Share of imports that come from China in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of imports that come from China was 23.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
23.3%
Change on year
up 21.7%
World rank
43rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
23.7%
in 2021
All-time low
0.0%
in 2008
Years of data
76
1948–2024
Share of imports that come from China in Sri Lanka, 1948–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 23.3% for share of imports that come from china in 2024.
That represents a change of up 21.7% on the previous year and up 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of imports that come from china in Sri Lanka peaked at 23.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2008.
Sri Lanka ranks 43rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of imports that come from China in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 0.3% | — |
| 1949 | 0.2% | -29.8% |
| 1950 | 0.3% | +15.4% |
| 1951 | 0.3% | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 2.2% | +685.2% |
| 1953 | 14.5% | +553.1% |
| 1954 | 12.6% | -13.2% |
| 1955 | 6.0% | -52.5% |
| 1956 | 9.0% | +49.8% |
| 1957 | 5.1% | -42.8% |
| 1958 | 9.5% | +83.8% |
| 1959 | 9.0% | -5.0% |
| 1960 | 7.9% | -11.9% |
| 1961 | 2.5% | -69.0% |
| 1962 | 2.8% | +14.6% |
| 1963 | 10.4% | +270.8% |
| 1964 | 12.1% | +16.5% |
| 1965 | 8.7% | -27.9% |
| 1966 | 12.1% | +38.8% |
| 1967 | 12.2% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 13.4% | +9.6% |
| 1969 | 13.0% | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 14.4% | +10.1% |
| 1971 | 10.4% | -27.6% |
| 1972 | 8.8% | -15.2% |
| 1973 | 14.1% | +60.4% |
| 1974 | 8.5% | -39.8% |
| 1975 | 13.5% | +58.3% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -90.3% |
| 1977 | 5.1% | +291.4% |
| 1978 | 3.3% | -34.6% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | +47.6% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -46.1% |
| 1981 | 2.3% | -15.3% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | +12.1% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 2.1% | -15.6% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | +98.1% |
| 1986 | 5.0% | +22.5% |
| 1987 | 3.4% | -32.9% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +49.6% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | -15.9% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -21.5% |
| 1992 | 3.9% | +12.8% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | +8.5% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | -9.2% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -13.4% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | +19.7% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -24.3% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | +36.4% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 4.4% | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | +18.2% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | +11.8% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | +25.5% |
| 2006 | 7.8% | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -99.9% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | +20.4% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | +49335.5% |
| 2013 | 16.5% | +168.8% |
| 2014 | 17.8% | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 22.2% | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -14.2% |
| 2018 | 18.8% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 23.0% | +11.0% |
| 2021 | 23.7% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 20.3% | -14.7% |
| 2023 | 19.2% | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | +21.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 23.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.1%, 1.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 23.3% is above the median for South Asia, which is 17.3%, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of imports that come from China in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +49335.5% | 0.0% | 6.2% |
| 1952 | +685.2% | 0.3% | 2.2% |
| 1953 | +553.1% | 2.2% | 14.5% |
| 1977 | +291.4% | 1.3% | 5.1% |
| 1963 | +270.8% | 2.8% | 10.4% |
| 2013 | +168.8% | 6.2% | 16.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1950s | 6.9% | 0.3% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.5% | 2.5% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.4% | 1.3% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.5% | 2.1% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 0.0% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.5% | 0.0% | 22.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 19.2% | 23.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 40 Brazil 24.3% compare
- 41 Saudi Arabia 23.6% compare
- 42 Papua New Guinea 23.5% compare
- 44 Congo 23.3% compare
- 45 Peru 23.2% compare
- 46 Central African Republic 23.1% 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 share of imports that come from china in Sri Lanka?
- Share of imports that come from china in Sri Lanka was 23.3% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of imports that come from china recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of imports that come from china recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2008.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of imports that come from china?
- Sri Lanka ranks 43rd out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of imports that come from china rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.4%. 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 (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of imports that come from China. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of a country's total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, that come from China.