Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP was 3.3% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
3.3%
Change on year
up 48.6%
World rank
150th
of 184 countries
All-time high
3.3%
in 2023
All-time low
1.5%
in 2020
Years of data
44
1980–2023
Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Sri Lanka stood at 3.3%. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of up 48.6% on the previous year and up 59.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2020.
That places Sri Lanka 150th out of 184 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.4% | — |
| 1981 | 2.0% | -19.7% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +23.4% |
| 1983 | 2.3% | -6.0% |
| 1984 | 2.9% | +28.8% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 2.2% | -22.5% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -6.4% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | -16.1% |
| 1989 | 1.7% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | +11.6% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | +14.5% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | -10.4% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | -17.1% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | +27.2% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -14.5% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | +12.7% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 1.7% | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | +27.9% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | -16.2% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -8.6% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | +23.5% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | +32.9% |
| 2020 | 1.5% | -43.3% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | +6.6% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | +36.6% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | +48.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 3.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.7%, 57% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 3.3% is below the median for South Asia, which is 5.2%, 63% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 1.5% | 3.3% | 4 |
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)
- 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 incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Sri Lanka?
- Taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp in Sri Lanka was 3.3% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2020.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp?
- Sri Lanka ranks 150th out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on incomes of individuals and corporations as share of gdp rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 incomes of individuals and corporations as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Tax revenue on incomes, profits and capital gains divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.