This paper examines the populationchanges and the related causative factors, namely fertility,mortality and international migration in Sri Lanka. Duringthe past decades, the total size, as well as the age and sexstructure of the population, was exposed to irreversiblechanges. The age structure transition has produced ademographic bonus conducive for an economic takeoff. Duringthis period, the proportion of people of working age (15-59)is larger than the fraction in the dependent age categories.The paper includes a sector analysis of the employedpopulation in the agriculture, industry and service sectorsto identify the growth sectors of the economy and to revealthe potential patterns and levels of utilization of thedemographic bonus. Finally, the social safety netimplications of the emerging population, such as thedependency burden, aging, disability and the disintegrationof traditional family system in Sri Lanka are examined. SriLanka's population has grown to 20 million in 2010, analmost eight-fold increase since the census of 1871. Thepopulation doubled 54 years after the first census (1925),then again in 35 years (1960), as a result of the relativelyhigh population growth rate. The 2001 census calculated apopulation 18.7 million. By 2003, the population wasestimated to be 19.2 million, a third doubling in 43 years.By 2010, the population of Sri Lanka had passed the 20million mark.
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