How our population grew

The first Census of Population after Independence was held on March 20, 1953. The number recorded was 8,097,895 showing an annual increase of 2.8% .

The United Nations defines the Population Census as the total process of collecting, compiling, evaluating, analyzing and publishing demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time, in a country or in a well delimited part of a country.

Sri Lanka has a long history of census taking. The first scientific census was conducted in 1871 when the recorded population was 2.4 million. After 137 years, today the estimated figure is 20 million. Since 1871, 13 censuses have been conducted, once in ten years with a few exceptions. Generally March has been the month selected for taking the census.

From 2.4 million, the population had increased to 18.8 million (males 9.36m & females 9.44m) in 2001 when the last census was conducted on July 17. It was held after a lapse of 20 years due to problems in the North & East. In 1981, the population was 14.8 million.

In 2001, the total population enumerated in the 18 districts, as a whole where the 2001 census was done completely on the final census night was 16,929,689. Since the enumeration was able to carry out completely in 18 out of 25 districts, estimates were made for areas where the census was not completed and the total population in Sri Lanka was 18.8 million. This shows an annual growth rate of 1.2 percent during the intercensal period 1981 and 2001.

Sri Lanka's population is ever increasing and recorded nearly an eight-fold increase since the first census in 1871. There was a dramatic escalation in growth rates during post world war, from 1946 to 1953 mainly due to the decline in mortality. Since 1953 population growth is steadily declining.

The above table shows the population trends over the years.

First Prime Minister's departure

The sudden death of D. S. Senanayake, first Prime Minister of Independent Sri Lanka occurred 56 years ago this week. He was used to riding his horse at Galle Face and on March 22, 1952 he fell while riding and died the next day. He was 68.

Accepted as the 'Father of the Nation,' he steered the country's constitutional movement towards becoming a free nation once again after 400 years of foreign rule. During the latter part of World War II he and Governor Sir Andrew Caldecott began negotiations with the Colonial Office in London about granting self-government to Sri Lanka.

As leader of the Board of Ministers in the State Council he submitted a draft to the British government in 1944 and the constitution under which the country moved to independence was largely based on this draft.

A founder member of the Ceylon National Congress (1919) established to agitate for constitutional reform, he entered national politics in 1924, when he was elected as member to represent the Negombo District in the Legislative Council. In the first general election in 1931 to elect members to the State Council set up under the Donoughmore Constitution, he was chosen as member for Minuwangoda uncontested. He was unanimously elected Chairman of the Executive Committee of Agriculture & Lands and became Minister. He returned uncontested at the 1936 election and retained his portfolio.

Eager to make the dry zone suitable for agriculture, Senanayake planned several large irrigation projects. The Minneriya scheme (1934) and the Minipe Ela scheme (1941) were the earliest projects. The Gal Oya scheme with the huge reservoir Senanayake Samudra named after him is symbolic of the New Lanka he visualized.

After forming the United National Party in September 1946 to contest the first general election under the Soulbury Constitution, he was elected to the Mirigama seat in the first Parliament in 1947 and as leader of the party gaining the largest number of seats became Prime Minister. He continued as Prime Minister after the country gained Independence on February 4, 1948.