Title: Population Ageing in Sri Lanka
Subtitle: Facts and Figures
Description: It is evident that population Ageing in Sri Lanka is an inevitable outcome of a positive population trend resulting from the decline in fertility and rise in life expectancy. Therefore, the problem of population ageing has to be looked at in a positive light. Given the relatively high life expectancy, it is evident that a large majority of those aged 60 to 70 years are relatively healthy and physically  and mentally able to contribute to economic activity. In fact, a significant proportion in this age group is participating in economic activities and are reluctant to withdraw from the labour force. The health care and social support for the elderly need to be more focused on those aged 70 years and over, whose number in absolute terms will more than double over the next 25 years. On the other hand, it is important to devise policies and programmes to productively engage those aged 60-70 years in economic activity as a large majority of them have acquired in their formal working life a considerable amount of experience and technical and managerial skills.
 
It is equally important  to note that Sri Lanka has another window of opportunity namely, the 'demographic bonus' to take advantage of and advance rapidly on the economic front before the older population dramatically increase. It is an opportunity that should not be missed.

**The Editor of the Economic Review and Chairman of People's Bank, Dr. Gamini Fernando in the Overview to the publication has stated " Dr. A.T.P.L. Abeykoon, as an eminent demographer of Sri Lanka has made an immense contribution to the field of population and demography and exerted much influence in the state policy on reproductive health and population planning in his official capacity as Director, Population Division, Ministry of Health. In his paper while he emphasises that if family planning had not been introduced in Sri Lanka, at present the total population would have been about 28 million instead of 18.7 million and takes a positive look at the ageing issue. He concludes that since a large majority of elders aged 60-70 are relatively healthy and physically and mentally able to contribute to economic activities, it is important to devise policies and programmes to productively engage them in such activities".**