External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was -1.27 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.27 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 61.7%
World rank
167th
of 193 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 167th of 193 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 (current LCU) 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% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's -1.27 trillion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -2.10 billion current LCU, 605.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's -1.27 trillion current LCU is above the median for South Asia, which is -1.41 trillion current LCU, 90% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | -978.8% | 33.00 million current LCU | -290.00 million current LCU |
| 1974 | -696.0% | -223.00 million current LCU | -1.77 billion current LCU |
| 1977 | +288.9% | -705.00 million current LCU | 1.33 billion current LCU |
| 1978 | -252.9% | 1.33 billion current LCU | -2.04 billion current LCU |
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
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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -66.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0483 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -68.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0353 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 33.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0295 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
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 167th out of 193 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.