Government debt % GDP in Sri Lanka stood at 73.51% in 2015, according to World Bank. The latest value is up 4.92 percentage points from 68.59% in 2014. Ten years earlier, in 2005, the value was 90.6% (down 17.09 percentage points since). The highest value since 1990 was 105.5% in 2002, the lowest 66.75% in 2012. Sri Lanka ranked 11th highest of the 51 countries in this dataset in 2015; United Kingdom ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Macroeconomics · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Government debt % GDP, measured in %, measures the government's fiscal obligations and borrowing levels in Sri Lanka, serving as a critical indicator of fiscal sustainability, creditworthiness, and the capacity to finance public services and respond to crises. Government debt accumulates when spending exceeds revenues over time, requiring borrowing from domestic and international creditors through bond issuance. In Sri Lanka, Government debt % GDP is typically expressed as a percentage of GDP to account for the economy's capacity to service the debt — a country with larger economic output can sustain higher debt levels than a smaller economy. Key considerations include debt composition (domestic vs foreign currency, short vs long-term), interest rates, and who holds the debt (domestic investors, foreign governments, central banks). Sustainable debt levels vary by country depending on institutional strength, growth prospects, and investor confidence, but ratios above 90-100% of GDP often raise concerns among credit rating agencies.
Government debt % GDP in Sri Lanka stood at 73.51% in 2015, according to World Bank.
The latest value is up 4.92 percentage points from 68.59% in 2014. Ten years earlier, in 2005, the value was 90.6% (down 17.09 percentage points since).
Sri Lanka ranked 11th highest of the 51 countries in this dataset in 2015; United Kingdom ranked first.
The highest value since 1990 was 105.5% in 2002, the lowest 66.75% in 2012.
| Indicator | Government debt % GDP |
|---|---|
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Category | Macroeconomics |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Government debt % GDP — Sri Lanka [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/LKA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS
World Bank. "Government debt % GDP — Sri Lanka." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/LKA. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Government debt % GDP — Sri Lanka." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/LKA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS.
@misc{econdash_government_debt_percent_gdp_lka,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Government debt \% GDP --- Sri Lanka}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/government-debt-percent-gdp/LKA},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for Sri Lanka. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
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