Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) was 63.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Manufactures exports in Sri Lanka, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2025, manufactures exports in Sri Lanka stood at 63.7%.
The figure is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures exports in Sri Lanka peaked at 75.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1965.
That places Sri Lanka 54th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 0.9% | — |
| 1963 | 1.1% | +25.7% |
| 1964 | 1.2% | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 0.8% | -27.9% |
| 1966 | 0.9% | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 0.9% | +5.6% |
| 1968 | 1.1% | +13.8% |
| 1969 | 1.0% | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 1.4% | +37.5% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | +52.4% |
| 1972 | 1.7% | -21.5% |
| 1974 | 5.6% | +227.7% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | -31.4% |
| 1976 | 5.8% | +52.4% |
| 1977 | 5.9% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 7.5% | +27.2% |
| 1979 | 15.6% | +109.4% |
| 1980 | 18.5% | +18.6% |
| 1981 | 21.5% | +16.1% |
| 1982 | 26.0% | +20.9% |
| 1983 | 28.9% | +11.0% |
| 1984 | 26.6% | -7.9% |
| 1985 | 32.6% | +22.5% |
| 1986 | 42.5% | +30.5% |
| 1987 | 47.4% | +11.4% |
| 1990 | 52.7% | +11.3% |
| 1991 | 60.3% | +14.4% |
| 1992 | 70.0% | +16.0% |
| 1993 | 71.2% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 72.0% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 75.0% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 75.9% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 75.3% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 73.7% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 73.9% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 70.2% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 70.7% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 68.0% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 67.1% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 67.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 66.5% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 69.2% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 69.7% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 67.5% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 69.5% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 70.0% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 67.9% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 70.2% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 66.8% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 68.7% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 71.0% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 67.3% | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 66.0% | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 63.7% | -3.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 63.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.7%, 1.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 63.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 61.2%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +227.7% | 1.7% | 5.6% |
| 1979 | +109.4% | 7.5% | 15.6% |
| 1971 | +52.4% | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| 1976 | +52.4% | 3.8% | 5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 8 |
| 1970s | 5.5% | 1.4% | 15.6% | 9 |
| 1980s | 30.5% | 18.5% | 47.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 66.9% | 52.7% | 75.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 71.6% | 67.1% | 75.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.8% | 66.5% | 70.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 67.2% | 63.7% | 71.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More private sector data for Sri Lanka
- Merchandise trade 32.2% (2025)
- Food imports 14.9% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 63.8% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 21.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 3.35 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 29.0% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 13.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 7.05 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 624.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1248 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufactures exports in Sri Lanka?
- Manufactures exports in Sri Lanka was 63.7% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures exports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 75.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest manufactures exports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1965.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for manufactures exports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 54th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures exports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.