View source for Districts of Sri Lanka

In [[Sri Lanka]], '''districts''' ({{lang-si|දිස්ත්‍රි‌ක්‌ක}}, {{lang-ta|மாவட்டம்}}) are the second-level [[administrative divisions]]. The first level are the [[Provinces of Sri Lanka|provinces]]. Each province contains a number of districts. There are 25 districts in the country. They are organized into 9 provinces.<ref name=Brief>{{cite web|title=At a Glance|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/TourCountry/Indextc.html|work=Sri Lanka in Brief|publisher=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|access-date=21 July 2009|archive-date=4 April 2012|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/66gUMD11l?url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/TourCountry/Indextc.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Each district is administered under a [[District Secretary]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Vision & Mission|url=http://www.ds.gov.lk/dis_sec/dis_eng/District_Secretariats.php|work=District Secretariats Portal|publisher=Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs, Sri Lanka|access-date=21 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513071439/http://www.ds.gov.lk/dis_sec/dis_eng/District_Secretariats.php|archive-date=13 May 2009}}</ref> Secretaries are appointed by the central government.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kilinochchi a brief look|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/04/27/Visit.asp?id=s02|access-date=1 August 2009|newspaper=Daily News|date=27 April 2009}}</ref>

==Districts==
[[File:Sri Lanka Districts.png|thumb|250px|Map of Sri Lanka showing districts.]]
All population numbers are from the most recent [[census]] of Sri Lanka, in 2012. [[Population density]] has been calculated using the land area rather than the total area (total area would have included the area of rivers and lakes).

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|District
! class="unsortable" style="vertical-align:bottom;"| Area map
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Province
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|District<br>capital
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Land<br>area<br>in km<sup>2</sup> (mi<sup>2</sup>)
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Inland<br>water<br>area<br>in km<sup>2</sup> (mi<sup>2</sup>)
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Total<br>area<br>in km<sup>2</sup> (mi<sup>2</sup>)
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Population<br>(2012)
! style="vertical-align:bottom;"|Population<br>density<br>per km<sup>2</sup><br>(per mi<sup>2</sup>)
|-
| align=left|[[Ampara District|Ampara]]
| align=center|[[File:Ampara district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Ampara District, located along the east by south and south east coast and projecting into the interior of the country at the northern border, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]]
| align=left|[[Ampara]]
| {{Convert|4222|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|193|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|4415|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 648,057
| {{Convert|153|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Anuradhapura District|Anuradhapura]]
| align=center|[[File:Anuradhapura district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Anuradhapura District, located somewhat to the north of the centre of the country, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[North Central Province, Sri Lanka|North Central]]
| align=left|[[Anuradhapura]]
| {{Convert|6664|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|515|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|7179|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 856,232
| {{Convert|128|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Badulla District|Badulla]]
| align=center|[[File:Badulla district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Badulla District which has its northern border near the centre of the country and extends to the south, located in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Uva Province, Sri Lanka|Uva]]
| align=left|[[Badulla]]
| {{Convert|2827|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|34|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2861|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 811,758
| {{Convert|287|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Batticaloa District|Batticaloa]]
| align=center|[[File:Batticaloa district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Batticaloa District, located along the east by north coast, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]]
| align=left|[[Batticaloa]]
| {{Convert|2610|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|244|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2854|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 525,142
| {{Convert|201|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Colombo District|Colombo]]
| align=center|[[File:Colombo district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Colombo District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the west south west coast in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Western Province, Sri Lanka|Western]]
| align=left|[[Colombo]]
| {{Convert|676|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|23|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|699|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 2,309,809
| {{Convert|3417|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Galle District|Galle]]
| align=center|[[File:Galle district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Galle District, converging inwards from the south west coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Southern Province, Sri Lanka|Southern]]
| align=left|[[Galle]]
| {{Convert|1617|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|35|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1652|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 1,058,771
| {{Convert|655|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Gampaha District|Gampaha]]
| align=center|[[File:Gampaha district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Gampaha District, extending inwards from the west by south west coast in a rough square shape, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Western Province, Sri Lanka|Western]]
| align=left|[[Gampaha]]
| {{Convert|1341|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|46|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1387|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 2,294,641
| {{Convert|1711|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Hambantota District|Hambantota]]
| align=center|[[File:Hambantota district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Hambantota District, lying along the coast from south to south east, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Southern Province, Sri Lanka|Southern]]
| align=left|[[Hambantota]]
| {{Convert|2496|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|113|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2609|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 596,617
| {{Convert|239|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Jaffna District|Jaffna]]
| align=center|[[File:Jaffna district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Jaffna District, in the peninsula to the north, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]]
| align=left|[[Jaffna]]
| {{Convert|929|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|96|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1025|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 583,378
| {{Convert|628|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Kalutara District|Kalutara]]
| align=center|[[File:Kalutara district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Kalutara District, extending inwards from the south west by west coast, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Western Province, Sri Lanka|Western]]
| align=left|[[Kalutara]]
| {{Convert|1576|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|22|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1598|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 1,217,260
| {{Convert|772|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Kandy District|Kandy]]
| align=center|[[File:Kandy district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Kandy District, at the centre of the country with its south western boundary extending to the south, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central]]
| align=left|[[Kandy]]
| {{Convert|1917|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|23|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1940|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 1,369,899
| {{Convert|715|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Kegalle District|Kegalle]]
| align=center|[[File:Kegalle district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Kegalle District, roughly oval in shape is located to the south east of the centre of the country, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka|Sabaragamuwa]]
| align=left|[[Kegalle]]
| {{Convert|1685|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|8|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1693|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 836,603
| {{Convert|497|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Kilinochchi District|Kilinochchi]]
| align=center|[[File:Kilinochchi district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Kilinochchi District, along the northern coast of the mainland and south of the Jaffna peninsula, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]]
| align=left|[[Kilinochchi]]
| {{Convert|1205|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|74|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1279|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 112,875
| {{Convert|94|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Kurunegala District|Kurunegala]]
| align=center|[[File:Kurunegala district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Kurunegala District, to the west of the centre of the country with its northern border extending towards the north west, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[North Western Province, Sri Lanka|North Western]]
| align=left|[[Kurunegala]]
| {{Convert|4624|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|192|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|4816|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 1,610,299
| {{Convert|348|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Mannar District|Mannar]]
| align=center|[[File:Mannar district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Mannar District, along the north western coast with eastern border extending towards the interior, also including a large island roughly oval in shape, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]]
| align=left|[[Mannar, Sri Lanka|Mannar]]
| {{Convert|1880|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|116|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1996|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 99,051
| {{Convert|53|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Matale District|Matale]]
| align=center|[[File:Matale district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Matale District, located immediately north of the middle of the country, roughly the shape of a letter "C" and located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central]]
| align=left|[[Matale]]
| {{Convert|1952|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|41|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1993|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 482,229
| {{Convert|247|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Matara District|Matara]]
| align=center|[[File:Matara district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Matara District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the southern coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Southern Province, Sri Lanka|Southern]]
| align=left|[[Matara, Sri Lanka|Matara]]
| {{Convert|1270|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|13|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1283|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 809,344
| {{Convert|637|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Monaragala District|Monaragala]]
| align=center|[[File:Moneragala district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Moneragala District, located east of the centre of the country, has its south eat border extending towards the west, in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Uva Province, Sri Lanka|Uva]]
| align=left|[[Monaragala]]
| {{Convert|5508|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|131|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|5639|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 448,142
| {{Convert|81|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Mullaitivu District|Mullaitivu]]
| align=center|[[File:Mullaitivu district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Mullaitivu District, extending to the west from the north by east coast in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]]
| align=left|[[Mullaitivu]]
| {{Convert|2415|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|202|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2617|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 91,947
| {{Convert|38|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Nuwara Eliya District|Nuwara Eliya]]
| align=center|[[File:Nuwara Eliya district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Nuwara Eliya District, located immediately south of the middle of the country and running roughly south west to north east, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central]]
| align=left|[[Nuwara Eliya]]
| {{Convert|1706|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|35|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1741|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 706,588
| {{Convert|414|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Polonnaruwa District|Polonnaruwa]]
| align=center|[[File:Polonnaruwa district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Polonnaruwa District, roughly square in shape, located at the middle from north east of the centre of the country and south west of the north eastern coast, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[North Central Province, Sri Lanka|North Central]]
| align=left|[[Polonnaruwa]]
| {{Convert|3077|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|216|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|3293|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 403,335
| {{Convert|131|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Puttalam District|Puttalam]]
| align=center|[[File:Puttalam district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Puttalam District, lying along the western coast, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[North Western Province, Sri Lanka|North Western]]
| align=left|[[Puttalam]]
| {{Convert|2882|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|190|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|3072|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 759,776
| {{Convert|264|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Ratnapura District|Ratnapura]]
| align=center|[[File:Ratnapura district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Ratnapura District, some distance from the south western coast with its western and southern borders converging towards the north west, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka|Sabaragamuwa]]
| align=left|[[Ratnapura]]
| {{Convert|3236|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|39|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|3275|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}	
| 1,082,277
| {{Convert|334|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Trincomalee District|Trincomalee]]
| align=center|[[File:Trincomalee district.svg|100px|alt=Area map of Trincomalee District, along the north eastern coast with its south western border extending inwards, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]]
| align=left|[[Trincomalee]]
| {{Convert|2529|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|198|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2727|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 378,182
| {{Convert|150|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|-
| align=left|[[Vavuniya District|Vavuniya]]
| align=center|[[File:Vavuniya district.svg|100px|Area map of Vavuniya District, located in the middle of the northern half of the country, running roughly in a south west—north east direction, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka]]
| align=left|[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]]
| align=left|[[Vavuniya]]
| {{Convert|1861|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|106|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|1967|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 171,511
| {{Convert|92|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold"
| align=left|Total
|
|
|
| {{Convert|62705|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|2905|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| {{Convert|65610|km2|sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
| 20,263,723
| {{Convert|323|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=values|sortable=on}}
|}

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Districts of Sri Lanka}}

[[Category:Districts of Sri Lanka| ]]