Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, 1975–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka is 0.1%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 80.8% on the previous year and up 36.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka peaked at 0.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1975.
Sri Lanka ranks 124th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -63.4% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | +139.3% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | +50.4% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -64.9% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | +390.9% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -66.7% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | +298.3% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -39.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0% | +15.9% |
| 1997 | 0.0% | -33.5% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | +149.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +85.2% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -92.1% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -99.9% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | +1090421.6% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | +108.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -80.6% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +461.5% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -34.1% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +64.0% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | -68.6% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +52.5% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | +22.2% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -23.1% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +332.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -71.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +21.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -80.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | +14.2% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | +80.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 5 |
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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 10.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2353 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,177 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -62.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -61.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 8.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 25.17 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 125,886 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sri Lanka was 0.1% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1975.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Sri Lanka ranks 124th out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.