Current account balance in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Current account balance was 1.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Sri Lanka, 1975–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, current account balance in Sri Lanka stood at 1.2%.
The figure is down 29.3% on the previous year and up 150.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.5% in 1977 and was at its lowest, -16.3%, in 1980.
That places Sri Lanka 69th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | -2.9% | — |
| 1976 | -0.2% | -94.3% |
| 1977 | 3.5% | -2193.2% |
| 1978 | -2.4% | -169.3% |
| 1979 | -6.7% | +180.4% |
| 1980 | -16.3% | +142.1% |
| 1981 | -10.1% | -38.2% |
| 1982 | -11.5% | +14.2% |
| 1983 | -9.0% | -21.6% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | -100.2% |
| 1985 | -7.0% | -48228.0% |
| 1986 | -6.5% | -7.0% |
| 1987 | -4.9% | -25.1% |
| 1988 | -5.7% | +15.8% |
| 1989 | -5.9% | +4.7% |
| 1990 | -3.7% | -37.3% |
| 1991 | -6.6% | +77.9% |
| 1992 | -4.6% | -29.7% |
| 1993 | -3.7% | -20.4% |
| 1994 | -6.5% | +74.8% |
| 1995 | -5.9% | -8.6% |
| 1996 | -4.9% | -16.9% |
| 1997 | -2.6% | -46.8% |
| 1998 | -1.4% | -44.8% |
| 1999 | -3.6% | +147.3% |
| 2000 | -6.3% | +76.0% |
| 2001 | -1.4% | -78.2% |
| 2002 | -1.4% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | -0.4% | -73.8% |
| 2004 | -3.1% | +736.8% |
| 2005 | -2.7% | -15.0% |
| 2006 | -5.3% | +98.9% |
| 2007 | -4.3% | -18.3% |
| 2008 | -9.5% | +120.4% |
| 2009 | -0.5% | -94.7% |
| 2010 | -1.8% | +259.2% |
| 2011 | -6.8% | +271.6% |
| 2012 | -5.7% | -16.5% |
| 2013 | -3.3% | -42.0% |
| 2014 | -2.4% | -27.0% |
| 2015 | -2.2% | -8.1% |
| 2016 | -2.0% | -10.5% |
| 2017 | -2.4% | +23.6% |
| 2018 | -3.0% | +21.1% |
| 2019 | -2.1% | -30.1% |
| 2020 | -1.4% | -32.0% |
| 2021 | -3.7% | +163.5% |
| 2022 | -2.0% | -47.3% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -187.6% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -29.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.7% | -6.7% | 3.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | -7.7% | -16.3% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -4.4% | -6.6% | -1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -3.5% | -9.5% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.2% | -6.8% | -1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.8% | -3.7% | 1.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More economy & growth data for Sri Lanka
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -8.07 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -7.82 Percent per annum (2022)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 9.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2244 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,122 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 11.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2284 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 1,143 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 11.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 68.74 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Sri Lanka?
- Current account balance in Sri Lanka was 1.2% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1977.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.3% in 1980.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for current account balance?
- Sri Lanka ranks 69th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 150.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.