Country: Sri Lanka
| Photo | People Group ▲ | Population this Country |
Global Population |
Indigenous | Primary Language | Progress Scale |
Primary Religion | % Christian Adherent |
% Evangelical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Adi Dravida | 1,349,000 | 11,779,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.20 % | -1 |
|
Agamudaiyan | 176,000 | 1,086,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Ambalavasi | 658,000 | 817,000 | ● | Malayalam | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Arab | 1,200 | 387,000 | Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % | |
|
Baloch | 900 | 8,109,000 | ● | Balochi, Southern | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Bania | 95,000 | 15,432,000 | ● | Gujarati | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Bania Agarwal | 20,000 | 5,153,000 | ● | Gujarati | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
|
Bania Mahajan | 1,300 | 197,000 | ● | Language unknown | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Bania Mahesri | 1,900 | 387,000 | ● | Marwari | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Bania Porwal | 1,800 | 350,000 | ● | Marwari | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
|
Bharathar | 1,600 | 79,000 | ● | Malayalam | 3 ● | Christianity | 82.23 % | -1 |
|
Bohra | 1,900 | 1,186,000 | ● | Gujarati | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Brahmin | 88,000 | 33,795,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Burgher | 6,200 | 6,200 | ● | Sinhala | 3 ● | Christianity | 77.62 % | -1 |
|
Burmese | 600 | 32,284,000 | Burmese | 1 ● | Buddhism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % | |
|
|
Deaf | -1 Unknown | -1 Unknown | ● | Sri Lankan Sign Language | 2 ● | Buddhism | 8.38 % | 1.20 % |
|
|
Divehi | 200 | 1,500 | ● | Maldivian | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Faqir | 1,300 | 130,000 | ● | Telugu | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Han Chinese, Mandarin | 500 | 858,337,000 | Chinese, Mandarin | 1 ● | Buddhism | 3.81 % | -1 | |
|
Japanese | 4,000 | 124,775,000 | Japanese | 1 ● | Buddhism | 1.43 % | -1 | |
|
Kuravan | 1,400 | 516,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Malay, Javar | 66,000 | 11,678,000 | Sri Lankan Creole Malay | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % | |
|
Malayali | 26,000 | 1,267,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Mappila | 4,800 | 9,731,000 | ● | Malayalam | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Maravan | 121,000 | 3,444,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
|
Mauritian | 800 | 1,085,000 | Language unknown | 2 ● | Hinduism | 37.50 % | -1 | |
|
Memon | 1,800 | 733,000 | ● | Gujarati | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Parsee | 1,300 | 166,000 | Gujarati | 1 ● | Other / Small | 0.00 % | 0.00 % | |
|
Pashtun Northern | 1,600 | 45,678,000 | ● | Pashto, Northern | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
|
Rodiya | 8,300 | 8,300 | ● | Sinhala | 1 ● | Buddhism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Sinhalese | 10,729,000 | 11,143,000 | ● | Sinhala | 1 ● | Buddhism | 3.99 % | -1 |
|
|
Sri Lanka Chetti | 5,800 | 5,800 | ● | Telugu | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Sri Lankan Moor | 398,000 | 398,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Tamil (Christian traditions) | 383,000 | 435,000 | ● | Language unknown | 3 ● | Christianity | 100.00 % | -1 |
|
Tamil (Hindu traditions) | 4,656,000 | 7,317,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Tamil (Muslim traditions) | 1,229,000 | 4,581,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Islam | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Vaddar (Hindu traditions) | 150,000 | 3,953,000 | ● | Telugu | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Veddah | 2,400 | 2,400 | ● | Veddah | 2 ● | Unknown | 43.75 % | -1 |
|
|
Vellalan | 339,000 | 3,015,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
Viswakarma | 125,000 | 8,478,000 | ● | Tamil | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
|
|
Waggai | 3,800 | 3,800 | ● | Telugu | 1 ● | Hinduism | 0.00 % | 0.00 % |
| Totals: 41 | 20,664,000 | 35 ● | 4.02 % | 0.00 % | |||||
| Unclassified / Other Individuals | 241,000 | ||||||||
| UN Country Population (2017) | 20,905,000 |
* Religion values from Sri Lanka census data. Current values may differ.
| Language ▲ | Code | # Peoples Primary Language |
# Unreached Primary Language |
Scripture Status |
NT Text Online |
NT Audio Online |
Jesus Film Online |
Audio Recordings Online |
Gospel Tract Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken | acm | 1 | 1 | 1 None | |||||
| Balochi, Southern | bcc | 1 | 1 | 3 New Testament | |||||
| Burmese | mya | 1 | 1 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Chinese, Mandarin | cmn | 1 | 1 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Gujarati | guj | 5 | 5 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Japanese | jpn | 1 | 1 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Malayalam | mal | 3 | 2 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Maldivian | div | 1 | 1 | 2 Bible Portions | |||||
| Marwari | rwr | 2 | 2 | 3 New Testament | |||||
| Pashto, Northern | pbu | 1 | 1 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Sinhala | sin | 3 | 2 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Sri Lankan Creole Malay | sci | 1 | 1 | 0 Need ? | |||||
| Sri Lankan Sign Language | sqs | 1 | 0 | 0 Need ? | |||||
| Tamil | tam | 11 | 11 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Telugu | tel | 4 | 4 | 4 Complete Bible | |||||
| Unknown | xxx | 3 | 1 | Need ? | |||||
| Veddah | ved | 1 | 0 | 0 Need ? | |||||
| Totals: | 17 | 41 | 35 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 7 |
| RELIGIONS ▲ | Percent |
|---|---|
| Buddhism | 50.2 % |
| Christianity (Evangelical 0.0 %) | 4.0 % |
| Ethnic Religions | 0.0 % |
| Hinduism | 37.5 % |
| Islam | 8.3 % |
| Non-Religious | 0.0 % |
| Other / Small Religions | 0.0 % |
| Unknown | 0.0 % |
Major Religions: Religion percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each religion, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total population to derive the religion's percentage.
Christianity Segments: Christian segment percentages are derived from summing Joshua Project's data for all the people groups who live in each country. The number of individuals who practice each segment of Christianity, by people group, are summed. This number is divided by the country's total number of Christians to derive the Christian segment's percentage.
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in Sri Lanka. Internet searches are probably the best way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:
- Church planting agencies in Sri Lanka
- Christian ministry in Sri Lanka
- Business as mission
- Christian literature distribution
- Evangelism agencies
- Christian discipleship
- Short term Christian missions
- Long term Christian missions
- Urban ministries
- Christian media opportunities
- Bible translation opportunities
- Relief and development agencies
- Clean water projects
- Christian medical outreaches
| People Groups | 41 |
| Unreached People Groups | 35 (85.4%) |
| Population | 20,664,000 |
| Population Annual Growth Rate | 0.5% |
| Population in Unreached | 20,270,000 (98.1%) |
| Pioneer Workers Needed * | 431 to 487 |
| Primary Religion | Buddhism |
| Percent Christian Adherent | 4.0% |
| Percent Evangelical | 0.0% |
| Evangelical Annual Growth Rate | 2.3% |
| Country Progress Level | 1 ● |
| Urbanization | 18% |
| Continent | Asia |
| Region | South Asia |
| 10/40 Window | Yes |
| Country Code | CE |
| National Bible Society | Website |
| Official National Language(s) | Sinhala English |
| Literacy Rate | 93% |
| Estimated Illiterate Population | 1,446,000 |
| Persecution Ranking | 45 (1=High to 50=Low OD) |
 |
Sri Lanka prayer cards. All Unreached |
| Operation World |
| World Factbook |
| Ethnologue Language Listing |
| God Reports (Stories from the field) |
| Religious Freedom Report |
| Window International Country Profile |
| Political Map (UN) |
| Language Map (Ethnologue) |
| Perry-Castaneda Map Collection |
| Sri Lanka Prayercast Video |
* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker for every 50,000 individuals living in an unreached people group. Some workers may already be onsite. The country estimate is a summation of the unreached people group estimates. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.