Chilaw Population 2026

Chilaw has a population of 24,712, making it the #51 biggest city in 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, located in North Western Province. Roughly 0.1% of Sri Lanka's population lives here. It is about 26× smaller than Colombo, the country's biggest city.

Location of Chilaw (capital Colombo shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

24,712

Rank in Sri Lanka

#51

Coordinates

7.58°N, 79.80°E

~8 m elevation · Asia/Colombo

Distance to capital (Colombo)

71 km

44 miles, straight line

Other big cities in North Western Province

City	Population	Rank in Sri Lanka
Puttalam	45,661	#31
Kurunegala	28,571	#49

Cities near Chilaw

Negombo137,223 people · ~41 km away
Katunayaka84,643 people · ~46 km away
Puttalam45,661 people · ~51 km away
Ja Ela32,175 people · ~57 km away
Kandana33,424 people · ~60 km away
Welisara41,306 people · ~62 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Chilaw?

Chilaw has a population of 24,712 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #51 biggest city in Sri Lanka.

What region is Chilaw in?

Chilaw is located in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.

Is Chilaw the capital of Sri Lanka?

No, the capital of Sri Lanka is Colombo, about 71 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

← All biggest cities in Sri Lanka · Sri Lanka population by year