Sri Lanka — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Sri Lanka, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Sri Lanka was 3.68% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 5.19% in 2021. The lowest was 3.31% in 2012 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.47% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 161 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 85%. The median for South Asia is 4.42%, so Sri Lanka sits below it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 29% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 0%. Within South Asia it ranks 4 of 6 economies; India (3.34%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 23% in 2022. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 126th of 184 in 2000 → 150th of 188 in 2010 → 155th of 189 in 2020 → 160th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 3.98% | -1.2 pp |
| 2021 | 5.19% | +0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 4.27% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 3.7% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 3.64% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 3.33% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 3.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 3.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 3.47% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 3.69% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 3.31% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 3.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 3.74% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 4.06% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 3.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 3.82% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 3.88% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.04% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 3.65% | -0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 4.04% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 4.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 4.11% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s Health spending in 2001?
4.06% (2001). 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 % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sri Lanka’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was shrinking overall: -10.3% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. 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: 2023: 3.68%; 2022: 3.98%; 2021: 5.19%; 2020: 4.27%; 2019: 3.7%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). 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.