Economic instability, unaffordable living, and precarious jobs are pushing Sri Lanka’s Gen Z to delay having children. Experts warn of a looming fertility crisis as birth rates plummet to historic lows. The 2025 UNFPA report sounds the alarm: Sri Lanka’s population could collapse if systemic issues remain unaddressed.
Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are delaying parenthood in Sri Lanka due to rising living costs and growing financial uncertainty, according to leading scholars. This behavioral trend, experts warn, is contributing to an alarming drop in the nation’s birth rate.
Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, made this assertion at the launch of the 2025 World Population Report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). He highlighted that while many young couples aspire to have more children, the increasing financial burden discourages them from expanding their families.
Professor Dissanayake also warned that Sri Lanka is heading toward a sub-fertility trap if this trend continues unchecked.
Supporting the claim, the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) recently reported that Sri Lanka’s population growth rate is now at its lowest since 1871—falling to just 0.5 percent. Since 1953, the rate has consistently declined from 2.8 percent to 0.5 percent. The drop is particularly stark in Colombo District, where the annual growth rate has fallen from 1.43 percent to 0.17 percent.
“Fertility isn’t dropping because people have changed, but because systems have failed,” Professor Dissanayake emphasized. He also pointed out that more individuals are now getting married in their late 30s due to prolonged financial instability.
Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni, Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media, added that Sri Lanka’s population is rapidly aging while birth rates and the workforce are simultaneously shrinking. He cited rising living expenses and limited job opportunities as major contributing factors.
According to current UNFPA statistics, Sri Lanka’s average fertility rate stands at 1.9 children per woman—a figure below the population replacement threshold of 2.1.
The 2025 UNFPA report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis,” illustrates the trajectory of Sri Lanka’s population from a boom in the 1900s to a gradual collapse beginning around 2010.
Testimonials included in the report further underscore the economic hardship facing young families. One individual stated, “I have one child but don’t plan on having any more. I am unable to do so due to financial instability, precarious employment, unaffordable housing, and the high cost of childcare and education.”
