Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with 54 kinds of crops and their distribution were investigated in Sri Lanka. Forty eight species in 24 genera were detected in this survey, of which 41 were identified at the species level. Their distribution was classified into the following four types, 1) widespread type; Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis 2) semi widespread type; Hirschmanniella oryzae, M.javanica and Radopholus simils 3) highland type; Globodera rostochiensis and M. hapla, and 4) area specific type; M. brevicauda and M. graminicola. The nematodes important for agriculture in Sri Lanka were as follows ; M. arenaria, M. incognita, M. javanica, G .rostochiensis, M. hapla, M. brevicauda, M. graminicola, R. reniformis, R. similis, T. semipenetrans, Pratylenchus loosi, P. brachyurus, Aphelenchoides besseyi and H. oryzae