Economy - overview:
Sri Lanka continues to experience strong economic growth following the end of the government's 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The government has been pursuing large-scale reconstruction and development projects in its efforts to spur growth in war-torn and disadvantaged areas, develop small and medium enterprises and increase agricultural productivity. The government's high debt payments and bloated civil service have contributed to historically high budget deficits and low tax revenues remain a concern. Government debt of about 72% of GDP remains among the highest in emerging markets. The new government in 2015 drastically increased wages for public sector employees, which boosted demand for consumer goods but hurt the overall balance of payments and reduced foreign exchange reserves.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$232.5 billion (2015 est.) $214.4 billion (2014 est.) $205.2 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 62
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$79.52 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2015 est.) 4.5% (2014 est.) 3.4% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,200 (2015 est.) $10,500 (2014 est.) $9,800 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 133
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
27.8% of GDP (2015 est.) 26.9% of GDP (2014 est.) 26.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 67.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 13.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 28.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: -0.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 21.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -29.8% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 8.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 29.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 62.8% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Industries:
processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; tourism, shipping; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
2.7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
8.928 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 28.4%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 25.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 45.9% (June 2012)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
4.2% (2015 est.) 4.3% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
8.9% (2010 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 39.5% (2009)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49 (2010) 46 (1995)
country comparison to the world: 23
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $9.785 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $15.38 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
12.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
74.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 71.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
note: covers central government debt, and excludes debt instruments directly owned by government entities other than the treasury (e.g. commercial bank borrowings of a government corporation); the data includes treasury debt held by foreign entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement; sub-national entities are usually not permitted to sell debt instruments
country comparison to the world: 38
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.8% (2015 est.) 3.3% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2013) 6.5% (19 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 64
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.4% (31 December 2015 est.) 7.84% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$5.007 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $4.591 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$26.79 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $25.95 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$35.91 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $33.21 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$18.48 billion (31 November 2013 est.) $17.05 billion (31 December 2012) $19.44 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$1.566 billion (2015 est.) -$2.79 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$11.28 billion (2015 est.) $11.13 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; rubber manufactures; precious stones; coconut products, fish

Exports - partners:
US 25%, UK 10.2%, India 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, Germany 4.6% (2014)

Imports:
$20.14 billion (2015 est.) $19.42 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, textiles, machinery and transportation equipment, building materials, mineral products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
India 20.7%, China 17.8%, UAE 9.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Japan 4.9% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.065 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $8.209 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$45 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $42 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 140 (2015 est.) 130.57 (2014 est.) 130.57 (2013 est.) 127.6 (2012 est.) 110.57 (2011 est.)