State: Central | Joshua Project

South Asia Peoples website

Country:	Sri Lanka
State:	Central
District:	All

Number of People Groups

154

Unreached People Groups

Total Population

2,628,000

Buddhist

64.0 %

Christian

3.7 %

Hindu

22.0 %

Muslim

10.2 %

Sikh

0.0 %

Other Religions

0.0 %

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼

Progress Scale: ●●●●●
People Group ▲	Population	Primary Language	Progress Scale	Hindu	Muslim	Buddhist	Christian	Sikh	Other
Adi Andhra	300	Telugu	1 ●	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Agamudaiyan	9,600	Tamil	2 ●	8,300	-1 -	-1 -	1,200	-1 -	-1 -
Agamudaiyan Nattaman	4,600	Tamil	2 ●	4,000	-1 -	-1 -	600	-1 -	-1 -
Ahinkuntaya	7,300	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	7,200	80	-1 -	-1 -
Ambalavasi	5,000	Tamil	2 ●	4,400	-1 -	-1 -	600	-1 -	-1 -
Ambattan	1,000	Tamil	2 ●	1,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Ansari	300	Urdu	1 ●	-1 -	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Arab	800	Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken	1 ●	-1 -	800	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Arain (Muslim traditions)	50	Punjabi, Western	1 ●	-1 -	50	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Arayan	100	Malayalam	2 ●	100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Badahala	13,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	13,000	200	-1 -	-1 -
Baloch	80	Urdu	1 ●	-1 -	80	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Bania	4,700	Tamil	1 ●	4,700	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Bania Chetti	200	Tamil	1 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Banjara (Hindu traditions)	300	Hindi	1 ●	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Batgama	90,000	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	90,000	700	-1 -	-1 -
Berava	44,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	43,000	800	-1 -	-1 -
Bharathar (Christian traditions)	40	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	40	-1 -	-1 -
Bharathar (Hindu traditions)	-1 Unknown	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Bintanna	800	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	800	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Bodhivansha	1,800	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	1,800	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Bohra	200	Gujarati	1 ●	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Boya	9,300	Tamil	2 ●	8,200	-1 -	-1 -	1,200	-1 -	-1 -
Brahmin	23,000	Tamil	1 ●	23,000	-1 -	-1 -	60	-1 -	-1 -
Brahmin Indian Tamil	18,000	Tamil	1 ●	18,000	-1 -	-1 -	60	-1 -	-1 -
Burgher	3,500	Sinhala	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	300	3,200	-1 -	60
Chakkiliyan (Christian traditions)	2,400	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	2,400	-1 -	-1 -
Chakkiliyan (Hindu traditions)	15,000	Tamil	1 ●	15,000	-1 -	-1 -	30	-1 -	-1 -
Christian	900	Language unknown	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	900	-1 -	-1 -
Couratto	2,200	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	2,200	40	-1 -	-1 -
Dhobi (Hindu traditions)	6,300	Tamil	1 ●	6,200	-1 -	-1 -	50	-1 -	-1 -
Dodda-Weddah	7,300	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	7,200	100	-1 -	-1 -
Gahala	2,200	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	2,200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Gattara	90,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	88,000	1,700	-1 -	-1 -
Gauraykwallu	2,900	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	2,800	30	-1 -	-1 -
Goanese	40	Konkani	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	40	-1 -	-1 -
Govigama	62,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	61,000	1,000	-1 -	-1 -
Govigama Patti	3,300	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	3,200	30	-1 -	-1 -
Govigama Radala	3,300	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	3,200	30	-1 -	-1 -
Hajam	1,100	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	1,100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Hakki Pikki	800	Telugu	1 ●	800	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Handi	900	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Hannali	39,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	38,000	700	-1 -	-1 -
Hanomoreyo	900	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Heeri	6,800	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	6,700	100	-1 -	-1 -
Henawalayo	2,900	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	2,900	20	-1 -	-1 -
Hinna	30,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	29,000	500	-1 -	-1 -
Hunna	11,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	11,000	200	-1 -	-1 -
Idayan	4,000	Tamil	2 ●	3,500	-1 -	-1 -	500	-1 -	-1 -
Ilavan	37,000	Tamil	1 ●	35,000	-1 -	-1 -	40	-1 -	-1 -
Ilavan Christian	5,600	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	5,600	-1 -	-1 -
Indian Tamil	4,700	Tamil	2 ●	3,400	-1 -	-1 -	1,300	-1 -	-1 -
Japanese	400	Japanese	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	300	-1 -	-1 -	50
Jat (Hindu traditions)	400	Punjabi, Eastern	1 ●	400	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Jat (Muslim traditions)	200	Punjabi, Western	1 ●	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Javanese	100	Javanese	1 ●	-1 -	100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Kadaiyan	400	Tamil	2 ●	400	-1 -	-1 -	30	-1 -	-1 -
Kaikolan	42,000	Tamil	2 ●	36,000	-1 -	-1 -	5,600	-1 -	-1 -
Kallan	9,300	Tamil	2 ●	8,800	-1 -	-1 -	500	-1 -	-1 -
Kapu	1,100	Telugu	1 ●	1,100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Karaiyar	15,000	Tamil	2 ●	14,000	-1 -	-1 -	400	-1 -	-1 -
Karava	122,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	120,000	2,700	-1 -	-1 -
Kasar (Hindu traditions)	1,900	Tamil	2 ●	1,700	-1 -	-1 -	100	-1 -	-1 -
Kiddea	1,800	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	1,800	20	-1 -	-1 -
Kinnara	7,000	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	7,000	20	-1 -	-1 -
Koviar	1,900	Tamil	2 ●	1,900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Kumhar (Hindu traditions)	3,600	Tamil	2 ●	3,300	-1 -	-1 -	400	-1 -	-1 -
Kuravan (Christian traditions)	300	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	300	-1 -	-1 -
Kuravan (Hindu traditions)	2,200	Tamil	1 ●	2,200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Kustarogiyo	1,800	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	1,800	20	-1 -	-1 -
Lohar (Hindu traditions)	300	Hindi	1 ●	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Madari (Muslim traditions)	40	Urdu	1 ●	-1 -	40	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Mahishya	200	Bengali	1 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Malay, Javar	3,000	Sri Lankan Creole Malay	1 ●	-1 -	3,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Malayali	80	Malayalam	2 ●	80	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Malayan, caste	100	Malayalam	2 ●	100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Mangala	300	Telugu	1 ●	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Mappila	1,000	Malayalam	1 ●	-1 -	1,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Maravan	53,000	Tamil	2 ●	46,000	-1 -	-1 -	7,000	-1 -	-1 -
Maravar	6,500	Tamil	2 ●	6,400	-1 -	-1 -	20	-1 -	-1 -
Mauritian	100	Morisyen	2 ●	70	-1 -	-1 -	40	-1 -	-1 -
Memon	300	Gujarati	1 ●	-1 -	300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Moghal	200	Urdu	1 ●	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Mukkuvan (Hindu traditions)	600	Tamil	1 ●	600	-1 -	-1 -	30	-1 -	-1 -
Nadar (Christian traditions)	5,000	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	5,000	-1 -	-1 -
Nadar (Hindu traditions)	17,000	Tamil	1 ●	17,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Nair	2,200	Tamil	1 ●	2,200	-1 -	-1 -	20	-1 -	-1 -
Nalavar	3,300	Tamil	2 ●	3,300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Namassej (Hindu traditions)	200	Bengali	1 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Navait	2,800	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	2,800	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Navandanna	133,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	131,000	2,600	-1 -	-1 -
Navithan	12,000	Tamil	2 ●	11,000	-1 -	-1 -	1,600	-1 -	-1 -
Oli	3,600	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	3,500	50	-1 -	-1 -
Osta (Nasuva)	500	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	500	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Palla	1,300	Tamil	2 ●	1,300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Pallan (Christian traditions)	4,000	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	4,000	-1 -	-1 -
Pallan (Hindu traditions)	27,000	Tamil	1 ●	27,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Pallar	4,300	Tamil	2 ●	4,300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Palliwilli	1,000	Tamil	2 ●	800	-1 -	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -
Pamunu	3,600	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	3,500	30	-1 -	-1 -
Panar	2,900	Tamil	2 ●	2,600	-1 -	-1 -	400	-1 -	-1 -
Panna	700	Tamil	2 ●	700	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Pannikki	29,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	28,000	500	-1 -	-1 -
Paraiyan (Christian traditions)	9,400	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	9,400	-1 -	-1 -
Paraiyan (Hindu traditions)	60,000	Tamil	1 ●	60,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Paraiyar	5,300	Tamil	2 ●	4,700	-1 -	600	20	-1 -	-1 -
Paravan (Hindu traditions)	700	Tamil	1 ●	700	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Parsee	100	Gujarati	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	100
Pashtun, Pathan	6,900	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	6,900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Pidayne Danno	1,100	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	1,100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Porowakara	400	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	400	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Primanar	4,300	Tamil	1 ●	4,300	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Pulayan	2,400	Tamil	2 ●	2,200	-1 -	-1 -	300	-1 -	-1 -
Radava	21,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	20,000	800	-1 -	-1 -
Radayo	900	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Rajaka	18,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	18,000	400	-1 -	-1 -
Rajput (Hindu traditions)	600	Hindi	1 ●	600	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Rajput (Muslim traditions)	200	Punjabi, Western	1 ●	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Rodiya	3,000	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	3,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Sali, Seriyar	1,900	Tamil	2 ●	1,700	-1 -	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -
Samban	900	Tamil	2 ●	800	-1 -	-1 -	90	-1 -	-1 -
Sayyid	8,900	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	8,900	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Semman, Sempadawar	600	Tamil	2 ●	600	-1 -	-1 -	50	-1 -	-1 -
Shaikh	34,000	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	34,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Silpi	2,000	Tamil	2 ●	1,800	-1 -	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -
Sindhi (Muslim traditions)	60	Sindhi	1 ●	-1 -	60	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Sinhalese	10,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	9,200	1,300	-1 -	-1 -
Sonar (Hindu traditions)	4,000	Tamil	1 ●	3,900	-1 -	-1 -	60	-1 -	-1 -
Sri Lanka Chetti	200	Tamil	1 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Sri Lanka Moor	40,000	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	40,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Sri Lankan Tamil	900	Tamil	2 ●	900	-1 -	-1 -	30	-1 -	-1 -
Syrian Christian	20	Malayalam	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	20	-1 -	-1 -
Tamil (Muslim traditions)	169,000	Tamil	1 ●	-1 -	169,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Tattar	60	Tamil	2 ●	60	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Teli (Hindu traditions)	3,200	Tamil	2 ●	3,000	-1 -	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -
Thacher	200	Tamil	2 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Thanakavar	1,400	Tamil	2 ●	1,200	-1 -	-1 -	100	-1 -	-1 -
Thimilar	1,600	Tamil	2 ●	1,600	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Valluvan	1,500	Tamil	2 ●	1,400	-1 -	-1 -	200	-1 -	-1 -
Vaniyan	9,600	Tamil	2 ●	8,400	-1 -	-1 -	1,200	-1 -	-1 -
Vannan (Christian traditions)	2,100	Tamil	3 ●	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	2,100	-1 -	-1 -
Vannan (Hindu traditions)	14,000	Tamil	1 ●	14,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Vannar	400	Tamil	2 ●	400	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Vanniyan	21,000	Tamil	2 ●	18,000	-1 -	-1 -	2,700	-1 -	-1 -
Vanniyar	2,800	Tamil	2 ●	2,700	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Velakkithalanayan	200	Malayalam	2 ●	200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Vellalan	17,000	Tamil	2 ●	14,000	-1 -	-1 -	2,300	-1 -	-1 -
Vellalar	91,000	Tamil	2 ●	91,000	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Vellidura	1,200	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	1,200	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Vettar	100	Tamil	2 ●	100	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -	-1 -
Viswakarma	4,100	Tamil	1 ●	4,000	-1 -	-1 -	100	-1 -	-1 -
Wahumpura	918,000	Sinhala	2 ●	-1 -	-1 -	899,000	20,000	-1 -	-1 -
Yadav (Hindu traditions)	5,000	Tamil	1 ●	5,000	-1 -	-1 -	30	-1 -	-1 -
Yamannu	18,000	Sinhala	1 ●	-1 -	-1 -	18,000	300	-1 -	-1 -
Totals: 154	2,628,000		69 ●	579,000	269,000	1,683,000	97,000	0	200

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Joshua Project data is drawn from many sources and of varying accuracy depending on source and editorial decisions. Populations are scaled to the current year. Other data may have varying ages. We welcome suggested updates.
A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
The data is sometimes not as precise as it appears. Values for %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical (which determine unreached status) are often informed estimates, some more accurate than others. We recommend against using %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical to calculate absolute numbers.
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