Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 0.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, 1970–2024
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka is 0.8%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 9.9% on the previous year and down 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.8% in 1997 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1977.
That places Sri Lanka 154th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -0.0% | — |
| 1971 | 0.0% | -196.9% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -7.2% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | +48.0% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | +125.3% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | -90.4% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -99.3% |
| 1977 | -0.0% | -106721.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -281.7% |
| 1979 | 1.4% | +2484.7% |
| 1980 | 1.1% | -23.4% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | +19.5% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -45.2% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -26.2% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -18.9% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +91.9% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | -26.4% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -56.9% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +91.0% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | +135.3% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | +48.8% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -24.5% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -69.7% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +100.7% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +230.4% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -56.9% |
| 1999 | 1.1% | -8.5% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -7.2% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | +52.0% |
| 2007 | 1.9% | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | -48.0% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | -15.2% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +73.2% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -9.3% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | -10.6% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -26.2% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +27.6% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +42.7% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +17.5% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | -51.1% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | -38.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | +29.9% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +78.3% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -28.9% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | -9.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.3% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.4% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 151 Republic of Korea 0.8% compare
- 152 Ireland 0.8% compare
- 153 Togo 0.8% compare
- 155 Latvia 0.5% compare
- 156 Azerbaijan 0.5% compare
- 157 Tajikistan 0.5% 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)
- 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 foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka was 0.8% in 2024, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 1997.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1977.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Sri Lanka ranks 154th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.