Southern Asia

Sri Lanka

Absolute number

Prevalence

124.9 thousand

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

0.9%
999.9 thousand

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

10%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Sri Lanka
  • Southern Asia
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Sri Lanka and Southern Asia from 1991 to 2024.

In Sri Lanka, 13% of girls in 1991 married before age 18, compared with 10% in 2016, which is the latest available value.

In Southern Asia, the prevalence was 53% in 1999 and was 26% in 2024.

Show data table
YearSri LankaSouthern Asia
199112.5%
199612.0%
199953.1%
200111.7%
200449.5%
200612.5%
200945.9%
201111.2%
201438.6%
20169.8%
201931.8%
202425.6%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Sri Lanka

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201610.6%9.5%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201617.8%11.1%7.2%2.7%3.3%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201628.3%9.5%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Sri Lanka

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Sri Lanka in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Sri Lanka. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Sri Lanka

Understand differences
inside the country

8% 9% 10% 11% 17% 15% 7% 7% 6%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2016

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Sri Lanka in 2016

0%100%

Region with no data

2016

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Sri Lanka in 2016

0%100%

The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Sri Lanka. Data refer to 2016, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Eastern (17%), North (15%), Central (11%), and North (10%).

Show data table
YearCentralEasternNorth CentralNorth WesternNorthernSabaragamuwaSouthernUvaWestern
10.5%17.1%14.9%9.6%7.5%8.9%7.4%7.1%6.5%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Sri Lanka compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Sri Lanka
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Sri Lanka from 1991 to 2016.

In Sri Lanka, 13% of girls in 1991 married before age 18, compared with 10% in 2016, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearSri Lanka
199112.5%
199612.0%
200111.7%
200612.5%
201111.2%
20169.8%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Sri Lanka. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Sri Lanka, 10% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 11% of girls in rural areas, compared with 10% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Sri Lanka10.6%9.5%9.8%
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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