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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 100.80 % — #110 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2024.

100.80%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2024

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: 110.40 %2024: 100.80 %199020072024100.80 %
35 official observations, 1990 → 2024. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#110 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
11 %
14 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 9.60 pp
since 2023
Below its peak
15.10 pp
peak 115.90 % in 2022
Full series
▲ 21.90 pp
since 1990

In Asia: #33 of 37vs median 54.55 %: +46.25 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %Sri Lanka: ahead of 11 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtSri Lanka 100.80 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. Sri Lanka is ahead of 11 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs Sri Lanka
108 China99.20 %−1.60 pp
109 Spain100.40 %−0.40 pp
110 Sri Lanka100.80 %—
111 United Kingdom102.30 %+1.50 pp
112 Mozambique102.50 %+1.70 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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