Personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Personal remittances, received was 6.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka, 1975–2024
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka stood at 6.7%.
That represents a change of down 5.8% on the previous year and down 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka peaked at 8.5% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1975.
Sri Lanka ranks 51st of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.2% | — |
| 1976 | 0.4% | +59.8% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | +24.8% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | +217.1% |
| 1979 | 1.8% | +25.0% |
| 1980 | 3.8% | +111.1% |
| 1981 | 5.2% | +37.9% |
| 1982 | 6.1% | +16.7% |
| 1983 | 5.7% | -6.1% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | -12.6% |
| 1985 | 4.9% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 5.1% | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | -2.2% |
| 1989 | 5.1% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 5.0% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 5.6% | +14.9% |
| 1993 | 6.1% | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 6.1% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 6.1% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 6.2% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 7.4% | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 7.8% | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 7.5% | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 7.7% | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 7.2% | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 8.5% | +12.0% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 8.5% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 7.6% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | +11.7% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | -26.4% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -17.4% |
| 2023 | 7.2% | +39.0% |
| 2024 | 6.7% | -5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.2% | 1.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 3.8% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.9% | 4.9% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 7.0% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.9% | 7.0% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 5.2% | 8.5% | 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)
- 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 personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka?
- Personal remittances, received in Sri Lanka was 6.7% in 2024, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest personal remittances, received recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 2014.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, received recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1975.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for personal remittances, received?
- Sri Lanka ranks 51st out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is personal remittances, received 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 Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees.