Kommunlotsen / Origin / Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans in Sweden: how many and where do they live?
Origin Sri Lanka: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.
About 20,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Sri Lanka (2025). Of them, about 12,000 were born in Sri Lanka and 7,900 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
The most people born in Sri Lanka live in Stockholm (1,438), Göteborg (822) and Botkyrka (537). The largest share of residents is in Botkyrka (0.6%), Knivsta (0.4%) and Laxå (0.4%).
By origin in Sri Lanka we mean people who were born in Sri Lanka, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Sri Lanka.
How large is the group in Sweden?
| Born in Sri Lanka | 12,117 |
|---|---|
| Born in Sweden, both parents from Sri Lanka | 1,739 |
| Born in Sweden, parents from Sri Lanka and another country | 737 |
| Born in Sweden, one parent from Sri Lanka | 5,385 |
How has the number changed?
The number of people born in Sri Lanka living in Sweden has grown from about 5,100 in 2000 to about 12,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Sri Lanka, the whole group has grown from about 14,000 in 2018 to about 20,000 in 2025.
Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Sri Lanka
People born in Sri Lanka living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.
| Municipality | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 912 | 1,438 | +526 (+58%) |
| Göteborg | 355 | 822 | +467 (+132%) |
| Botkyrka | 468 | 537 | +69 (+15%) |
| Malmö | 211 | 485 | +274 (+130%) |
| Uppsala | 143 | 431 | +288 (+201%) |
| Umeå | 164 | 368 | +204 (+124%) |
| Linköping | 94 | 320 | +226 (+240%) |
| Västerås | 90 | 305 | +215 (+239%) |
| Huddinge | 170 | 302 | +132 (+78%) |
| Jönköping | 122 | 283 | +161 (+132%) |
Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Sri Lanka is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Sri Lanka is only available nationally and from 2018.
Municipalities with the most people born in Sri Lanka
Number is the people born in Sri Lanka living in the municipality, Share is their share of the municipality's residents, and Of all in Sweden is the municipality's share of everyone born in Sri Lanka in the country.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 1,438 | 0.1% |
| Göteborg | 822 | 0.1% |
| Botkyrka | 537 | 0.6% |
| Malmö | 485 | 0.1% |
| Uppsala | 431 | 0.2% |
| Umeå | 368 | 0.3% |
| Linköping | 320 | 0.2% |
| Västerås | 305 | 0.2% |
| Huddinge | 302 | 0.3% |
| Jönköping | 283 | 0.2% |
| Helsingborg | 222 | 0.1% |
| Järfälla | 206 | 0.2% |
| Luleå | 186 | 0.2% |
| Växjö | 173 | 0.2% |
| Örebro | 166 | 0.1% |
| Solna | 153 | 0.2% |
| Skellefteå | 151 | 0.2% |
| Trollhättan | 148 | 0.2% |
| Eskilstuna | 142 | 0.1% |
| Sigtuna | 139 | 0.3% |
| Haninge | 134 | 0.1% |
| Borås | 130 | 0.1% |
| Lund | 124 | 0.1% |
| Täby | 119 | 0.2% |
| Kalmar | 113 | 0.2% |
Largest share of residents
Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Sri Lanka, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Botkyrka | 537 | 0.6% |
| Knivsta | 88 | 0.4% |
| Laxå | 21 | 0.4% |
| Ludvika | 76 | 0.3% |
| Umeå | 368 | 0.3% |
| Huddinge | 302 | 0.3% |
| Sigtuna | 139 | 0.3% |
| Trollhättan | 148 | 0.2% |
| Upplands-Bro | 79 | 0.2% |
| Luleå | 186 | 0.2% |
| Filipstad | 22 | 0.2% |
| Järfälla | 206 | 0.2% |
| Lycksele | 27 | 0.2% |
| Upplands Väsby | 104 | 0.2% |
| Skellefteå | 151 | 0.2% |
| Hallsberg | 32 | 0.2% |
| Jönköping | 283 | 0.2% |
| Linköping | 320 | 0.2% |
| Västerås | 305 | 0.2% |
| Solna | 153 | 0.2% |
| Växjö | 173 | 0.2% |
| Uppsala | 431 | 0.2% |
| Piteå | 68 | 0.2% |
| Sollefteå | 29 | 0.2% |
| Kalmar | 113 | 0.2% |
Common questions about Sri Lankans in Sweden
- How many Sri Lankans live in Sweden?
- About 20,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Sri Lanka (2025). Of them, about 12,000 were born in Sri Lanka and 7,900 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
- Where in Sweden do most Sri Lankans live?
- The most people born in Sri Lanka live in Stockholm (1,438), Göteborg (822) and Botkyrka (537). Together, 24% of everyone born in Sri Lanka lives in one of these three municipalities.
- Which municipality has the largest share of Sri Lankans?
- Botkyrka, where 0.6% of residents were born in Sri Lanka. It is followed by Knivsta (0.4%) and Laxå (0.4%).
- Is the number of Sri Lankans in Sweden growing or shrinking?
- The number of people born in Sri Lanka living in Sweden has grown from about 5,100 in 2000 to about 12,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Sri Lanka, the whole group has grown from about 14,000 in 2018 to about 20,000 in 2025.
- How many were born in Sweden to parents from Sri Lanka?
- About 7,900. Of them, about 1,700 have two parents born in Sri Lanka.
Good to know
- The lists above only count people born in Sri Lanka. Where people born in Sweden with parents from Sri Lanka live is not available in Statistics Sweden's open data, only how many there are in the whole country. The real group in a municipality is therefore usually larger than the figures show.
- These are sorted lists, not grades. A large or small number is neither good nor bad.
- Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The municipality figures are from 2025 and the national table from 2025. Shares and rankings are Kommunlotsen's own calculations. The national figures are rounded by Statistics Sweden. Last updated .
Countries in the same region:
Largest groups in Sweden:
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