Gampaha District (Sinhala: ගම්පහ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය gampaha distrikkaya, Tamil: கம்பஹா மாவட்டம் Kampakai Māvaṭṭam) is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country. It is the second most populous district of Sri Lanka after Colombo District. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary (previously known as a Government Agent) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The capital of the district is the town of Gampaha. The district was carved out of the northern part of Colombo District in September 1978.[4]

Gampaha District
ගම්පහ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය
கம்பஹா மாவட்டம்
Location within Sri Lanka
Location within Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 07°08′N 80°00′E / 7.133°N 80.000°E / 7.133; 80.000
CountrySri Lanka
ProvinceWestern
CreatedSeptember 1978
CapitalGampaha
DS Division
Government
 • District SecretarySunil Jayalath
Area
 • Total1,387 km2 (536 sq mi)
 • Land1,341 km2 (518 sq mi)
 • Water46 km2 (18 sq mi)  3.32%
 • Rank21st (2.11% of total area)
Population
 (2021 census)[2]
 • Total2,443,000
 • Rank2nd (11.32% of total pop.)
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
Ethnicity
(2012 census)[2]
 • Sinhalese2,079,115 (90.61%)
 • Sri Lankan Moors95,501 (4.16%)
 • Sri Lankan Tamil80,071 (3.49%)
 • Malays11,658 (0.51%)
 • Other28,296 (1.23%)
Religion
(2012 census)[3]
 • Buddhist1,640,166 (71.48%)
 • Christian486,173 (21.19%)
 • Muslim114,851 (5.01%)
 • Hindu52,221 (2.28%)
 • Other1,230 (0.05%)
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (Sri Lanka)
Post Codes
11000-11999
Telephone Codes011, 031, 033
ISO 3166 codeLK-12
Vehicle registrationWP
Official LanguagesSinhala, Tamil
WebsiteGampaha District Secretariat

Geographical Nature

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Gampaha District is located in the west of Sri Lanka and has an area of 1,387 square kilometres (536 sq mi).[1] It is bounded by Kurunegala and Puttalam districts from north, Kegalle District from east, Colombo District from south and by the Indian Ocean from west.[4] The borders of the district are the Ma Oya on the north, Kelani River on the south and 1,000 ft contour line on the east.

Administrative units

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Gampaha District is divided into 13 Divisional Secretary's Division (DS Divisions), each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent).[5] The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 1,177 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions).[5]

DS Division Main Town Divisional Secretary GN
Divisions
[5]
Area
(km2)
[6]
Population (2012 Census)[7] Population
Density
(/km2)
Sinhalese Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan
Tamil
Malays Other Total
Attanagalla Nittambuwa D. M. Rathnayake 151 149 154,969 21,389 927 657 874 178,816 1,200
Biyagama Biyagama T. D. S. P. Perera 49 59 171,454 12,133 1,622 677 976 186,862 3,167
Divulapitiya Divulapitiya H. M. L. S. Herath 123 202 142,420 80 1,003 34 334 143,871 712
Dompe Kiridiwela H. G. J. P. Wijesiriwardhna 133 176 150,016 2,282 443 52 344 153,137 870
Gampaha Gampaha C. P. W. Gunathilaka 101 96 194,292 359 942 119 733 196,445 2,046
Ja-Ela Ja-Ela Nimali De Silva 57 60 186,201 962 7,778 1,232 4,981 201,154 3,353
Katana Katana K. G. H. H. R. Kiriella 79 116 214,207 3,361 9,878 1,020 5,388 233,854 2,016
Kelaniya Kelaniya W. H. V. Pushpamala 37 20 113,133 8,588 7,834 2,674 2,464 134,693 6,735
Mahara Mahara Thamara D. Perera 92 94 194,637 5,488 2,326 3,548 1,231 207,230 2,205
Minuwangoda Minuwangoda C. P. W. Gunathilake 121 128 171,254 5,633 827 243 444 178,401 1,394
Mirigama Mirigama Y. I. M. Silva 149 183 155,469 5,592 885 99 2,121 164,166 897
Negombo Negombo A. K. R. Alawaththa 39 50 107,155 19,364 12,590 278 2,289 141,676 2,834
Wattala Wattala Chandima Dissanayake 46 54 123,908 10,270 33,016 1,025 6,117 174,336 3,228
Total 1,177 1,387 2,079,115 95,501 80,071 11,658 28,296 2,294,641 1,654

Demographics

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Population

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Gampaha District's population was 2,294,641 in 2012.[2] The majority of the population are Sinhalese, with a minority Sri Lankan Moor and Sri Lankan Tamil population.

Ethnicity

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Population of Gampaha District by ethnic group 1981 to 2012[2][8]
Year Sinhalese Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan Tamil Malays Other Total
No.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 Census 1,279,512 91.99% 37,826 2.72% 48,182 3.46% 8,675 0.62% 16,667 1.20% 1,390,862
2001 Census 1,877,545 90.98% 78,705 3.81% 65,302 3.16% 13,683 0.66% 28,449 1.38% 2,063,684
2012 Census 2,079,115 90.61% 95,501 4.16% 80,071 3.49% 11,658 0.51% 28,296 1.23% 2,294,641

Religion

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Population of Gampaha District by religion 1981 to 2012[3][9]
Year Buddhist Christian[a] Muslim Hindu Other Total
No.
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1981 Census 989,212 71.12% 325,915 23.43% 48,117 3.46% 26,750 1.92% 868 0.06% 1,390,862
2001 Census 1,479,955 71.71% 446,647 21.64% 93,496 4.53% 42,356 2.05% 1,230 0.06% 2,063,684
2012 Census 1,640,166 71.48% 486,173 21.19% 114,851 5.01% 52,221 2.28% 1,230 0.05% 2,294,641

Notes

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  1. ^ Roman Catholic and Other Christian.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Area of Sri Lanka by province and district" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-13.
  2. ^ a b c d "A2 : Population by ethnic group according to districts, 2012". Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  3. ^ a b "A3 : Population by religion according to districts, 2012". Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2019-01-07. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  4. ^ a b "Overview". Gampaha District Secretariat. Archived from the original on 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  5. ^ a b c "Grama Niladhari Divisions". Gampaha District Secretariat. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  6. ^ "Land area by province, district and divisional secretariat division" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-13.
  7. ^ "A6 : Population by ethnicity and district according to Divisional Secretary's Division, 2012". Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  8. ^ "Population by ethnic group and district, Census 1981, 2001" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-15.
  9. ^ "Population by religion and district, Census 1981, 2001" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-13.
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