# Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province – DS divisions > Source: https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/ District · Central Province # Nuwara Eliya District Nuwara Eliya District is a district of Sri Lanka in Central Province. It had an estimated **781,001 people** in 2023 on 1,745 km² (about 448 per km²). It is divided into 10 DS divisions. 1,022 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 1,171 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools. - 781,001people (2023) - 1,745km² - 10DS divisions - 1,171mapped services ## How many people live in Nuwara Eliya District? Nuwara Eliya District had an estimated **781,001 people** in 2023 — 28.0% of Central Province, 13th of 25 districts. There are 1,094 women for every 1,000 men (close to the Central Province figure of 1,092). Spread over 1,745 km², that is about **448 people per km²**, 9th of 25 districts. 28.3% of people are children under 15 and 7.2% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years (it is 31 across Central Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 55 children and older people. 0–4 ****74,631** 5–9 ****76,655** 10–14 ****69,480** 15–19 ****58,768** 20–24 ****50,932** 25–29 ****59,672** 30–34 ****61,964** 35–39 ****49,274** 40–44 ****49,198** 45–49 ****49,682** 50–54 ****48,354** 55–59 ****40,247** 60–64 ****35,772** 65–69 ****25,594** 70–74 ****14,923** 75–79 ****9,022** 80+ ****6,833** Source: [Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka via OCHA HDX, population estimates 2023 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-lka). ## Where is Nuwara Eliya District? Nuwara Eliya District lies in [Central Province](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/), [Sri Lanka](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/). It borders 4 other districts: [Badulla District](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/uva/badulla/), [Kandy District](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/kandy/), [Kegalle District](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/sabaragamuwa/kegalle/) and [Ratnapura District](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/sabaragamuwa/ratnapura/). By area it is the 17th largest of 25 districts in Sri Lanka. It covers 30.4% of [Central Province](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/). The centre of Nuwara Eliya District is about 101 km in a straight line from Colombo, the commercial capital. It is about 34 km from Kandy, the main town of Central Province. The centre point is at 7.0133° N, 80.7570° E. Local names: නුවරඑළිය දිස්ත්‍ර · நுவரேலியா மாவட்டம . Source: [Survey Department of Sri Lanka via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-lka). ## DS divisions of Nuwara Eliya District Divisional Secretariat division Area km² GN divisions Services [Ambagamuwa Korale DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/ambagamuwa-korale/) 136 32 49 [Hanguranketa DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/hanguranketa/) 133 79 16 [Kothmale East DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/kothmale-east/) 140 47 65 [Kothmale West DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/kothmale-west/) 87 49 24 [Mathurata DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/mathurata/) 93 52 24 [Nildandahinna DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/nildandahinna/) 171 63 21 [Norwood DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/norwood/) 351 35 191 [Nuwara Eliya DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/nuwara-eliya/) 222 38 668 [Thalawakele DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/thalawakele/) 261 34 66 [Walapane DS Division](https://wherepedia.org/sri-lanka/central/nuwara-eliya/walapane/) 152 62 47 Source: [Survey Department of Sri Lanka via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-lka); [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/). ## Largest towns in Nuwara Eliya District - Nuwara Eliya27,500 - Hatton15,073 - Talawakele3,545 Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above. ## Landscape and landmarks of Nuwara Eliya District Named natural and historic features inside Nuwara Eliya District, from the GeoNames gazetteer. ### Water 24 rivers and streams; 15 waterfalls; 10 reservoirs and tanks; 4 dams; 1 lake. - Aberdeen Falls - Adams Peak Falls - Agra Oya - Ambawela Reservoir - Bakers Falls - Battulu Oya - Belihul Oya - Bogawantalawa Oya - Broadlands Dam - Canyon Reservoir - Castlereigh Reservoir - Dambagastalawa Oya - Devon Falls - Dewakuru Oya - Elgin Falls - Fairlawn Falls - Gartmore Falls - Gomown Oya - Gregory Lake - Halgran Oya - Hombantota Oya - Katukithula Ela - Kehelgomu Ganga - Kotmale Dam …and 30 more. ### Hills and mountains 39 mountains; 11 hills; 5 peaks; 1 mountain pass; 1 valley. - Pidurutalagala · 2,506 m - Kirigalpota · 2,196 m - Ramboda Pass · 2,168 m - Kikilimana · 2,146 m - Conical Hill · 2,083 m - Uda Radella · 2,039 m - Single Tree Hill · 2,012 m - Elbedda · 1,948 m - Water Fall P. T. New · 1,948 m - Mahakudagala · 1,928 m - Benasamanalagala · 1,845 m - Ragala Rock · 1,831 m - Dell Number One · 1,759 m - Dakinapura · 1,727 m - Kotagala · 1,684 m - Preston Hill · 1,673 m - Katterawella · 1,615 m - Katukitulgala · 1,481 m - Peacock · 1,468 m - Dambagastalawa · 1,467 m - Yakahaluwela · 1,466 m - Diyatalawa · 1,436 m - Nayameruhinna · 1,417 m - Gnoll · 1,377 m …and 33 more. ### Forests and nature 25 forests; 4 forest reserves; 1 nature reserve; 1 garden. - Agra Bopats Proposed Forest Reserve - Agrabopats - Akagapura - Alkola Ella - Arunodagama - Ballabendigala - Dakinapura - Diyamolliya - Galpalama - Great Western - Hakgala - Hennekkanda - Horton Plains - Horton Plains Nature Reserve - Kabaragala - Kalumudugolla - Kandapola Seethaeliya Forest Reserve - Kandekumbura - Katukithulgalakele - Kikilimana - Kikiliyamana Forest Reserve - Kirigalpota - Koththelena - Palawatta …and 7 more. ### Estates 507 estates; 21 estates; 19 tea estates; 2 rubber estates. - Aadneven - Abbeyaraig - Abbotsford - Abbotsleigh Group - Aberdeen - Abergeldie - Accrawatte - Adam’s Peak - Agra - Agra Elbedde - Agra Ouvah - Agrakande - Agraoya - Agrawatte - Albion - Aldie - Aldourie - Allacollawewa - Alnwick - Alnwick Estate - Alton - Alukwatta - Ambatalawa - Anamalai …and 525 more. ### Getting around 6 railway stations; 2 bridges; 1 airport. - Black Bridge - Great Western Railway Station - Gregory Lake Seaplane Base - Ihala Watawala - Parakumpura - Radella - Red Bridge - Watagoda Railway Station - Watawala Railway Station Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate. ## Weather in Nuwara Eliya District and the best time to visit In Nuwara Eliya District, the warmest month is Apr (average 24 °C) and the coolest is Jan (21 °C). About 1,762 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Nov (274 mm) and the driest Jul (82 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **January to March and June to August**. - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Month Average °C Rain mm Jan 21 108 Feb 22 86 Mar 23 104 Apr 24 175 May 24 164 Jun 23 101 Jul 23 82 Aug 23 92 Sep 23 129 Oct 23 234 Nov 22 274 Dec 22 212 Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/). ## Hospitals, banks and other services in Nuwara Eliya District Places mapped inside Nuwara Eliya District in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations. - Hospitals45 - Banks52 - ATMs7 - Petrol pumps17 - Hotels738 - Shopping malls3 - Schools128 - Colleges and universities11 - Cinemas3 - Pharmacies12 - Restaurants132 - Police stations22 - Dental clinics1 Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/). Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown. ## Nuwara Eliya in history The 11th edition of the *Encyclopaedia Britannica* (1911) described Nuwara Eliya as follows. Its wording reflects its time; spellings are as printed. > NUWARA ELIYA, a town and sanatorium of Ceylon. Pop. (1901) 5026, with 1000 additional visitors during the season. It is situated 6240 ft. above sea-level, with the highest mountain in the island, Pedrotallagalla, towering over the plain for 2056 ft. more. Nuwara Eliya is reached from Colombo by railway, eight hours to Namuoya, and thence, by a light line, running up to the heart of the sanatorium. The average shade temperature for the year is 58° F.; the rainfall, 95 in. Considerable sums have been spent by the government in improving the place. Source: [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition (1911) — public domain; transcription via Wikisource](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica). Boundaries in 1901 may differ from today's; sentences describing castes or communities are omitted. ## Quick answers - Where is Nuwara Eliya District?In Central Province, Sri Lanka - What is the population of Nuwara Eliya District?781,001 (2023 estimate) - What is the median age in Nuwara Eliya District?About 30 years (2023 estimate) - What is the population density of Nuwara Eliya District?About 448 people per km² - What borders Nuwara Eliya District?Badulla District, Kandy District, Kegalle District and Ratnapura District - What is the largest town in Nuwara Eliya District?Nuwara Eliya - How many reservoirs and tanks are in Nuwara Eliya District?10 named in GeoNames - What is the highest point in Nuwara Eliya District?Pidurutalagala (2,506 m, GeoNames elevation model) - What is the best time to visit Nuwara Eliya District?January to March and June to August - How many hospitals are in Nuwara Eliya District?45 mapped - How many banks are in Nuwara Eliya District?52 mapped - How many ATMs are in Nuwara Eliya District?7 mapped - How many petrol pumps are in Nuwara Eliya District?17 mapped - What is the P-code of Nuwara Eliya District?LK23 (OCHA common operational dataset)