Sri Lanka
- Capital
- Colombo
- Region
- South Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 21.8 million (2025)
At a glance
- Prices in Sri Lanka fell 4.8% in 2025, slower than in most countries.
- Sri Lanka's economy grew 5.0% in 2025, faster than most economies.
- Output per person in Sri Lanka was US$5,002 in 2025, lower than in most countries.
- 4.0% of Sri Lanka's labour force had no job in 2025, a lower share than in most countries.
- Sri Lanka had 21.8 million people in 2025: about 0.3% of everyone on Earth, the 62nd largest population of 217 countries and territories.
- Sri Lanka had a current account surplus of 1.6% of GDP in 2025, higher than in most countries.
Inflation
2025Consumer prices, change over the year (yearly average)
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | −4.8% | 3.0% |
| 2024 | −0.4% | 3.0% |
| 2023 | 16.5% | 5.7% |
| 2022 | 49.7% | 8.0% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | 3.5% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | 1.9% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | 2.2% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | 2.3% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | 1.6% |
Economic growth
2025Real GDP, change over the year
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| 2023 | −2.0% | 3.2% |
| 2022 | −7.4% | 4.3% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| 2020 | −4.6% | −3.8% |
| 2019 | −0.2% | 2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | 3.2% |
| 2017 | 6.5% | 3.3% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
GDP per person
2025GDP divided by population, in US dollars at current prices
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | US$5,002 | US$7,882 |
| 2024 | US$4,545 | US$7,853 |
| 2023 | US$3,815 | US$7,862 |
| 2022 | US$3,343 | US$7,656 |
| 2021 | US$3,997 | US$7,269 |
| 2020 | US$3,848 | US$6,433 |
| 2019 | US$4,082 | US$7,037 |
| 2018 | US$4,359 | US$6,978 |
| 2017 | US$4,399 | US$6,548 |
| 2016 | US$4,149 | US$5,982 |
Unemployment
2025Share of the labour force without a job (ILO modelled estimate)
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.0% | 5.1% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | 6.4% |
| 2019 | 4.7% | 5.4% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | 5.9% |
Population
2025Everyone living in the country, mid-year
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 21.8 million |
| 2024 | 21.9 million |
| 2023 | 22.0 million |
| 2022 | 22.2 million |
| 2021 | 22.2 million |
| 2020 | 21.9 million |
| 2019 | 21.8 million |
| 2018 | 21.7 million |
| 2017 | 21.5 million |
| 2016 | 21.2 million |
Current account balance, % of GDP
Since 2000
Show the numbers
| Year | Sri Lanka | World median |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.6% | −0.8% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | −1.3% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | −1.2% |
| 2022 | −2.0% | −3.0% |
| 2021 | −3.7% | −2.4% |
| 2020 | −1.4% | −1.7% |
| 2019 | −2.1% | −2.1% |
| 2018 | −3.0% | −2.9% |
| 2017 | −2.5% | −2.1% |
| 2016 | −2.0% | −2.8% |
No recent World Bank figure for Sri Lanka: government debt.
About these figures
All numbers are yearly. The world median is the middle value of all countries with a figure for the same year: half of them are above it and half below. Sparklines show Sri Lanka since 2000 or since its first figure.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0), updated 2026-10-08. Original sources: Inflation: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics; Economic growth: national statistical offices and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates; GDP per person: national statistical offices and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates; Unemployment: International Labour Organization, ILO modelled estimates (ILOSTAT); Population: United Nations Population Division (World Population Prospects) and national statistical offices; Current account balance: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments Statistics, with World Bank and OECD data. Yearly figures; recent years are often revised. All sources and terms.