Abstract: The death rate in Ceylon declined from 20 to 14 in 1946-47. It was thought that the introduction of insecticides had reduced mortality due to malaria control but comparison of mortality data in malarious and nonmalarious areas fail to confirm this. Between 1945-46 mortality declined 26% in malarious and 24% in unprotected nonmalarious areas. The interruption of the downward trend of mortality between 1943-46 was associated with curtailment of medical services and food imports during World War 2; after the war the rates resumed their earlier trends. Reduction in mortality was associated with improvement in nutritional status of the population; in addition between 1938-57 when death rates declined to about 1/2 the previous level consumption and gross national product almost doubled. Although malaria control had little effect on mortality it did have an effect on morbidity; upon the introduction of insecticides malaria has almost disappeared and this has been associated with a reversal in the direction of internal migration and an increase in the magnitude and rate of agricultural development in the areas freed of malaria. Acreage under cultivation increased from 927078 acres in 1946 to 1411700 in 1960. Thus malaria control has increased the quality rather than the quantity of human life by allowing development to proceed and reducing population pressure.