The Department of Census & Statistics has taken action to conduct a comprehensive census covering the entire country for the first time in thirty years.

Due to terrorism that lasted over three decades, conducting a national census covering the entire country was not possible.

“Sri Lanka conducted a census in 2001 but was not able to cover the entire island as the war was going on. Only Ampara district included to the 2001 census out of the districts of Northern and Eastern provinces, said the Director General of the Department of Census & Statistics Mrs. D. B. P. Suranjana Vidyaratne. Accordingly, this year's census which covers the whole 25 districts would be the first national census since 1981, she added.

The Census will be conducted in the third quarter of 2011, the Director Deneral stated.

This year's census will be conducted in three parts demarcating the district and divisional boundaries followed by buildings survey.