Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services was 4.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
4.2%
Change on year
up 16.1%
World rank
141st
of 187 countries
All-time high
8.8%
in 1995
All-time low
3.6%
in 2022
Years of data
44
1980–2023
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka stood at 4.2%.
The figure is up 16.1% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka peaked at 8.8% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2022.
That places Sri Lanka 141st out of 187 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.2% | — |
| 1981 | 4.7% | +11.6% |
| 1982 | 5.2% | +11.3% |
| 1983 | 5.9% | +12.5% |
| 1984 | 5.8% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.7% | +16.2% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 6.5% | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 6.3% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 7.5% | +20.0% |
| 1990 | 8.0% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 7.7% | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 7.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 8.8% | +9.0% |
| 1996 | 8.4% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 8.1% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 7.4% | -8.7% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | -8.6% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | +9.4% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 7.5% | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -9.3% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -13.1% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | -18.9% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | +12.6% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 5.1% | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | +25.2% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 6.9% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 3.7% | -40.2% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.6% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | +16.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 4.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.9%, 43% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 4.2% is below the median for South Asia, which is 6.7%, 63% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.9% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 7.4% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | 4.8% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 5.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 138 Eritrea 4.7% compare
- 139 Algeria 4.5% compare
- 140 Saint Lucia 4.4% compare
- 142 Gambia 4.2% compare
- 143 Bangladesh 4.2% compare
- 144 Turkmenistan 4.0% 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 taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka?
- Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sri Lanka was 4.2% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1995.
- What is the lowest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services?
- Sri Lanka ranks 141st out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total taxes on income (individual and corporate) vs. total taxes on goods and services (including VAT and sales taxes), as a share of GDP.