Editing Demographics of Sri Lanka (section)

==Religion==
[[File:Sri Lanka - Religion 2012.png|thumbnail|right|200px|Majority religion by DS Division according to 2012 census]] 
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
|caption = Religion in Sri Lanka (2012)<ref name="CIATONGA">{{cite web|url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/|title= South Asia ::SRI LANKA|date= 24 May 2022|publisher= CIA The World Factbook}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Buddhism]]
|value1 = 70.2
|color1 = yellow
|label2 = [[Hinduism]]
|value2 = 12.6
|color2 = Orange
|label3 = [[Islam]]
|value3 = 9.7
|color3 = Green
|label4 = [[Roman Catholic]]
|value4 = 6.1
|color4 = Blue
|label5 = Other Christian 
|value5 = 1.3
|color5 = pink
|label6 = Other 
|value6 = 0.05
|color6= cyan
}} 
{{main article|Religion in Sri Lanka}}
According to the 2012 census [[Buddhist]]s make up 70.2% of the population, [[Hindu]]s 12.6%, [[Muslim]]s 9.7% and [[Christians]] 7.6%.<ref name=rel2012/> Most Sinhalese are Buddhist; most Tamils are Hindu; and the Moors and Malays are mostly Muslim. Sizeable minorities of both Sinhalese and Tamils are Christians, most of whom are [[Roman Catholic]]. The [[Burgher people|Burgher]] population is mostly Roman Catholic or [[Presbyterian]]. The [[Veddas]] have [[Animist]] and Buddhist practices. The [[Constitution of Sri Lanka|1978 constitution]], while assuring [[freedom of religion]], gives "the foremost place" to Buddhism.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter III - Fundamental Rights|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_03_Amd.htm|work=[[Constitution of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, [[Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka)|Presidential Secretariat]], Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113054946/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_03_Amd.htm|archive-date=2015-11-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter II - Buddhism|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html|work=[[Constitution of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=Policy Research & Information Unit, [[Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka)|Presidential Secretariat]], Sri Lanka|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221202/http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html|archive-date=2016-03-03}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Population of Sri Lanka by religion 1881 to 2012<ref name=rel2012>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229002205/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|archive-date=2014-12-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Table 2.13: Population by religion and census years |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf |work=Statistical Abstract 2013 |publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091504/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population by religion|url=http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&conn_path=I2|work=LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service|publisher=Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115728/http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&conn_path=I2|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>
! rowspan=2|Year
! colspan=2|[[Buddhism in Sri Lanka|Buddhist]]
! colspan=2|[[Hinduism in Sri Lanka|Hindu]]
! colspan=2|[[Islam in Sri Lanka|Muslim]]
! colspan=2|[[Christianity in Sri Lanka|Christian]]
! colspan=2|Others
! colspan=2|Total
|-
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No. || width="50"|%
! width="70"|No.
|-
| align=left|1881 Census
| 1,698,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.53}}
| 593,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.51}}
| 197,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.17}}
| 268,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.71}}
| 2,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.08}}
| '''2,759,800'''
|-
| align=left|1891 Census
| 1,877,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|62.40}}
| 615,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|20.48}}
| 212,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.05}}
| 302,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|10.04}}
| 800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''3,007,800'''
|-
| align=left|1901 Census
| 2,141,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|60.06}}
| 826,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|23.19}}
| 246,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.90}}
| 349,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.79}}
| 2,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.07}}
| '''3,566,000'''
|-
| align=left|1911 Census
| 2,474,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|60.25}}
| 938,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|22.85}}
| 283,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.91}}
| 409,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.96}}
| 1,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''4,106,400'''
|-
| align=left|1921 Census
| 2,769,800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.57}}
| 982,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.83}}
| 302,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.72}}
| 443,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.86}}
| 800 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.02}}
| '''4,498,600'''
|-
| align=left|1931 Estimate
| 3,266,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|61.55}}
| 1,166,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|21.99}}
| 354,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.67}}
| 518,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.76}}
| 1,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.02}}
| '''5,306,900'''
|-
| align=left|1946 Census
| 4,294,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|64.51}}
| 1,320,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|19.83}}
| 436,600 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.56}}
| 603,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.06}}
| 2,200 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''6,657,300'''
|-
| align=left|1953 Census
| 5,209,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|64.33}}
| 1,610,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|19.89}}
| 541,500 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.69}}
| 724,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|8.95}}
| 12,100 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.15}}
| '''8,097,900'''
|-
| align=left|1963 Census
| 7,003,300 || {{percentage bar|width=50|66.18}}
| 1,958,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|18.51}}
| 724,000 || {{percentage bar|width=50|6.84}}
| 884,900 || {{percentage bar|width=50|8.36}}
| 11,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.11}}
| '''10,582,000'''
|-
| align=left|1971 Census
| 8,536,868 || {{percentage bar|width=50|67.27}}
| 2,238,666 || {{percentage bar|width=50|17.64}}
| 901,785 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.11}}
| 1,004,326 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.91}}
| 8,252 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.07}}
| '''12,689,897'''
|-
| align=left|1981 Census
| 10,288,325 || {{percentage bar|width=50|69.30}}
| 2,297,806 || {{percentage bar|width=50|15.48}}
| 1,121,717 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.56}}
| 1,130,568 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.61}}
| 8,334 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.06}}
| '''14,846,750'''
|-
| align=left|2001 Census{{Efn|name=census01}}
| colspan=11|
|-
| align=left|2012 Census{{Efn|name=census12}}
| 14,272,056 || {{percentage bar|width=50|70.10}}
| 2,561,299 || {{percentage bar|width=50|12.58}}
| 1,967,523 || {{percentage bar|width=50|9.66}}
| 1,552,161 || {{percentage bar|width=50|7.62}}
| 6,400 || {{percentage bar|width=50|0.03}}
| '''20,359,439'''
|}