Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	47th best
Capital	Colombo (administrative/judicial) and Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative)
Land Area	62 710km21
Location	Asia
Population	21.2m2
Life Expectancy	76.40yrs (2017)3
GNI	$12 578 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	LK, LKA, 1445
Internet Domain	.lk6
Currency	Rupee (LKR)7
Telephone	+948

1. Overview
2. The India-Linked Tamil Separatists
3. Sri Lanka National and Social Development
4. Sri Lanka's Demographics and Migration
5. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
6. Sri Lanka's Health
7. Sri Lanka's Responsibility Towards The Environment
8. Sri Lanka's Modernity and Learning
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#buddhism #india #sri_lanka

“The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

European powers in the colonial era took it in turns to rule Sri Lanka, starting with the coastal areas by Portuguese in the 16th century₉: Portuguese ruled overall from 1619 to 1663, the Dutch from 1658 to 1796, and the British also had a go from 1802 to 1948₁₀. It finally gained independence in 1948, and changed its name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka in 1972₁₀.

Sri Lanka, along with India, "have established [South Asia]'s most stable democracies, but even their experience with democracy has been marked by the occasional lapse into more authoritarian rule₁₁.

“Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, oodles of elephants, killer surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea, flavourful food - need we go on? Sri Lanka´s attributes are many. Few places have as many Unesco World Heritage sites (eight) packed into such a small area. Its 2000-plus years of culture can be discovered at ancient sites filled with mystery.

When you´re ready to escape the tropical climate of the coast and lowlands, head for the hills, which are verdant, virescent and virally infectious with allure. Impossibly green tea plantations and rainforested peaks beckon walkers, trekkers or just those who want to see it on a spectacular train ride.

And then there are the beaches. Dazzlingly white and all so often untrod, they ring the island so that no matter where you go, you´ll be near a sandy gem.

Find a favourite beach to call your own, meditate in a 2000-year-old temple, try to keep count of the little dishes that come with your rice and curry. Stroll past colonial gems in Colombo and then hit some epic surf. Sri Lanka is spectacular, it's affordable and it's still mostly uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₂

2. The India-Linked Tamil Separatists₁₃

#china #india #norway

Southern India expeditionaries established a Tamil Kingdom in the north, in the 14th century₉. Over the many hundreds of years since then, this has been a periodic source of conflict between them and the native Sinhalese.

“Over the centuries... the Tamil communities have come to be associated with the northern areas while the Sinhalese are associated with other parts. [...] The history of repeated confrontation between Tamils from India and the people of the island resonates both in the rhetoric of contemporary ethnic relations. [...]

For some Sri Lankans... the presence of fifty million Tamils... makes it hard to think of compromise on the question of national identity. India's part in arming and training the Tamil militants is well documented, but events following the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord (1987) first embittered Sri Lanka and then, after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, India. In recent years, [...] India's participation in the conflict and the peace process has been low-key.”

"South Asia's Small States in World Politics" by Swarna Rajagopalan (2005)₁₀

“Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006, but the government regained control of the Eastern Province in 2007. By May 2009, the government announced that its military had defeated the remnants of the LTTE.

Since the end of the conflict, the government has enacted an ambitious program of economic development projects, many of which are financed by loans from the Government of China. In addition to efforts to reconstruct its economy, the government has resettled more than 95% of those civilians who were displaced during the final phase of the conflict and released the vast majority of former LTTE combatants captured by Government Security Forces. At the same time, there has been little progress on more contentious and politically difficult issues such as reaching a political settlement with Tamil elected representatives and holding accountable those alleged to have been involved in human rights violations at the end of the war.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

3. Sri Lanka National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)14
Pos.		Higher is better Value14
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
70	Barbados	0.790
71	Antigua & Barbuda	0.788
72	Seychelles	0.785
73	Sri Lanka	0.782
74	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.780
75	St Kitts & Nevis	0.777
76	Iran	0.774
77	Ukraine	0.773
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)14
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $14
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
92	Iran	$13 001
93	S. Africa	$12 948
94	Suriname	$12 672
95	Sri Lanka	$12 578
96	Paraguay	$12 349
97	Barbados	$12 306
98	Peru	$12 246
99	Equatorial Guinea	$12 074
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index15
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank15
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
44	Romania	65.7
45	Bulgaria	67.3
46	Argentina	67.4
47	Sri Lanka	68.2
48	Israel	69.1
49	Barbados	69.8
50	Brazil	71.6
51	Montenegro	72.2
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

4. Sri Lanka's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Sri Lanka's population is predicted to rise to 23.09 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.97. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₆

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
54	Ivory Coast	25.1m
55	Australia	24.9m
56	Niger	22.4m
57	Sri Lanka	21.2m
58	Burkina Faso	19.8m
59	Romania	19.5m
60	Mali	19.1m
61	Chile	18.7m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better14
Pos.		2021 Years14
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
54	Montenegro	76.3
55	Panama	76.2
56	Turkey	76.0
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best17
Pos.		202217
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
4	India	2.01
5	Belize	1.99
6	Grenada	1.99
7	New Caledonia	2.02
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better18
Pos.		2016 Per 10018
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
125	Bahamas	22.4
126	Costa Rica	22.6
127	Israel	22.9
128	Sri Lanka	23.7
129	Moldova	24.7
130	China	25.3
131	Mauritius	25.9
132	Uruguay	26.8
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants19
Pos.		2017 %19
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
186	Morocco	0.3%
187	Philippines	0.2%
188	N. Korea	0.2%
189	Sri Lanka	0.2%
190	Myanmar (Burma)	0.1%
191	Madagascar	0.1%
192	Indonesia	0.1%
193	Cuba	0.1%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants20
Pos.		2010 %20
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
72	Burkina Faso	9.7%
73	Slovakia	9.6%
74	Morocco	9.3%
75	Sri Lanka	9.1%
76	Somalia	8.7%
77	Kuwait	8.5%
78	Ecuador	8.3%
79	Poland	8.3%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

5. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#buddhism #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #islam #morals #politics #prejudice #slavery #sri_lanka #sri_lanka_slavery #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)21
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank21
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
100	Fiji	87.1
101	Turkey	87.4
102	Venezuela	88.1
103	Sri Lanka	89.6
104	Thailand	90.0
105	Guyana	90.6
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

Sri Lanka is generally poor at ensuring human rights and freedom compared to the rest of the world. Sri Lanka does better than average in terms of eliminating modern slavery₂₂, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₃ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. When it comes to most other metrics, Sri Lanka does not do well. It does worse than average when it comes to opposing gender inequality₂₄, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₅, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₆, LGBT equality₂₇, supporting press freedom₂₈ and in freethought₂₉. "Sri Lankan police were not held accountable for routine torture and ill-treatment in custody", except for a few high-profile cases₃₀ where the government bowed to international pressure. Over the last several decades, a class of Buddhist extremists have been targeting Muslims and other religious minorities in an attempt to cleanse Sri Lanka of non-Buddhist influences₃₀ - the government has not been firm enough in protecting them nor in prosecuting offenders.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Sri Lanka

6. Sri Lanka's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #sri_lanka #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1=	Japan	44.1
2	Hong Kong	48.2
3	Singapore	49.5
4	N. Korea	52.9
5	Sri Lanka	54.3
6	S. Korea	55.4
7	Malaysia	58.6
8	Brunei	61.4
9	Cyprus	63.1
10=	Kuwait	66.8
10=	China	66.8
12	Bahrain	69.3
13	Israel	70.2
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
24	N. Korea	52.9
25	Ireland	53.2
26	UK	54.0
27	Sri Lanka	54.3
28	Luxembourg	54.6
29	S. Korea	55.4
30	Bermuda	55.9
31	Andorra	55.9
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₂.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₂, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₂.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Public health in Sri Lanka is very good. Sri Lanka comes in the best 20 in terms of its fertility rate₁₇ (one of the lowest in Asia) and in its immunizations take-up₃₃. It does better than average in its average life expectancy₁₄, its smoking rate₃₄, its adolescent birth rate₃₅, its alcohol consumption rate₃₆ (but bad for Asia) and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₇ (but high for Asia). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Sri Lanka improved by +4.1yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Sri Lanka's peak fertility rate was 5.47 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better14
Pos.		2021 Years14
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
54	Montenegro	76.3
55	Panama	76.2
56	Turkey	76.0
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36
Pos.		2016 Per Capita36
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
68	N. Korea	3.9
69	Honduras	4.0
70	Jamaica	4.2
71	Sri Lanka	4.3
72=	Bahamas	4.4
72=	Ecuador	4.4
74	Bolivia	4.8
75=	Costa Rica	4.8
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best17
Pos.		202217
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
4	India	2.01
5	Belize	1.99
6	Grenada	1.99
7	New Caledonia	2.02
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better34
Pos.		201434
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
59	Bolivia	299
60	Bahamas	301
61	Sierra Leone	310
62	Sri Lanka	322
63	Mexico	329
64	Barbados	333
65	St Vincent & Grenadines	338
66	Hong Kong	345
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
75=	Cameroon	74
76	Malta	76
77	Guatemala	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Poland	79
80	Uruguay	80
81	Dominican Rep.	81
82	Zambia	82
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better38
Pos.		2016 %38
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
12	Afghanistan	23.0
13	Chad	23.1
14	Burkina Faso	23.2
15	Sri Lanka	23.3
16	Malawi	23.4
17	Madagascar	23.9
18	Myanmar (Burma)	24.8
19	Rwanda	25.1
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better35
Pos.		2022 Per 100035
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
59	Russia	14.5
60	USA	15.1
61	Ukraine	15.2
62	Sri Lanka	15.4
63	Turkey	15.7
64	Uzbekistan	15.7
65	Macedonia	16.1
66	India	16.3
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better33
Pos.		2015 Avg %33
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
6	Czechia	98.7
7	Seychelles	98.6
8	S. Korea	98.6
9	Sri Lanka	98.4
10	St Lucia	98.2
11	Bahrain	98.2
12	Iran	98.1
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

7. Sri Lanka's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
4	Philippines	49.6
5	Japan	57.4
6	Thailand	59.5
7	Vietnam	60.6
8	Indonesia	61.9
9	Jordan	63.1
10	Hong Kong	64.6
11	Cyprus	64.8
12	Bangladesh	69.7
13	Maldives	70.5
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
4	Morocco	46.5
5	Puerto Rico	47.1
6	Burundi	47.8
7	Nepal	47.9
8	India	49.5
9	Philippines	49.6
10	Costa Rica	49.7
11	Denmark	50.4
12	Mali	51.0
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

With respect to its responsibility towards the environment, Sri Lanka comes best in the world. This rank is derived from 6 data sets. Sri Lanka comes in the best 20 in energy to GDP efficiency₄₀ (the best in Asia) and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₁. It does better than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₂, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its environmental performance₄₃. But, things could still be better. Sri Lanka does worse than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₄.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better44
Pos.		Total44
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
155	Cayman Islands	-1.6%
156	Bangladesh	-1.9%
157	US Virgin Islands	-1.9%
158	Sri Lanka	-2.5%
159	Central African Rep.	-2.6%
160	Malaysia	-2.9%
161	S. Korea	-2.9%
162	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	-3.0%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better43
Pos.		201843
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
67	Lebanon	61.1
68	Macedonia	61.1
69	Brazil	60.7
70	Sri Lanka	60.6
71	Equatorial Guinea	60.4
72	Mexico	59.7
73	Dominica	59.4
74	Argentina	59.3
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better40
Pos.		2022 Avg40
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
4	Uganda	0.37
5	Sierra Leone	0.37
6	Malawi	0.37
7	Madagascar	0.38
8	Sri Lanka	0.39
9	Burundi	0.41
10	Central African Rep.	0.41
11	Ethiopia	0.42
12	Afghanistan	0.43
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
59	Italy	66%
60	Morocco	66%
61	Congo, DR	65%
62	Sri Lanka	65%
63	Madagascar	65%
64	China	64%
65	Malaysia	64%
66	Botswana	64%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Sri Lanka was one of the 31 countries that signed the Basel Convention during its first year.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better42
Pos.		2011 %42
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
54	Bosnia & Herzegovina	44.0%
55	Congo, (Brazzaville)	44.0%
56	Yemen	43.2%
57	Sri Lanka	43.1%
58	Djibouti	42.8%
59	Burundi	42.0%
60	Zambia	41.9%
61	Singapore	41.6%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better41
Pos.		2021 kg41
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
14	Kenya	10.3
15	Mozambique	10.4
16	Sierra Leone	11.7
17	Sri Lanka	12.0
18	Tanzania	12.1
19	Ivory Coast	12.6
20	Cambodia	12.6
21	N. Korea	12.8
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

8. Sri Lanka's Modernity and Learning

#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #education #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #intelligence #it_security #life_expectancy #modernity #morals #peace #politics #religious_violence #research #science #social_development #technology #terrorism #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)45
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank45
1	S. Korea	22.2
2	Japan	24.7
3	Israel	29.5
	...
23	Iran	78.0
24	Brunei	78.4
25	Azerbaijan	78.9
26	Sri Lanka	79.2
27	Lebanon	82.1
28	Philippines	85.1
29	Jordan	86.1
30	India	87.8
31	Oman	89.8
	Asia Avg	78.26
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2020)45
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank45
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
85	Iran	78.0
86	Brunei	78.4
87	Azerbaijan	78.9
88	Sri Lanka	79.2
89	Bolivia	79.5
90=	Antigua & Barbuda	79.6
90=	Mauritius	79.6
92	St Vincent & Grenadines	80.0
	World Avg	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₄₆. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₄₆. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₇.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₄₈

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₆, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₆.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2949
2	Israel	4.1149
3	Japan	3.5849
	...
97=	Kazakhstan	0.1750
98	Bolivia	0.1651
99=	Kyrgyzstan	0.1652
99=	Sri Lanka	0.1653
101	Albania	0.1554
102	Namibia	0.1453
103=	Georgia	0.1355
103=	Gambia	0.1352
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better56
Pos.		201856
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
53	UK	84.5%
54	Jordan	84.0%
55	France	83.5%
56	Sri Lanka	82.8%
57	Bosnia & Herzegovina	81.2%
58	Malaysia	80.8%
59	Cyprus	80.3%
60	Singapore	79.6%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better57
Pos.		2021 Years57
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
82	Romania	14.2
83	Antigua & Barbuda	14.2
84	Morocco	14.2
85	Sri Lanka	14.1
86	Brunei	14.0
87	Seychelles	13.9
88	Bulgaria	13.9
89	Bosnia & Herzegovina	13.8
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
114	Bahamas	114
115	Bahrain	115
116	Kazakhstan	116
117	Sri Lanka	117
118	Rwanda	118
119	Guatemala	119
120	Niger	120
121	El Salvador	121
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

IQ Higher is better58
Pos.		200658
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
99=	Nicaragua	81
100	El Salvador	80
101=	Guatemala	79
101=	Sri Lanka	79
103	Nepal	78
104	Mauritania	76
105	Uganda	73
106=	Tanzania	72
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better59
Pos.		201659
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
131	Micronesia	31%
132	Vanuatu	31%
133	Syria	30%
134	Sri Lanka	29%
135	Samoa	29%
136	Ghana	28%
137	Swaziland	28%
138	Guatemala	27%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better60
Pos.		201260
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
29	Rwanda	51
30	Russia	52
31	Zimbabwe	54
32	Sri Lanka	55
33	Kazakhstan	58
34	Egypt	59
35	Thailand	61
36	Pakistan	63
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security Lower is better61
Pos.		201361
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
71	Maldives	1.57
72	China	1.59
73	Angola	1.61
74	Sri Lanka	1.67
75	Oman	1.72
76	Iraq	1.84
77	Bangladesh	1.87
78	Sudan	1.98
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better62
Pos.		2017 Ratio62
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
38	Thailand	3.3
39	Denmark	3.1
40	Bosnia & Herzegovina	3.1
41	Sri Lanka	2.9
42	Latvia	2.2
43	Israel	1.8
44	Italy	1.7
45	Argentina	1.4
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better63
Pos.		202463
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
87	Trinidad & Tobago	38.1%
88	Ghana	37.9%
89	Kenya	37.4%
90	Sri Lanka	36.3%
91	Angola	34.9%
92	Mongolia	34.6%
93	Senegal	34.4%
94	Ivory Coast	34.0%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

National Culture:

World Giving Index Higher is better64
Pos.		2022 %64
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
35=	Venezuela	45.0
35=	Norway	45.0
35=	Austria	45.0
38	Sri Lanka	44.0
39=	Ethiopia	44.0
39=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	44.0
39=	Paraguay	44.0
39=	Dominican Rep.	44.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better65
Pos.		2022 Points65
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
101	Serbia	36.0
102=	Peru	36.0
102=	Turkey	36.0
102=	Sri Lanka	36.0
102=	Panama	36.0
102=	Albania	36.0
102=	Ecuador	36.0
102=	Kazakhstan	36.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better66
Pos.		2024 Score66
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
130	Madagascar	4.2
131	Zambia	3.9
132	Ethiopia	3.9
133	Sri Lanka	3.9
134	Bangladesh	3.9
135	Egypt	3.8
136	Tanzania	3.8
137	Swaziland	3.8
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
138	Algeria	138
139	Azerbaijan	139
140	Paraguay	140
141	Sri Lanka	141
142	Malawi	142
143	Benin	143
144	Cameroon	144
145	Laos	145
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
49	UAE	49
50	Greece	50
51	Niger	51
52	Sri Lanka	52
53	Haiti	53
54	Rwanda	54
55	Swaziland	55
56	Luxembourg	56
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better67
Pos.		2023 Score67
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
104=	Guatemala	2.13
104=	Togo	2.13
106	Guyana	2.13
107	Sri Lanka	2.14
108	Bahrain	2.15
109	Swaziland	2.17
110	Benin	2.18
111	Lesotho	2.19
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
23	Guatemala	23
24	Ecuador	24
25	Madagascar	25
26	Sri Lanka	26
27	Netherlands	27
28	Mongolia	28
29	Rwanda	29
30	Paraguay	30
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better37
Pos.		2017 Rank37
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
75	Botswana	75
76	Lebanon	76
77	Bahrain	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Algeria	79
80	Ecuador	80
81	Kuwait	81
82	Paraguay	82
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better68
Pos.		2019 Score68
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
93	Bolivia	3.39
94	Algeria	3.41
95	Sweden	3.45
96	Sri Lanka	3.57
97	Canada	3.59
98	Belgium	3.64
99	Angola	3.78
100	Tunisia	3.94
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better69
Pos.		201969
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
53	Saudi Arabia	6.40
54	Oman	6.70
55	Bahamas	6.80
56	Sri Lanka	7.00
57=	Costa Rica	7.10
57=	Russia	7.10
59	Albania	7.20
60=	Lebanon	7.40
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better70
Pos.		2023 %70
1	Slovakia	24.1%71
2	Slovenia	24.3%71
3	Belarus	24.4%72
	...
101=	Chad	37.4%73
101=	Burkina Faso	37.4%71
103	Burundi	37.5%72
104	Sri Lanka	37.7%74
105=	Israel	37.9%71
105=	Togo	37.9%71
107	Gabon	38.0%75
108	Malawi	38.5%74
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Sri Lanka - only for 9 years between 1980 and 2019.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #buddhist_extremism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_sri_lanka #sri_lanka

Disbelief In God (2007)76
Pos.		Higher is better %76
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
85=	El Salvador	1
85=	Panama	1
87	Somalia	0
88=	Sri Lanka	0
88=	Burundi	0
88=	Burkina Faso	0
88=	Brunei	0
88=	Botswana	0
88=	Syria	0
88=	Sierra Leone	0
88=	Thailand	0
88=	Togo	0
88=	Benin	0
88=	Tunisia	0
88=	Uganda	0
88=	Bangladesh	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₇₇:

Christian	7.3%
Muslim	9.8%
Hindu	13.6%
Buddhist	69.3%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Buddhist (official) 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)₇₈.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Over the past several decades a rechanchivist Buddhist-nationalist movement has taken to extremism and violence in an attempt to curb "pagan" non-Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Religious minorities remain at risk and there are few protections for minorities, although in 2017 on one occasion the government did protect 31 Rohingya Muslim refugees by taking them into custody after threats of violence from Buddhist extremists₃₀. On other occasions in 2017 "flares of violence in Galle and Vavuniya [possibly involved] mobs attacking Muslim homes and businesses"₃₀. Although the extremists are opposed by liberal-minded Buddhist communities, the extremists have widespread ongoing support from Buddhist communities.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?
• Human Rights and Freedom in Sri Lanka: 4.2. Freedom of Thought