Sri Lanka

South Asia·Lower middle income

Population: 22M; 60th of 217
GDP: $99B; 72nd of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $4,516; 142nd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 77.5; 77th of 217
Human development: 0.782; 72nd of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Sri Lanka

Bhutan

India

Bangladesh

Maldives

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

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

Area: 65,610 km²
Languages: Sinhala (official) 87%, Tamil (official) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)
Resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Buddhist69.6%▼ 0.5pt
Hindu14.5%▲ 2.0pt
Muslim10.2%▲ 0.5pt
Christian5.6%▼ 2.0pt

Religious diversity: 5.61 / 10 · high · 38th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

LKA

BTN

IND

BGD

GDP

current US$

$99B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$712M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

31.9%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

8.3%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

25.5%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

2,053.1–––

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

0.381–––

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

–––

Population

people

22M–––

Population density

people per km²

358.6–––

Urban population

% of total

19.2%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2–––

Net migration

people

-27.2K–––

Population under 15

% of total

22%–––

Population 65+

% of total

12.1%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

4.4%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

1.8%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

4,819.2–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

818.9–––

Electricity generation

TWh

18.9–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

5.61–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.1%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.6%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#72/214

$99B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#142/214

$4,5162024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#121/203

$14,456latest

GDP growth

annual %

#41/214

5%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#140/207

$3,8602024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#108/213

3.8%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#105/201

$712M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#174/205

31.9%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#85/206

8.3%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#83/208

25.5%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#112/187

6%latest

Gini index

0–100

#102/168

37.7latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#85/168

2.7%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#91/165

$10,7052022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#65/144

2.932023

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

#55/129

2,053.12023

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

#117/139

0.3812023

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

#64/119

0.6052023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#60/217

22Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#32/216

358.6latest

Urban population

% of total

#207/215

19.2%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#77/217

77.5latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#108/217

2latest

Net migration

people

#184/217

-27.2K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#110/217

22%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#82/217

12.1%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#53/196

5.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#51/196

6.1latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#145/192

4.4%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#111/195

1.2latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#90/160

92%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#188/199

1.8%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#125/194

23%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#107/139

47.1%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#160/210

51.2%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#36/214

142.32023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#121/208

8.82023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#131/215

448.72024

Access to electricity

% of population

#104/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#139/198

4,819.22024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#143/202

818.92024

Electricity generation

TWh

#85/202

18.92024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#66/202

50.2%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#70/202

40.4%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#118/204

20.82024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#53/204

0.92024

Share of global CO₂

#87/204

0.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#24/193

1.82023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#155/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#150/210

0.5%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#135/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#98/210

0.3%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#143/210

0.5912024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#33/175

0.7832025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#43/175

0.6132025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#68/175

0.8162025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#53/175

0.2782025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#46/175

0.8282025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#104/178

362022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#109/193

-0.3832022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#119/193

-0.3912022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#86/193

-0.05692022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#154/193

-0.7862022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#96/175

0.7422025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#10/126

02025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#12/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#14/126

02025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#38/193

5.612020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#166/193

0.1%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#72/189

0.7822021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#92/170

0.3832021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#144/164

4.012025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#104/158

2.142023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#78/161

1.6%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.