The Sri Lanka page will no longer be updated as of 2025.
For more than 35 years, UNHCR assisted people forced to flee throughout a prolonged conflict in Sri Lanka. Most internally displaced people were able to return to their places of origin and many Sri Lankan refugees repatriated voluntarily from India and elsewhere. UNHCR assistance helped many internally displaced people to rebuild their lives and most refugees find durable solutions.
Sri Lanka has not ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. UNHCR continues to advocate with the authorities for them to ratify the 1951 Convention, develop a national asylum system in the country and ensure the rights of asylum-seekers and refugees are respected.
UNHCR liaises with the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that all persons in need of international protection are protected against refoulement to a place where they may face persecution or other serious human rights violations, in line with the country’s obligation under customary international refugee and human rights law.
Explore the UNHCR Sri Lanka website for more information.
Populations
Population types
Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is .
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by country
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by origin
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Financials
Budget and expenditure trend
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by pillar
Budget by objective
Note: The table presents the budget for this operation broken down at the objective level. Resource allocation at the objective level is subject to change during the course of the year as the operational situation evolves and priorities shift. The current budget, reflected in the bottom line of this table, is updated on a monthly basis and is replaced by the final budget at year-end.
Expenditure by Outcome Area
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Strategy
Impact Statements
Latest updates
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
UNHCR GIS data is publicly accessible in the Operational Data Portal