External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: External balance on goods and services was -4.22 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-4.22 billion current US$
Change on year
down 62.3%
World rank
149th
of 193 countries
All-time high
150.17 million current US$
in 1977
All-time low
-6.54 billion current US$
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 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka is -4.22 billion current US$, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 62.3% on the previous year and up 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka peaked at 150.17 million current US$ in 1977 and was at its lowest, -6.54 billion current US$, in 2021.
That places Sri Lanka 149th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -41.72 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | -13.69 million current US$ | -67.2% |
| 1962 | -20.20 million current US$ | +47.6% |
| 1963 | -21.54 million current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1964 | -27.59 million current US$ | +28.1% |
| 1965 | 6.93 million current US$ | -125.1% |
| 1966 | -60.92 million current US$ | -978.8% |
| 1967 | -52.88 million current US$ | -13.2% |
| 1968 | -53.45 million current US$ | +1.1% |
| 1969 | -122.35 million current US$ | +128.9% |
| 1970 | -72.27 million current US$ | -40.9% |
| 1971 | -47.39 million current US$ | -34.4% |
| 1972 | -40.20 million current US$ | -15.2% |
| 1973 | -34.84 million current US$ | -13.3% |
| 1974 | -266.92 million current US$ | +666.0% |
| 1975 | -283.17 million current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1976 | -83.83 million current US$ | -70.4% |
| 1977 | 150.17 million current US$ | -279.1% |
| 1978 | -130.49 million current US$ | -186.9% |
| 1979 | -405.20 million current US$ | +210.5% |
| 1980 | -908.77 million current US$ | +124.3% |
| 1981 | -709.92 million current US$ | -21.9% |
| 1982 | -901.35 million current US$ | +27.0% |
| 1983 | -780.49 million current US$ | -13.4% |
| 1984 | -358.96 million current US$ | -54.0% |
| 1985 | -714.62 million current US$ | +99.1% |
| 1986 | -743.72 million current US$ | +4.1% |
| 1987 | -701.90 million current US$ | -5.6% |
| 1988 | -750.90 million current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1989 | -663.55 million current US$ | -11.6% |
| 1990 | -633.15 million current US$ | -4.6% |
| 1991 | -910.27 million current US$ | +43.8% |
| 1992 | -898.79 million current US$ | -1.3% |
| 1993 | -986.88 million current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1994 | -1.38 billion current US$ | +40.2% |
| 1995 | -1.36 billion current US$ | -1.7% |
| 1996 | -1.24 billion current US$ | -8.8% |
| 1997 | -1.07 billion current US$ | -14.1% |
| 1998 | -946.80 million current US$ | -11.2% |
| 1999 | -1.22 billion current US$ | +29.2% |
| 2000 | -1.76 billion current US$ | +43.9% |
| 2001 | -982.19 million current US$ | -44.2% |
| 2002 | -1.08 billion current US$ | +9.6% |
| 2003 | -1.14 billion current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2004 | -1.82 billion current US$ | +60.1% |
| 2005 | -2.18 billion current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2006 | -3.11 billion current US$ | +42.7% |
| 2007 | -3.36 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2008 | -5.57 billion current US$ | +66.0% |
| 2009 | -2.73 billion current US$ | -51.0% |
| 2015 | -6.07 billion current US$ | +122.2% |
| 2016 | -6.00 billion current US$ | -1.0% |
| 2017 | -6.32 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2018 | -6.53 billion current US$ | +3.4% |
| 2019 | -5.14 billion current US$ | -21.3% |
| 2020 | -5.21 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2021 | -6.54 billion current US$ | +25.6% |
| 2022 | -2.64 billion current US$ | -59.6% |
| 2023 | -1.81 billion current US$ | -31.6% |
| 2024 | -2.60 billion current US$ | +43.8% |
| 2025 | -4.22 billion current US$ | +62.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's -4.22 billion current US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -347.73 million current US$, 12.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's -4.22 billion current US$ is above the median for South Asia, which is -7.77 billion current US$, 54% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | -978.8% | 6.93 million current US$ | -60.92 million current US$ |
| 1974 | -666.0% | -34.84 million current US$ | -266.92 million current US$ |
| 1977 | +279.1% | -83.83 million current US$ | 150.17 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -40.74 million current US$ | -122.35 million current US$ | 6.93 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | -121.41 million current US$ | -405.20 million current US$ | 150.17 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | -723.42 million current US$ | -908.77 million current US$ | -358.96 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.06 billion current US$ | -1.38 billion current US$ | -633.15 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.37 billion current US$ | -5.57 billion current US$ | -982.19 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -6.01 billion current US$ | -6.53 billion current US$ | -5.14 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2020s | -3.83 billion current US$ | -6.54 billion current US$ | -1.81 billion current US$ | 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 110.33 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0011 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 5.03 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 761.14 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 6.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0076 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 34.73 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 38.34 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka?
- External balance on goods and services in Sri Lanka was -4.22 billion current US$ 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 150.17 million current US$ in 1977.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.54 billion current US$ in 2021.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Sri Lanka ranks 149th 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 up 30.5%. 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 US$). 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 indicator is expressed in United States dollars.