Youth unemployment (15-24) in Sri Lanka stood at 18.58% in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is down 0.48 percentage points from 19.06% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 19.23% (down 0.65 percentage points since). The highest value since 1991 was 36.11% in 1991, the lowest 16.76% in 2011. Sri Lanka ranked 55th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Djibouti ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Labor and Employment · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Youth unemployment (15-24), measured in %, reflects labor market conditions in Sri Lanka, indicating the balance between available workers and job openings. It serves as a crucial signal of economic health, consumer spending capacity, and social stability. Labor market data typically includes multiple dimensions: unemployment rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor force participation, and wage growth. Each metric captures different aspects of job market dynamics — for example, the unemployment rate counts only those actively seeking work, while the participation rate reveals how many working-age people are engaged in the labor market. In Sri Lanka, labor statistics are gathered through household surveys, employer reports, and administrative records like unemployment benefit claims. Changes in Youth unemployment (15-24) often precede broader economic shifts: rising unemployment typically signals slowing economic activity, while tightening labor markets may foreshadow wage pressures and inflation.
Youth unemployment (15-24) in Sri Lanka stood at 18.58% in 2025, according to World Bank.
The latest value is down 0.48 percentage points from 19.06% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 19.23% (down 0.65 percentage points since).
Sri Lanka ranked 55th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Djibouti ranked first.
The highest value since 1991 was 36.11% in 1991, the lowest 16.76% in 2011.
| Indicator | Youth unemployment (15-24) |
|---|---|
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Category | Labor and Employment |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
Loading chart...
World Bank. (2026). Youth unemployment (15-24) — Sri Lanka [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/LKA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS
World Bank. "Youth unemployment (15-24) — Sri Lanka." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/LKA. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Youth unemployment (15-24) — Sri Lanka." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/LKA. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS.
@misc{econdash_youth_unemployment_15_24_lka,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Youth unemployment (15-24) --- Sri Lanka}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/youth-unemployment-15-24/LKA},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for Sri Lanka. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
| Demographics | 55 indicators |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | 45 indicators |
| Macroeconomics | 152 indicators |
| Real Estate | 1 indicators |
| Education | 38 indicators |
| Commodities and Energy | 104 indicators |
| Technology and Internet | 9 indicators |
| Transport and Logistics | 22 indicators |
| Labor and Employment | 42 indicators |
| Financial Markets | 37 indicators |
| Total indicators | 505 |