Allele frequencies and statistical parameters of forensic interest are presented for 11 autosomal microsatellites (CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, D16S539, D13S317, D7S820, F13A, F13B, FESFPS, vWA and LPL) of four ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. A total of 513 unrelated individuals from Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamil, Indian Tamil and Sri Lankan Moor population groups were included. Sri Lanka is an island with a multi-ethnic population whose genetic composition has not been previously studied at the ethnic group level. All the 11 microsatellites were found to be highly polymorphic, with the combined power of exclusion being greater than 0.99999, in all four ethnic groups. Overall data analysis suggests that a single combined genetic database could be used for genetic-based identification purposes for the four ethnic groups.