Sri Lanka, Oct. 27 -- Sri Lanka has recorded a significant drop in marriages, live births, and overall population growth, according to newly released data from the Department of Population and Statistics.

In 2024, 139,290 marriages were registered, marking a 5.54% decrease from the 151,356 marriages recorded in 2023. The trend continues a decline seen since the pandemic and economic crisis period when 171,140 marriages were registered in 2022.

According to the census of population and housing in 2024 the total population was recorded as 21,763,170.

The decline extends to birth rates as well. The country recorded 220,761 live births in 2024 - a steep fall compared to 301,706 births documented in 2020 and 247,900 births in 2023. Official...