# Gampaha District

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.

## Geographical Nature

Gampaha District is located in the west of Sri Lanka and has an area of 1,387 square kilometres (536 sq mi). 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. 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

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). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 1,177 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GN Divisions).
| DS Division | Main Town | Divisional Secretary | GN Divisions | Area (km$^2$) | Population (2012 Census) | Population (2012 Census) | Population (2012 Census) | Population (2012 Census) | Population (2012 Census) | Population (2012 Census) | Population Density (/km$^2$) |
| DS Division | Main Town | Divisional Secretary | GN Divisions | Area (km$^2$) | Sinhalese | Sri Lankan Moors | Sri Lankan Tamil | Malays | Other | Total | Population Density (/km$^2$) |
| 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 | Total | Total | 1,177 | 1,387 | 2,079,115 | 95,501 | 80,071 | 11,658 | 28,296 | 2,294,641 | 1,654 |

## Demographics
### Population

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

### Ethnicity

Population of Gampaha District by ethnic group 1981 to 2012 :
| Year | Sinhalese | Sinhalese | Sri Lankan Moors | Sri Lankan Moors | Sri Lankan Tamil | Sri Lankan Tamil | Malays | Malays | Other | Other | Total No. |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | Total 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

Population of Gampaha District by religion 1981 to 2012 :
| Year | Buddhist | Buddhist | Christian | Christian | Muslim | Muslim | Hindu | Hindu | Other | Other | Total No. |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | Total 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 |