Sri Lanka has recorded a decline of nearly 120,000 live births during the past decade up to 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.

The Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Saroja Savithri Paulraj said the government will provide necessary support and incentives to encourage childbirth amid the declining birth rate.

The number of live births in the country has continued to decrease from 2015 to 2025, with the decline becoming more prominent after 2019.

According to official statistics, Sri Lanka recorded 319,010 live births in 2019. The figure declined to 301,706 in 2020, 284,848 in 2021, 275,321 in 2022, 247,900 in 2023, 220,761 in 2024, and 214,570 in 2025.

The figures indicate an approximate 33 percent decline in live births between 2019 and 2025.

Authorities have identified several reasons for the decline, including delayed marriages, lower marriage rates, rising living costs, migration of young people of reproductive age, separation of spouses due to overseas employment and a growing preference for smaller families.

Increased female participation in higher education and employment, changing attitudes towards family planning, the use of contraceptive methods and issues related to fertility have also contributed to the reduction in birth rates.

Officials noted that Sri Lanka requires an estimated 330,000 to 360,000 live births annually to maintain population stability in the long term. However, the number of births recorded in 2025 remains well below that level, at 214,570.