People & Culture

The Sinhalese majority makes up around 75% of Sri Lanka's population and lives mainly in the southwest and the central highlands. Sri Lankan Tamils are the largest minority at about 11%, living predominantly in the north and east of the island.

Around 4% of the population are Indian Tamils. The British brought them to the country in the 19th century as laborers for tea and rubber plantations. For decades, many of them were stateless. A 1964 agreement led to over 300,000 relocating to India, while others received Indian, or later Sri Lankan, citizenship. Since the 1990s, most Indian Tamils living in Sri Lanka have been granted citizenship.

Sri Lanka's smaller minorities also include Malays, Burghers of European descent, and Chinese immigrants who came to the island in the 18th century.