https://www.humantruth.info/sri_lanka.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 44th 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 |
“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.”
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
#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 | 29.1 |
2 | Norway | 32.3 |
3 | Sweden | 34.1 |
... | ||
41 | Latvia | 63.7 |
42 | Lithuania | 65.5 |
43 | Croatia | 65.7 |
44 | Sri Lanka | 66.5 |
45 | Romania | 68.4 |
46 | Bulgaria | 69.1 |
47 | Argentina | 70.7 |
48 | Israel | 71.4 |
Asia Avg | 92.0 | |
World Avg | 88.9 | |
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.
#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 8.86.16Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
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. |
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. |
#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. |
For tables, charts and commentary, see:
#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 | 41.2 |
2 | Hong Kong | 48.2 |
3= | S. Korea | 49.9 |
3= | Sri Lanka | 49.9 |
5 | Singapore | 51.1 |
6 | N. Korea | 51.3 |
7 | China | 58.6 |
8 | Malaysia | 61.3 |
9 | Vietnam | 64.1 |
10 | Thailand | 70.8 |
11 | Brunei | 71.2 |
12 | Cyprus | 72.8 |
13 | Maldives | 73.0 |
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 |
... | ||
9 | France | 49.5 |
10 | Curaço | 49.7 |
11 | Aruba | 49.9 |
12= | Sri Lanka | 49.9 |
12= | S. Korea | 49.9 |
14 | Sweden | 50.8 |
15 | Singapore | 51.1 |
16 | N. Korea | 51.3 |
World Avg | 97.60 | |
q=213. |
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 The Cook Islands, The Marshall Islands and Niue32.
25 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, obesity rate, 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 Micronesia, Africa and Australasia32.
For more, see:
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 best in Asia), its immunizations take-up33 and in the prevalence of overweight adults34. And finally, it does better than average in its average life expectancy14, its smoking rate35, its adolescent birth rate36, its alcohol consumption rate37 (but bad for Asia) and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance38 (but bad for Asia). The prevalence 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 better37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita37 | |
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 better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201435 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 1976 %34 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 4.7 |
2 | Vietnam | 5.1 |
3 | Nepal | 5.4 |
... | ||
10 | Indonesia | 6.6 |
11 | Burkina Faso | 6.8 |
12 | Maldives | 7.2 |
13= | Sri Lanka | 7.5 |
13= | Ethiopia | 7.5 |
15 | Myanmar (Burma) | 7.6 |
16 | Burundi | 7.7 |
17 | Niger | 7.8 |
Asia Avg | 23.1 | |
World Avg | 27.1 | |
q=191. |
Adult Obesity Lower is better39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %39 | |
1 | Vietnam | 2.1% |
2 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 2.2% |
3 | Ethiopia | 2.4% |
... | ||
36 | Togo | 10.4% |
37 | Angola | 10.5% |
38 | Ivory Coast | 10.6% |
39 | Sri Lanka | 10.6% |
40 | Nigeria | 10.8% |
41 | Djibouti | 10.9% |
42 | N. Korea | 10.9% |
43 | France | 10.9% |
Asia Avg | 21.1% | |
World Avg | 24.7% | |
q=199. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100036 | |
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. |
#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Asia (2025)40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank40 | |
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)40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank40 | |
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. |
We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"41. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? 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:
Sri Lanka comes best in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This is computed using 21 data sets. Sri Lanka comes in the best 20 for energy to GDP efficiency42 (the lowest in Asia) and in reducing annual meat consumption per person43. It does better than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population44, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its environmental performance45. Sri Lanka doesn't do so well in other areas. Sri Lanka does worse than average when it comes to its forested percent change 2000-202046.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better46 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total46 | |
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 better45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201845 | |
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 better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg42 | |
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. |
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %44 | |
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 better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg43 | |
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. |
#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #politics #research #science #technology #the_internet
Compared to Asia (2020)47 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank47 | |
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)47 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank47 | |
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 Denmark48. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone48. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots49.
“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)50
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 Europe48, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia48.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
Research & Development Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 % RDP PPP | |
1 | S. Korea | 4.2951 |
2 | Israel | 4.1151 |
3 | Japan | 3.5851 |
... | ||
97= | Kazakhstan | 0.1752 |
98 | Bolivia | 0.1653 |
99= | Kyrgyzstan | 0.1654 |
99= | Sri Lanka | 0.1655 |
101 | Albania | 0.1556 |
102 | Namibia | 0.1455 |
103= | Georgia | 0.1357 |
103= | Gambia | 0.1354 |
Asia Avg | 0.75 | |
World Avg | 0.84 | |
q=126. |
Secondary Education Higher is better58 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201858 | |
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 better59 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years59 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better60 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 200660 | |
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 better61 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201661 | |
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 better62 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201262 | |
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 better63 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201363 | |
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 better64 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Ratio64 | |
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 better65 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202465 | |
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. |
#capitalism #charitability #charity #corruption #culture #economics #equality #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #morals #peace #politics #religious_violence #social_development #terrorism
Compared to Asia (2020)66 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank66 | |
1 | Singapore | 20.2 |
2 | Taiwan | 37.2 |
3 | Hong Kong | 40.5 |
... | ||
20 | Kazakhstan | 75.8 |
21 | Vietnam | 76.6 |
22 | Philippines | 76.8 |
23 | Sri Lanka | 79.8 |
24 | China | 80.6 |
25 | Kyrgyzstan | 81.7 |
26 | Armenia | 82.2 |
27 | Bahrain | 82.3 |
28 | Uzbekistan | 82.9 |
Asia Avg | 79.59 | |
q=49. |
Culture, Peace & Inequality (2020)66 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank66 | |
1 | Denmark | 11.2 |
2 | Norway | 13.9 |
3 | Netherlands | 14.4 |
... | ||
81 | Belize | 78.8 |
82 | Dominica | 79.6 |
83 | Bahamas | 79.7 |
84 | Sri Lanka | 79.8 |
85 | Senegal | 79.9 |
86 | China | 80.6 |
87 | Kyrgyzstan | 81.7 |
88 | Armenia | 82.2 |
World Avg | 78.12 | |
q=180. |
This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 22 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, Inequality in Life Expectancy, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.
For more, see:
National Culture:
World Giving Index Higher is better67 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %67 | |
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 better68 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points68 | |
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 better69 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score69 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better70 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score70 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank38 | |
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 better71 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Score71 | |
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 better72 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201972 | |
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 better73 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %73 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%74 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%74 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%75 |
... | ||
101= | Chad | 37.4%76 |
101= | Burkina Faso | 37.4%74 |
103 | Burundi | 37.5%75 |
104 | Sri Lanka | 37.7%77 |
105= | Israel | 37.9%74 |
105= | Togo | 37.9%74 |
107 | Gabon | 38.0%78 |
108 | Malawi | 38.5%77 |
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.
#belief #buddhism #buddhist_extremism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_sri_lanka #sri_lanka
Disbelief In God (2007)79 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better %79 | |
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 below80:
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)81.
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: