Sri Lanka Grama Niladhari Division Finder
Find the complete administrative hierarchy for any village in Sri Lanka — GN Division, Divisional Secretariat, District, and Province
Sri Lanka Administrative Hierarchy
Sri Lanka's administrative system is structured into five tiers from national to village level:
- Province — The highest tier. Sri Lanka has 9 provinces: Western, Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Uva, and Sabaragamuwa.
- District — Each province contains multiple districts. Sri Lanka has 25 districts in total.
- Divisional Secretariat (DS) — Also called Pradeshiya Lekam Karyalaya. Sri Lanka has 331 DS offices. Handles civil registration, land records, social services, and official documentation.
- Grama Niladhari (GN) Division — The smallest official administrative unit, managed by a Grama Niladhari officer. Sri Lanka has approximately 14,000 GN divisions. The GN officer issues character certificates, income certificates, residence certificates, and other official documents.
- Village — Individual settlements within a GN division. Multiple villages may share one GN division.
Sri Lanka Provinces and Districts
Western Province
Capital: Colombo
- Colombo District
- Gampaha District
- Kalutara District
Central Province
Capital: Kandy
- Kandy District
- Matale District
- Nuwara Eliya District
Southern Province
Capital: Galle
- Galle District
- Matara District
- Hambantota District
Northern Province
Capital: Jaffna
- Jaffna District
- Kilinochchi District
- Mannar District
- Mullaitivu District
- Vavuniya District
Eastern Province
Capital: Trincomalee
- Ampara District
- Batticaloa District
- Trincomalee District
North Western Province
Capital: Kurunegala
- Kurunegala District
- Puttalam District
North Central Province
Capital: Anuradhapura
- Anuradhapura District
- Polonnaruwa District
Uva Province
Capital: Badulla
- Badulla District
- Monaragala District
Sabaragamuwa Province
Capital: Ratnapura
- Ratnapura District
- Kegalle District
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Grama Niladhari Division in Sri Lanka?▾
A Grama Niladhari (GN) Division is the smallest administrative unit in Sri Lanka's government structure, managed by a Grama Niladhari officer. It falls under a Divisional Secretariat (DS) office. Sri Lanka has approximately 14,000 GN divisions covering all villages and urban areas.
What is a Divisional Secretariat (DS) office?▾
A Divisional Secretariat (DS) office, also known as Pradeshiya Lekam Karyalaya, is the government office handling civil registration, land administration, and social services at the divisional level. Sri Lanka has 331 DS offices across 25 districts.
How many provinces and districts does Sri Lanka have?▾
Sri Lanka has 9 provinces and 25 districts. The provinces are Western, Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Uva, and Sabaragamuwa. Each province contains 2–5 districts.
What documents does the Grama Niladhari officer issue?▾
The Grama Niladhari officer issues official documents including character certificates, income certificates, residence certificates, poverty certificates, land ownership confirmations, and certifications needed for school admissions, government services, and official applications.
What is the difference between GN Division and Divisional Secretariat?▾
The Grama Niladhari (GN) Division is the village-level unit, managed by a single GN officer. The Divisional Secretariat (DS) is the tier above it, covering multiple GN divisions and handling larger administrative functions. For most official certificates, you visit your GN officer first, then the DS office if escalation is needed.