External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: External balance on goods and services was -1.27 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.27 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 61.7%
World rank
166th
of 192 countries
All-time high
1.33 billion current LCU
in 1977
All-time low
-1.30 trillion current LCU
in 2021
Years of data
61
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded -1.27 trillion current LCU for external balance on goods and services in 2025.
The figure is down 61.7% on the previous year and down 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.33 billion current LCU in 1977 and was at its lowest, -1.30 trillion current LCU, in 2021.
Sri Lanka ranks 166th of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -198.60 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -65.17 million current LCU | -67.2% |
| 1962 | -98.18 million current LCU | +50.7% |
| 1963 | -128.13 million current LCU | +30.5% |
| 1964 | -164.14 million current LCU | +28.1% |
| 1965 | 33.00 million current LCU | -120.1% |
| 1966 | -290.00 million current LCU | -978.8% |
| 1967 | -257.00 million current LCU | -11.4% |
| 1968 | -318.03 million current LCU | +23.7% |
| 1969 | -728.00 million current LCU | +128.9% |
| 1970 | -430.00 million current LCU | -40.9% |
| 1971 | -281.00 million current LCU | -34.7% |
| 1972 | -240.00 million current LCU | -14.6% |
| 1973 | -223.00 million current LCU | -7.1% |
| 1974 | -1.77 billion current LCU | +696.0% |
| 1975 | -1.99 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 1976 | -705.00 million current LCU | -64.5% |
| 1977 | 1.33 billion current LCU | -288.9% |
| 1978 | -2.04 billion current LCU | -252.9% |
| 1979 | -6.31 billion current LCU | +209.7% |
| 1980 | -15.02 billion current LCU | +138.1% |
| 1981 | -13.67 billion current LCU | -9.0% |
| 1982 | -18.76 billion current LCU | +37.3% |
| 1983 | -18.36 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 1984 | -9.13 billion current LCU | -50.3% |
| 1985 | -19.41 billion current LCU | +112.5% |
| 1986 | -20.84 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 1987 | -20.66 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 1988 | -23.89 billion current LCU | +15.6% |
| 1989 | -23.92 billion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 1990 | -25.36 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1991 | -37.66 billion current LCU | +48.5% |
| 1992 | -39.39 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 1993 | -47.69 billion current LCU | +21.0% |
| 1994 | -68.36 billion current LCU | +43.4% |
| 1995 | -69.71 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 1996 | -68.57 billion current LCU | -1.6% |
| 1997 | -62.86 billion current LCU | -8.3% |
| 1998 | -61.15 billion current LCU | -2.7% |
| 1999 | -86.09 billion current LCU | +40.8% |
| 2000 | -133.37 billion current LCU | +54.9% |
| 2001 | -87.77 billion current LCU | -34.2% |
| 2002 | -102.96 billion current LCU | +17.3% |
| 2003 | -109.88 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 2004 | -184.44 billion current LCU | +67.9% |
| 2005 | -219.04 billion current LCU | +18.8% |
| 2006 | -323.38 billion current LCU | +47.6% |
| 2007 | -371.34 billion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 2008 | -603.65 billion current LCU | +62.6% |
| 2009 | -313.93 billion current LCU | -48.0% |
| 2015 | -824.87 billion current LCU | +162.8% |
| 2016 | -874.29 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 2017 | -962.80 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 2018 | -1.06 trillion current LCU | +10.3% |
| 2019 | -919.41 billion current LCU | -13.4% |
| 2020 | -965.97 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 2021 | -1.30 trillion current LCU | +34.7% |
| 2022 | -857.49 billion current LCU | -34.1% |
| 2023 | -591.71 billion current LCU | -31.0% |
| 2024 | -784.79 billion current LCU | +32.6% |
| 2025 | -1.27 trillion current LCU | +61.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -221.43 million current LCU | -728.00 million current LCU | 33.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.27 billion current LCU | -6.31 billion current LCU | 1.33 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -18.37 billion current LCU | -23.92 billion current LCU | -9.13 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -56.69 billion current LCU | -86.09 billion current LCU | -25.36 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -244.97 billion current LCU | -603.65 billion current LCU | -87.77 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -928.65 billion current LCU | -1.06 trillion current LCU | -824.87 billion current LCU | 5 |
| 2020s | -961.61 billion current LCU | -1.30 trillion current LCU | -591.71 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 163 Ethiopia -1.04 trillion current LCU compare
- 164 Kenya -1.05 trillion current LCU compare
- 165 Congo, Democratic Republic of the -1.22 trillion current LCU compare
- 167 Senegal -1.31 trillion current LCU compare
- 168 Nepal -1.54 trillion current LCU compare
- 169 Algeria -2.01 trillion current LCU compare
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)
- Net primary income (Net income from abroad) (current LCU), annual 22.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current US$), annual growth rate 46.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1157 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current US$), per capita 578.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current LCU), annual growth rate 45.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current LCU), per unit of GDP 34.81 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products (current LCU), per capita 174,118 current LCU per person (2025)
- Special drawing rights per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP)) 0.0023 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka?
- External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka was -1.27 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.33 billion current LCU in 1977.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.30 trillion current LCU in 2021.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Sri Lanka ranks 166th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.