External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: External debt stocks, total was 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
56.83 billion DOD, current US$
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
27th
of 122 countries
All-time high
60.54 billion DOD, current US$
in 2023
All-time low
435.68 million DOD, current US$
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
External debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in DOD, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka is 56.83 billion DOD, current US$, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.1% on the previous year and up 34.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka peaked at 60.54 billion DOD, current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 435.68 million DOD, current US$, in 1970.
Sri Lanka ranks 27th of 122 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 435.68 million DOD, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 520.24 million DOD, current US$ | +19.4% |
| 1972 | 554.36 million DOD, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 631.61 million DOD, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 1974 | 783.76 million DOD, current US$ | +24.1% |
| 1975 | 817.84 million DOD, current US$ | +4.3% |
| 1976 | 941.71 million DOD, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 1977 | 1.14 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.2% |
| 1978 | 1.38 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.0% |
| 1979 | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1980 | 1.85 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.4% |
| 1981 | 2.24 billion DOD, current US$ | +21.2% |
| 1982 | 2.63 billion DOD, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 1983 | 2.89 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1984 | 3.00 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 3.54 billion DOD, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 1986 | 4.09 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1987 | 4.75 billion DOD, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 1988 | 5.21 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.6% |
| 1989 | 5.19 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 5.87 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1991 | 6.58 billion DOD, current US$ | +12.2% |
| 1992 | 6.48 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 6.90 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 7.96 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1995 | 8.40 billion DOD, current US$ | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 8.30 billion DOD, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 8.11 billion DOD, current US$ | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 9.06 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.7% |
| 1999 | 9.94 billion DOD, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 9.25 billion DOD, current US$ | -7.0% |
| 2001 | 8.95 billion DOD, current US$ | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 10.12 billion DOD, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2003 | 10.73 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 11.60 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.2% |
| 2005 | 11.30 billion DOD, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 11.85 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.9% |
| 2007 | 14.16 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.5% |
| 2008 | 16.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2009 | 19.50 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.5% |
| 2010 | 21.68 billion DOD, current US$ | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 25.80 billion DOD, current US$ | +19.0% |
| 2012 | 35.74 billion DOD, current US$ | +38.5% |
| 2013 | 39.32 billion DOD, current US$ | +10.0% |
| 2014 | 42.26 billion DOD, current US$ | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 43.93 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 46.66 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 50.77 billion DOD, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2018 | 52.92 billion DOD, current US$ | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 56.12 billion DOD, current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 56.88 billion DOD, current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 58.74 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 58.72 billion DOD, current US$ | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 60.54 billion DOD, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ | -6.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 18.94 billion DOD, current US$, 3.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ is above the median for South Asia, which is 33.49 billion DOD, current US$, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 877.07 million DOD, current US$ | 435.68 million DOD, current US$ | 1.56 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.54 billion DOD, current US$ | 1.85 billion DOD, current US$ | 5.21 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.76 billion DOD, current US$ | 5.87 billion DOD, current US$ | 9.94 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.38 billion DOD, current US$ | 8.95 billion DOD, current US$ | 19.50 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.52 billion DOD, current US$ | 21.68 billion DOD, current US$ | 56.12 billion DOD, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.34 billion DOD, current US$ | 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ | 60.54 billion DOD, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 24 Lebanon 67.39 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 25 Ecuador 60.36 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 26 Angola 58.73 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 28 Dominican Republic 53.29 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 29 Serbia 51.98 billion DOD, current US$ compare
- 30 Bulgaria 47.21 billion DOD, current US$ 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)
- 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 debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka?
- External debt stocks, total in Sri Lanka was 56.83 billion DOD, current US$ in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 60.54 billion DOD, current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 435.68 million DOD, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for external debt stocks, total?
- Sri Lanka ranks 27th out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Data are in current U.S. dollars.