Sri Lanka — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Sri Lanka, 1962–2025.
GDP growth for Sri Lanka was 4.95% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 64 years, from 1962 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 8.67% in 2011. The lowest was -7.35% in 2022 (about -1.5× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.41% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 55 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 26%. The median for South Asia is 6.31%, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 43% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 18%. Within South Asia it ranks 4 of 6 economies; Nepal (4.43%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 1997% in 2020. That is 203% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1962 level: doubled by 1969. Doubling roughly every 168 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 75th of 112 in 1962 → 81st of 119 in 1970 → 45th of 152 in 1980 → 38th of 176 in 1990 → 48th of 199 in 2000 → 29th of 209 in 2010 → 116th of 209 in 2020 → 48th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1962 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 4.99% | +7.0 pp |
| 2023 | -2.03% | +5.3 pp |
| 2022 | -7.35% | -11.6 pp |
| 2021 | 4.21% | +8.8 pp |
| 2020 | -4.62% | -4.4 pp |
| 2019 | -0.22% | -2.5 pp |
| 2018 | 2.31% | -4.2 pp |
| 2017 | 6.46% | +1.4 pp |
| 2016 | 5.05% | +0.8 pp |
| 2015 | 4.21% | -2.2 pp |
| 2014 | 6.38% | +2.3 pp |
| 2013 | 4.05% | -4.6 pp |
| 2012 | 8.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 8.67% | +0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 8.02% | +4.5 pp |
| 2009 | 3.54% | -2.4 pp |
| 2008 | 5.95% | -0.8 pp |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 7.67% | +1.4 pp |
| 2005 | 6.24% | +0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 5.45% | -0.5 pp |
| 2003 | 5.94% | +2.0 pp |
| 2002 | 3.96% | +5.5 pp |
| 2001 | -1.55% | -7.5 pp |
| 2000 | 6% | +1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 4.3% | -0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 4.7% | -1.7 pp |
| 1997 | 6.41% | +2.6 pp |
| 1996 | 3.8% | -1.7 pp |
| 1995 | 5.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 5.6% | -1.3 pp |
| 1993 | 6.9% | +2.5 pp |
| 1992 | 4.4% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 4.6% | -1.8 pp |
| 1990 | 6.4% | +4.1 pp |
| 1989 | 2.3% | -0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 2.47% | +0.7 pp |
| 1987 | 1.73% | -2.6 pp |
| 1986 | 4.36% | -0.6 pp |
| 1985 | 5% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 5.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 1983 | 4.81% | +0.7 pp |
| 1982 | 4.14% | -1.6 pp |
| 1981 | 5.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 5.85% | -0.6 pp |
| 1979 | 6.4% | +0.7 pp |
| 1978 | 5.65% | +0.6 pp |
| 1977 | 5.1% | +1.8 pp |
| 1976 | 3.34% | -2.8 pp |
| 1975 | 6.13% | +2.3 pp |
| 1974 | 3.85% | -3.2 pp |
| 1973 | 7.06% | +7.5 pp |
| 1972 | -0.41% | -1.7 pp |
| 1971 | 1.31% | -2.5 pp |
| 1970 | 3.85% | -3.9 pp |
| 1969 | 7.72% | +1.9 pp |
| 1968 | 5.8% | -0.6 pp |
| 1967 | 6.44% | +1.4 pp |
| 1966 | 5.02% | +2.5 pp |
| 1965 | 2.54% | -1.4 pp |
| 1964 | 3.91% | +1.4 pp |
| 1963 | 2.52% | -1.3 pp |
| 1962 | 3.82% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s GDP growth in 1963?
2.52% (1963). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sri Lanka’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1962 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +29.7% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.95%; 2024: 4.99%; 2023: -2.03%; 2022: -7.35%; 2021: 4.21%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.