Sri Lanka Records Nearly 120,000 Fewer Live Births in Past Decade

Sri Lanka has seen a substantial drop in live births over the past decade, with approximately 120,000 fewer births recorded up to 2025 compared to 2015. Data from the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs shows a continuous decline since 2015, a trend that has become more pronounced after 2019. Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Saroja Savithri Paulraj, stated that the government will provide necessary support and incentives to encourage childbirth amid this demographic shift. This decline in births coincides with broader population trends, including an increase in the elderly demographic and a decrease in the under-14 population.