COLOMBO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Only about two out of every five Sri Lankans were computer literate in 2024, according to the latest data released by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

The country's overall computer literacy rate stood at 35.9 percent in 2024, a decline of 3.1 percentage points compared to 2023, the DCS said. The urban population recorded the highest computer literacy rate at 47.3 percent.

Data showed that at least one computer was available in 19.1 percent of Sri Lankan households, or roughly one in every five homes. Among them, 34.6 percent of urban households and 16.7 percent of rural households owned a computer, while only 1.5 percent of estate-sector households reported having one.

The survey also found that computer literacy increases with educational attainment. Those with an education level of Advanced Level or higher reported the highest computer literacy rate at 76.2 percent. Similarly, individuals literate in English showed a much higher computer literacy rate at 74.9 percent in 2024, the data showed. ■