The city of Colombo is home to a population of approximately 750,000 residents, while the greater Colombo District houses around 2.3 million people. The daytime population of the city swells significantly as hundreds of thousands of commuters travel in from the suburbs and neighboring districts for work, commerce, and education.
Colombo is uniquely cosmopolitan and represents the most ethnically and religiously diverse area in Sri Lanka. While the Sinhalese make up the majority of the population nationwide, Colombo has a much more mixed demographic, with large, vibrant communities of Sri Lankan Moors, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, and Burghers (descendants of European colonists).
This diversity is beautifully reflected in the city's religious landscape. Buddhist temples, Hindu kovils, Islamic mosques, and Christian churches often stand within a few blocks of each other. The primary languages spoken are Sinhala and Tamil, but English is widely understood and heavily used in business, education, and government. The workforce is highly educated relative to the region, and the city boasts the highest average income levels in the country.