Sri Lanka Economy — GDP, Growth & Key Data

IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank readings. Each figure below retains its own reference year, source and unit.

Nominal GDP: $98.96B; Reference year 2024; current US dollars; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
98964000000 current US dollars
Real GDP growth: 5.0%; Reference year 2024; annual percent change in real GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
5 annual percent change in real GDP
Inflation (annual-average CPI): 1.2%; Reference year 2024; annual percent change in average consumer prices; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
1.2 annual percent change in average consumer prices
Unemployment: 4.4%; Reference year 2024; percent of labor force; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
4.4 percent of labor force
GDP per person: $4,516; Reference year 2024; current US dollars per person; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
4515.598 current US dollars per person
Population: 21.8M; Reference year 2025; people; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
21756000 people
General government gross debt: 100.8%; Reference year 2024; percent of GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
100.8 percent of GDP
Life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years; Reference year 2024; years; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
77.672 years

Each figure retains its own reference year, unit and source. Missing values are not zero. IMF readings can include estimates or projections; their stored release vintage, observation status and country-specific fiscal-year mapping are unavailable. A shared year label does not establish identical calendar periods.

Population follows the World Bank’s midyear-estimate definition. Nominal GDP is converted from stored billions of US dollars to US dollars. GDP per person is output per person, not a typical income; general-government gross debt is broader than central-government debt.

Sri Lanka Economic Overview

Sri Lanka experienced one of the most severe economic collapses in recent history in 2022. A toxic combination of excessive government borrowing, ill-advised tax cuts, a disastrous ban on chemical fertilizers, COVID-19 tourism collapse, and depletion of foreign reserves led to sovereign default, 70%+ inflation, and acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine. Mass protests forced President Rajapaksa to flee the country.

Sri Lanka is now in an IMF-supported recovery program involving debt restructuring, tax increases, subsidy reform, and central bank independence. The economy has stabilized — inflation has fallen dramatically, reserves are rebuilding, and tourism is recovering. Before the crisis, Sri Lanka had South Asia's highest life expectancy and human development indicators — achievements that the crisis put at risk. The garment, tea, and IT services sectors continue to provide export earnings.

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Questions about Sri Lanka’s figures

What nominal gdp does SOTW report for Sri Lanka in reference year 2024?

Sri Lanka: nominal gdp is $98.96B (current US dollars; reference year 2024). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook).

What real gdp growth does SOTW report for Sri Lanka in reference year 2024?

Sri Lanka: real gdp growth is 5.0% (annual percent change in real GDP; reference year 2024). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook).

What population does SOTW report for Sri Lanka in reference year 2025?

Sri Lanka: population is 21.8M (people; reference year 2025). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators). The World Bank definition describes midyear population estimates.

What life expectancy at birth does SOTW report for Sri Lanka in reference year 2024?

Sri Lanka: life expectancy at birth is 77.7 years (years; reference year 2024). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators).