Lanka stood at 17,000 number of cases.
That represents a change of up 54.5% on the previous year and down 94.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in Sri Lanka peaked at 685,000 number of cases in 2011 and was at its lowest, 11,000 number of cases, in 2022.
That places Sri Lanka 58th out of 148 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | number of cases | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 525,000 number of cases | — |
| 2009 | 363,000 number of cases | -30.9% |
| 2010 | 141,000 number of cases | -61.2% |
| 2011 | 685,000 number of cases | +385.8% |
| 2012 | 129,000 number of cases | -81.2% |
| 2013 | 324,000 number of cases | +151.2% |
| 2014 | 152,000 number of cases | -53.1% |
| 2015 | 66,000 number of cases | -56.6% |
| 2016 | 500,000 number of cases | +657.6% |
| 2017 | 135,000 number of cases | -73.0% |
| 2018 | 113,000 number of cases | -16.3% |
| 2019 | 87,000 number of cases | -23.0% |
| 2020 | 19,000 number of cases | -78.2% |
| 2021 | 121,000 number of cases | +536.8% |
| 2022 | 11,000 number of cases | -90.9% |
| 2023 | 17,000 number of cases | +54.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 17,000 number of cases is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5,300 number of cases, 3.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 17,000 number of cases is below the median for South Asia, which is 110,000 number of cases, 15% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +657.6% | 66,000 number of cases | 500,000 number of cases |
| 2021 | +536.8% | 19,000 number of cases | 121,000 number of cases |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 444,000 number of cases | 363,000 number of cases | 525,000 number of cases | 2 |
| 2010s | 233,200 number of cases | 66,000 number of cases | 685,000 number of cases | 10 |
| 2020s | 42,000 number of cases | 11,000 number of cases | 121,000 number of cases | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 55 Burundi 21,000 number of cases compare
- 56 South Africa 20,000 number of cases compare
- 57 Bahamas 18,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Chad 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Ecuador 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Paraguay 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 East Timor 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Togo 16,000 number of cases compare
More public sector data for Sri Lanka
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4107 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 80 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in Sri Lanka?
- Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in Sri Lanka was 17,000 number of cases in 2023, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
- What is the highest internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 685,000 number of cases in 2011.
- What is the lowest internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,000 number of cases in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with?
- Sri Lanka ranks 58th out of 148 countries with data for 2023.
- Is internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 94.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), published as part of Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with disasters (number of cases). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Internally displaced persons are defined according to the 1998 Guiding Principles (http://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/1998/ocha-guiding-principles-on-internal-displacement) as people or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of armed conflict, or to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights, or natural or human-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border. "New Displacement" refers to the number of new cases or incidents of displacement recorded over the specified year, rather than the number of people displaced. This is done because people may have been displaced more than once.