External Debt in Sri Lanka decreased to 56188.64 USD Million in the first quarter of 2025 from 57133.49 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Sri Lanka External Debt - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about Sri Lanka External Debt

• Sri Lanka External Debt reached 56.6 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 55.9 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Sri Lanka External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2012 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 56.6 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 37.1 USD bn in Dec 2012.

Related information about Sri Lanka External Debt

• In the latest reports of Sri Lanka, Current Account recorded a surplus of 303.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 45.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Sri Lanka Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 7.2 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 146.0 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 20.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Sri Lanka was estimated at approximately 99.43 percent in 2024. Between 1990 and 2024, the ratio rose by around 20.49 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.The general government gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. Here it is depicted in relation to the country's GDP, which refers to the total value of goods and services produced during a year.

Key information about Sri Lanka External Debt: % of GDP

• Sri Lanka External Debt accounted for 75.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2022, compared with the ratio of 58.9 % in the previous year.
• Sri Lanka External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1998 to Dec 2022.
• The data reached an all-time high of 75.0 % in Dec 2022 and a record low of 38.8 % in Dec 2008.

CEIC calculates External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from annual External Debt and annual Nominal GDP. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka provides External Debt in local currency based on BPM6. The Department of Census and Statistics provides Nominal GDP in local currency based on SNA 2008. External Debt as % of Nominal GDP prior to 2011 is calculated from External Debt based on BPM5 and Nominal GDP based on SNA 1993. External Debt as % of Nominal GDP prior to 2002 is calculated from Nominal GDP based on SNA 1968.


Related information about Sri Lanka External Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of Sri Lanka, Current Account recorded a surplus of 303.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 45.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Sri Lanka Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 7.2 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 146.0 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• The country's External Debt reached 56,594.5 in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 20.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The national debt of Sri Lanka was estimated at approximately ************* U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1990 and 2024, the national debt rose by around ************* U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

External debt stocks, short-term (DOD, current US$) in Sri Lanka was reported at 7249294945 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - External debt stocks, short-term (DOD, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sri Lanka recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 96.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Sri Lanka Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) in Sri Lanka was reported at 2825291973 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Debt service on external debt, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (TDS, current US$) in Sri Lanka was reported at 1545697904 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Debt service on external debt, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (TDS, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt data was reported at 4,718,618.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,045,796.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt data is updated yearly, averaging 956,620.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,718,618.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 214,578.000 LKR mn in 1991. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Short-term debt (% of total external debt) in Sri Lanka was reported at 11.75 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - Short-term debt (% of total external debt) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

External debt stocks, long-term (DOD, current US$) in Sri Lanka was reported at 51602903242 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sri Lanka - External debt stocks, long-term (DOD, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral data was reported at 1,198,243.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,076,549.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral data is updated yearly, averaging 459,837.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,198,243.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 78,084.000 LKR mn in 1991. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Key information about Sri Lanka External Debt: Short Term

• Sri Lanka External Debt: Short Term value stood at 5.2 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 5.1 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Sri Lanka External Debt: Short Term data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2012 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 9.2 USD bn in Sep 2021 and a record low of 5.0 USD bn in Dec 2023.

CEIC calculates Short Term External Debt as the sum of quarterly Short Term External Debt breakdowns for General Government, Central Bank, Deposit Taking Corporations and Other Sectors. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka provides Short Term External Debt in USD.


Related information about Sri Lanka External Debt: Short Term

• In the latest reports of Sri Lanka, Current Account recorded a surplus of 303.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 45.4 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Sri Lanka Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 7.2 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 146.0 USD mn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 20.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: China data was reported at 135,728.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 131,604.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: China data is updated yearly, averaging 3,373.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 135,728.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 689.000 LKR mn in 1996. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Sri Lanka LK: External Debt: Present Value: % of GNI data was reported at 36.583 % in 2016. Sri Lanka LK: External Debt: Present Value: % of GNI data is updated yearly, averaging 36.583 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Sri Lanka LK: External Debt: Present Value: % of GNI data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.World Bank: External Debt: Debt Outstanding, Debt Ratio and Debt Service. Present value of debt is the sum of short-term external debt plus the discounted sum of total debt service payments due on public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term external debt over the life of existing loans. The GNI denominator is a three-year average.; ; World Bank, Global Development Finance.; ;

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: Canada data was reported at 5,254.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5,275.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: Canada data is updated yearly, averaging 6,339.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,852.000 LKR mn in 2007 and a record low of 5,064.000 LKR mn in 1994. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Bilateral: Canada data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Financial Markets: Others data was reported at 2,226,703.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,778,741.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Financial Markets: Others data is updated yearly, averaging 37,411.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,226,703.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 4,450.000 LKR mn in 1993. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Financial Markets: Others data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: OPEC data was reported at 12,743.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9,309.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: OPEC data is updated yearly, averaging 1,329.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,743.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 91.000 LKR mn in 2000. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: OPEC data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.

Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: ADB data was reported at 632,237.000 LKR mn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 569,686.000 LKR mn for 2016. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: ADB data is updated yearly, averaging 230,510.000 LKR mn from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 632,237.000 LKR mn in 2017 and a record low of 28,704.000 LKR mn in 1991. Sri Lanka Ownership: Foreign Debt: Multilateral: ADB data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sri Lanka – Table LK.F015: Ownership of Outstanding Foreign Debt.