Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 0.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka, 1970–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka is 0.8%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.9% on the previous year and down 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.8% in 1997 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1977.
That places Sri Lanka 156th out of 200 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 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
- 153 Republic of Korea 0.8% compare
- 154 Ireland 0.8% compare
- 155 Togo 0.8% compare
- 157 Latvia 0.5% compare
- 158 Azerbaijan 0.5% compare
- 159 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)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 3,427 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 10.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.04 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 5,196 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 10.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 312.61 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 1.56 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 6.39 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sri Lanka was 0.8% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 1997.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1977.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Sri Lanka ranks 156th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows 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 International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.