Kurunegala Population 2026

Kurunegala has a population of 28,571, making it the #49 biggest city in 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, located in North Western Province. Roughly 0.1% of Sri Lanka's population lives here. It is about 23× smaller than Colombo, the country's biggest city.

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

Population (city proper)

28,571

Rank in Sri Lanka

#49

Coordinates

7.48°N, 80.37°E

~146 m elevation · Asia/Colombo

Distance to capital (Colombo)

84 km

52 miles, straight line

Other big cities in North Western Province

City	Population	Rank in Sri Lanka
Puttalam	45,661	#31
Chilaw	24,712	#51

Cities near Kurunegala

Kegalle17,962 people · ~26 km away
Matale36,462 people · ~28 km away
Kandy111,701 people · ~36 km away
Gampola24,283 people · ~42 km away
Dambulla66,716 people · ~52 km away
Katunayaka84,643 people · ~63 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Kurunegala?

Kurunegala has a population of 28,571 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #49 biggest city in Sri Lanka.

What region is Kurunegala in?

Kurunegala is located in North Western Province, Sri Lanka.

Is Kurunegala the capital of Sri Lanka?

No, the capital of Sri Lanka is Colombo, about 84 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.

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