Sri Lanka vs United States: External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP
Sri Lanka
-3.9%
in 2025
United States
-3.1%
in 2024
Sri Lanka rank
100th
United States rank
98th
External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP over time
- Sri Lanka
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports -3.1% against -3.9% in Sri Lanka, a difference of 0.8%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 50 shared years of data; in 1970 it was United States ahead.
Sri Lanka ranks 100th and United States ranks 98th of 191 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Sri Lanka | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -3.8% | -0.2% | 3.7% | United States |
| 1980s | -13.3% | -1.8% | 11.5% | United States |
| 1990s | -8.9% | -1.3% | 7.6% | United States |
| 2000s | -8.9% | -4.5% | 4.3% | United States |
| 2010s | -6.7% | -2.8% | 3.9% | United States |
| 2020s | -4.4% | -3.2% | 1.2% | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp, Sri Lanka or United States?
- United States, at -3.1% against -3.9% in Sri Lanka as of 2024.
- What is the difference in external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp between Sri Lanka and United States?
- 0.8%, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Sri Lanka and United States?
- 50 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do Sri Lanka and United States rank globally for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Sri Lanka ranks 100th and United States ranks 98th of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.