Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 18.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.4%
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
161st
of 201 countries
All-time high
47.8%
in 1980
All-time low
6.9%
in 1972
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sri Lanka, 1960–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sri Lanka stood at 18.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.9% on the previous year and down 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sri Lanka peaked at 47.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 1972.
Sri Lanka ranks 161st of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 24.9% | — |
| 1961 | 20.6% | -17.3% |
| 1962 | 21.1% | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 22.5% | +6.7% |
| 1964 | 27.0% | +19.9% |
| 1965 | 16.1% | -40.4% |
| 1966 | 21.5% | +33.3% |
| 1967 | 16.9% | -21.1% |
| 1968 | 17.1% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 18.5% | +8.1% |
| 1970 | 14.7% | -20.2% |
| 1971 | 11.0% | -25.4% |
| 1972 | 6.9% | -37.2% |
| 1973 | 8.1% | +17.1% |
| 1974 | 17.7% | +119.2% |
| 1975 | 18.4% | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | -23.0% |
| 1977 | 14.8% | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 31.7% | +114.6% |
| 1979 | 40.1% | +26.7% |
| 1980 | 47.8% | +19.1% |
| 1981 | 39.4% | -17.6% |
| 1982 | 34.8% | -11.6% |
| 1983 | 33.0% | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 28.8% | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 28.7% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 27.0% | -6.1% |
| 1987 | 28.2% | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 29.7% | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 28.2% | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 32.1% | +13.6% |
| 1991 | 32.8% | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 32.7% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 34.5% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 34.9% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 33.1% | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 33.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 33.9% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 36.1% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 34.1% | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 36.9% | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 33.2% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 35.3% | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 33.4% | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 37.7% | +12.8% |
| 2005 | 35.3% | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 35.2% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 30.1% | -14.5% |
| 2008 | 29.1% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 19.1% | -34.2% |
| 2010 | 17.9% | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 25.3% | +41.3% |
| 2012 | 22.5% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 23.3% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 23.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -23.6% |
| 2016 | 21.8% | +22.9% |
| 2017 | 22.0% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 23.2% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 21.9% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | -15.6% |
| 2021 | 22.6% | +22.5% |
| 2022 | 23.3% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 19.2% | -17.6% |
| 2024 | 18.4% | -3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 20.6% | 16.1% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.8% | 6.9% | 40.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.6% | 27.0% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.7% | 32.1% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.5% | 19.1% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.9% | 17.8% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 18.4% | 23.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 158 Afghanistan 19.5% compare
- 159 India 19.1% compare
- 160 Tanzania, United Republic of 18.7% compare
- 162 Gabon 18.4% compare
- 163 New Zealand 18.2% compare
- 164 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 17.8% 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)
- 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 value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sri Lanka?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sri Lanka was 18.4% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 47.8% in 1980.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 1972.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Sri Lanka ranks 161st out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).