GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 5.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
GDP growth in Sri Lanka, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, gdp growth in Sri Lanka stood at 5.0%.
The figure is up 315.0% on the previous year and down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp growth in Sri Lanka peaked at 8.7% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -7.3%, in 2022.
That places Sri Lanka 41st out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.8% | — |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -66.0% |
| 1972 | -0.4% | -131.4% |
| 1973 | 7.1% | -1819.3% |
| 1974 | 3.8% | -45.5% |
| 1975 | 6.1% | +59.3% |
| 1976 | 3.3% | -45.6% |
| 1977 | 5.1% | +52.9% |
| 1978 | 5.7% | +10.8% |
| 1979 | 6.4% | +13.3% |
| 1980 | 5.8% | -8.7% |
| 1981 | 5.7% | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 4.1% | -27.3% |
| 1983 | 4.8% | +16.2% |
| 1984 | 5.1% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 4.4% | -12.9% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | -60.4% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | +43.3% |
| 1989 | 2.3% | -7.0% |
| 1990 | 6.4% | +178.3% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | -28.1% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 6.9% | +56.8% |
| 1994 | 5.6% | -18.8% |
| 1995 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 3.8% | -30.9% |
| 1997 | 6.4% | +68.6% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | -26.6% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | -8.5% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | +39.5% |
| 2001 | -1.5% | -125.8% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | -356.5% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | +49.8% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 6.2% | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 7.7% | +22.9% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -11.4% |
| 2008 | 6.0% | -12.5% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -40.5% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | +126.5% |
| 2011 | 8.7% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 8.6% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | -53.1% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | +57.4% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | -34.1% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | +20.2% |
| 2017 | 6.5% | +27.8% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -64.2% |
| 2019 | -0.2% | -109.5% |
| 2020 | -4.6% | +1997.5% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | -191.0% |
| 2022 | -7.3% | -274.7% |
| 2023 | -2.3% | -68.3% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | -315.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 5.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.3%, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 5.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 4.9%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1997.5% | -0.2% | -4.6% |
| 1973 | +1819.3% | -0.4% | 7.1% |
| 2002 | +356.5% | -1.5% | 4.0% |
| 2024 | +315.0% | -2.3% | 5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.2% | -0.4% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.1% | 1.7% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.3% | 3.8% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | -1.5% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | -0.2% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.0% | -7.3% | 5.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More population data for Sri Lanka
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0083 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 21,815 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1332 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.558 (2100)
- Population density 343.51 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 901,396 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp growth in Sri Lanka?
- Gdp growth in Sri Lanka was 5.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gdp growth recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2011.
- What is the lowest gdp growth recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.3% in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for gdp growth?
- Sri Lanka ranks 41st out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gdp growth rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of GDP growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release