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MacroSri Lanka

Government debt in Sri Lanka

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

Sri Lanka's government debt is 96.80 % — #108 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

96.80%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 1.0 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in Sri Lanka over time

115.90 %91.70 %67.50 %115.90 % · 202267.50 % · 20121990: 78.90 %1991: 80.50 %1992: 77.90 %1993: 79.20 %1994: 77.90 %1995: 77.80 %1996: 76.20 %1997: 70.10 %1998: 74.20 %1999: 77.70 %2000: 79.20 %2001: 84.40 %2002: 96.30 %2003: 86.50 %2004: 86.50 %2005: 76.60 %2006: 74.30 %2007: 71.80 %2008: 68.80 %2009: 72.80 %2010: 68.70 %2011: 69.40 %2012: 67.50 %2013: 69.50 %2014: 69.60 %2015: 76.30 %2016: 75.00 %2017: 72.30 %2018: 83.60 %2019: 82.60 %2020: 96.90 %2021: 102.70 %2022: 115.90 %2023: 109.90 %2024: 100.20 %2025: 96.80 %19902008202596.80 %
36 official observations, 1990 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#108 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
14 %
17 of 125 countries
Latest move
▼ 3.40 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
19.10 pp
peak 115.90 % in 2022
Full series
▲ 17.90 pp
since 1990

In Asia: #32 of 37vs median 54.70 %: +42.10 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %Sri Lanka: ahead of 14 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtSri Lanka 96.80 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. Sri Lanka is ahead of 14 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Sri Lanka
106 Barbados96.20 %−0.60 pp
107 Malawi96.60 %−0.20 pp
108 Sri Lanka96.80 %—
109 Suriname96.90 %+0.10 pp
110 China98.60 %+1.80 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about Sri Lanka

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare Sri Lanka with another country →Everything about Sri Lanka →
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