ASIA & MIDDLE EAST · COUNTRY REFERENCE
Sri Lanka
Written and compiled by American Business Capital Group Inc.
Selected country or entityMap: Natural Earth ↗
ANNUAL ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT
Population & economic scale
The most recent non-empty observations returned by the World Bank when this snapshot was collected. Read the year on each card: these are annual statistics, not live measurements.
World Bank reporting entity: Sri Lanka · 3 of 3 indicators available.
Population
21,756,000
people
observation
Definition, value & source
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.
Received value: 21756000 people. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: https://population.un.org/wpp/, publisher: UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), uri: https://unstats.un.org/home/nso_sites/, publisher: National Statistical Offices; Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT), uri: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database?node_code=earn_ses_monthly, publisher: Eurostat; Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), United Nations (UN), uri: https://unstats.un.org, publisher: UN Statistics Division
GDP
$108.83 billion
current US$
observation
Definition, value & source
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.
Received value: 108825231671.196 current US$. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
GDP per capita
$5,002
current US$ per person
observation
Definition, value & source
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.
Received value: 5002.07904353724 current US$ per person. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
GDP and GDP per capita use current US dollars, without an inflation or purchasing-power-parity adjustment. Source years can differ. Missing data is not zero; earlier archive figures below are retained as a separate historical reference.
THE REFERENCE FILE
Sri Lanka at a glance
These are historical reference facts from the 2025 World Factbook archive. Each estimate keeps its own period; an archive edition does not make every figure a measurement from that year.
Population
total: 22,050,561 (2025 est.) male: 10,668,528 female: 11,382,033
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$301.407 billion (2024 est.) $287.031 billion (2023 est.) $293.878 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$98.963 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Real GDP growth rate
5% (2024 est.) -2.3% (2023 est.) -7.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
$13,800 (2024 est.) $13,000 (2023 est.) $13,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.4% (2024 est.) 16.5% (2023 est.) 49.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Unemployment rate
5% (2024 est.) 6% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Labor force
8.499 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
79.1% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Budget
revenues: $9.387 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $17.144 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Current account balance
$1.559 billion (2023 est.) -$1.448 billion (2022 est.) -$3.284 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$17.327 billion (2023 est.) $16.169 billion (2022 est.) $14.974 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports
$18.823 billion (2023 est.) $19.244 billion (2022 est.) $21.526 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.094 billion (2024 est.) $4.405 billion (2023 est.) $1.896 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$42.198 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Internet users
percent of population: 51% (2023 est.)
THE HISTORICAL REFERENCE LIBRARY
Explore the country in detail
Browse the economy, population, resources and infrastructure. These archived descriptions keep their original wording and dates; they have not been updated to describe current conditions.
31 of 31 sections
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Capital
name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Economic overview
economic contraction in 2022-23 marked by increased poverty and significant inflation; IMF two-year debt relief program following 2022 sovereign default; structural challenges from non-diversified economy and rigid labor laws; heavy dependence on tourism receipts and remittances
2022 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Natural resources
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Agricultural products
rice, coconuts, tea, sugarcane, plantains, milk, fiber crops, cassava, chicken, pumpkins/squash (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Industries
processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; tourism; clothing and textiles; mining
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Exports - partners
USA 22%, India 7%, Germany 7%, UK 7%, Italy 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Exports - commodities
garments, tea, precious stones, used rubber tires, rubber products (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Imports - partners
India 21%, China 19%, UAE 10%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, fabric, crude petroleum, packaged medicine, cotton fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Terrain
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Land use
agricultural land: 48.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 19.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 7.1% (2023 est.) forest: 34.4% (2023 est.) other: 16.7% (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Natural hazards
occasional cyclones and tornadoes
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Languages
Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.) note: data represent main languages spoken by the population aged 10 years and older; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; English is commonly used in government and is referred to as the "link language" in the constitution
2012 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Religions
Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)
2012 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.6% (male 2,537,918/female 2,423,615) 15-64 years: 65% (male 6,954,869/female 7,336,897) 65 years and over: 12.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,149,256/female 1,580,053)
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Urbanization
urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
2023, 2020 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.8 years (2024 est.) male: 73.7 years female: 79.9 years
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Literacy
total population: 92.7% (2023 est.) male: 93.4% (2023 est.) female: 92% (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 5.326 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 15.763 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.457 billion kWh (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 49.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 40.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 100,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Carbon dioxide emissions
19.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 14.003 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 30.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2024 est.)
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 2.01 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Airports
18 (2025)
2025 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Railways
total: 1,562 km (2016) broad gauge: 1,562 km (2016) 1.676-m gauge
2016 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Ports
total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 1 size unknown: 2 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Batticaloa Roads, Colombo, Galle Harbor, Hambantota, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee Harbor
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 8.3% (2024 est.) industry: 25.5% (2024 est.) services: 57.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Remittances
7.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
2023, 2022, 2021 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
CURRENCY OBSERVATIONS
Money & exchange rates
The latest verified daily references are separate from the historical country profile. Values are currency units per US$1.
Sri Lanka Rupee
LKR per US$1
Published reference snapshot; its original observation date is preserved.
1 LKR = US$0.003025078
328.28–331.63 LKR per US$1 across the displayed observations. The vertical scale follows this range.
View dated observations
| Observation date | LKR per US$1 |
|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2026 | 330.57 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | 330.75 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 330.7 |
| Oct 2, 2026 | 331.03 |
| Oct 1, 2026 | 331.03 |
| Sep 30, 2026 | 330.66 |
| Sep 29, 2026 | 330.63 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | 330.4 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 330.17 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | 330.13 |
| Sep 24, 2026 | 330.33 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | 329.38 |
| Sep 22, 2026 | 330.3 |
| Sep 21, 2026 | 330.47 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 331.23 |
| Sep 18, 2026 | 331.6 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | 331.63 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | 331.01 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 329.61 |
| Sep 14, 2026 | 328.87 |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 328.71 |
| Sep 11, 2026 | 328.71 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | 328.39 |
| Sep 9, 2026 | 328.73 |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 328.28 |
| Sep 7, 2026 | 328.41 |
Daily references are not live execution prices. A check time does not change a source observation date.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Stock exchanges
No venue from our curated stock exchange directory is listed for this entity.
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Official data & country reports
Research directories have their own coverage. A link is not a claim that every entity has an IMF report or a separate national statistical office.
SOURCES & DATES
Where the facts come from.
Editorial presentation by American Business Capital Group Inc. The organizations and archive links below are the underlying sources.
- Country reference
- CIA World Factbook · 2025 archive
- Archive retrieved
- Oct 6, 2026 · retrieval date, not an observation period
- Currency associations
- SIX / ISO 4217 currency registry ↗
- Rate observations
- Frankfurter / official reference providers ↗ · each observation is dated separately
- State classification
- UN member states ↗ · UN observer states ↗
- UN membership is shown separately from territory and currency coverage; inclusion is not a position on sovereignty or boundaries.
- CIA World Factbook text preserved by World Factbook Archive. Archive edition 2025; individual estimates retain their own dates. These are historical reference facts, not current observations.
About the editions. The CIA announced the end of its online World Factbook on February 4, 2026. Our historical profiles retain the archive editions shown above.
Skyhorse lists The CIA World Factbook 2026–2027, published April 7, 2026 (ISBN 9781510786042). That book’s full text has not been incorporated here; its edition title does not redate the imported archive. Archive distribution license.
Geography is a simplified reference. Displayed boundaries and entity inclusion do not express a position on sovereignty or disputed borders.