Twenty five percent live in WP - Census Dept

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Twenty five percent of population in the country live in the Western Province, a preliminary report issued by the Census and Statistics Department said yesterday .

According to the Census of Population and Housing Preliminary report the total population has grown by 0.7 percent over the last 10 years to 20,277,597.

Census and Statistics Department Statistical Assistant V.T.Anuruddha said the last census was carried out in 2001 covering only 18 districts and the estimated population in 2001 was 18,797,257.

"Compared to the estimated total population in 2001, population has increased by 7.9 percent (1,480,340)," Anuruddha said.

He said 28.8 percent of the population live in the Western Province; 5.2 percent in the Northern Province;12.6 percent in the Central Province and 12.2 percent in the Southern Province. The highest population numbering 2,323,826 live in the Colombo district, while Gampaha District is the second largest with 2,298,588 people living. Mullaitivu and Mannar districts are recoded as the lowest populated. Mullaitivu district has 92,228 and Mannar has 99,063 population." he said.

Kurunegala, Kandy, Kalutara, Ratnapura, and Galle districts are reported to have a population of more than a million.

According to the report 20,274,179 people have permanent shelter and 3,418 people do not have.