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People group profile · PG010722

The Sinhalese of Singapore

The Sinhalese of Singapore, numbering about 23,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a culturally rich and historically significant ethnic group in Sri Lanka, known for their Sinhala language, Theravada Buddhist traditions, and influential role in shaping the island's cultural and political landscape.

They are a diaspora people in the Sinhala people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Theravada Buddhism, and they primarily speak Sinhala.

Pray for the SinhalesePrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Sinhalese people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Sinhalese

Fast facts

Country
Singapore
Population
23,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Sinhala
Primary language
Sinhala (sin)
Primary religion
Theravada Buddhism
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Sinhalese are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Sinhalese

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Theravada Buddhism · Buddhism

95% adherents

Primary language

Sinhala · Indo-European family

100% speak Sinhala

Gospel resources in Sinhala

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Sinhalese

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

Download a prayer guide

Sinhalese in other countries

The same people (ROP3 109305) is reported in 10 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
SinhaleseSri Lanka17,680,000Engaged yet Unreached
SinhaleseUnited Arab Emirates179,000Engaged yet Unreached
Sri LankenItaly115,000Unengaged and Unreached
SinhaleseQatar56,500Engaged yet Unreached
SinhaleseOman53,000Engaged yet Unreached
SinhaleseMalaysia36,500No Longer Unreached
SinhaleseUnited States30,500Engaged yet Unreached
SinhaleseCanada18,000Engaged yet Unreached
SinhaleseThailand8,200Unengaged and Unreached
SinhaleseMaldives4,000No Longer Unreached

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