Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy was 16.10 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
16.10 billion current US$
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
91st
of 206 countries
All-time high
21.94 billion current US$
in 2018
All-time low
190.15 million current US$
in 1972
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka stood at 16.10 billion current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka peaked at 21.94 billion current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 190.15 million current US$, in 1972.
Sri Lanka ranks 91st of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 364.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 307.00 million current US$ | -15.7% |
| 1962 | 305.70 million current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 277.90 million current US$ | -9.1% |
| 1964 | 346.70 million current US$ | +24.8% |
| 1965 | 257.10 million current US$ | -25.8% |
| 1966 | 362.00 million current US$ | +40.8% |
| 1967 | 307.10 million current US$ | -15.2% |
| 1968 | 309.00 million current US$ | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 356.65 million current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 343.44 million current US$ | -3.7% |
| 1971 | 265.14 million current US$ | -22.8% |
| 1972 | 190.15 million current US$ | -28.3% |
| 1973 | 243.37 million current US$ | +28.0% |
| 1974 | 624.91 million current US$ | +156.8% |
| 1975 | 711.20 million current US$ | +13.8% |
| 1976 | 514.69 million current US$ | -27.6% |
| 1977 | 612.75 million current US$ | +19.1% |
| 1978 | 899.01 million current US$ | +46.7% |
| 1979 | 1.41 billion current US$ | +57.2% |
| 1980 | 1.98 billion current US$ | +39.7% |
| 1981 | 1.82 billion current US$ | -7.8% |
| 1982 | 1.73 billion current US$ | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 1.78 billion current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 1.82 billion current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 1.81 billion current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 1.79 billion current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 1.96 billion current US$ | +9.3% |
| 1988 | 2.16 billion current US$ | +10.6% |
| 1989 | 2.03 billion current US$ | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 2.56 billion current US$ | +25.9% |
| 1991 | 2.95 billion current US$ | +15.2% |
| 1992 | 3.17 billion current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 3.57 billion current US$ | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 4.09 billion current US$ | +14.6% |
| 1995 | 4.32 billion current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 4.58 billion current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 5.12 billion current US$ | +11.7% |
| 1998 | 5.69 billion current US$ | +11.2% |
| 1999 | 5.37 billion current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 6.12 billion current US$ | +14.0% |
| 2001 | 5.22 billion current US$ | -14.6% |
| 2002 | 5.84 billion current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 6.30 billion current US$ | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 7.78 billion current US$ | +23.4% |
| 2005 | 8.61 billion current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2006 | 9.95 billion current US$ | +15.6% |
| 2007 | 9.73 billion current US$ | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 11.84 billion current US$ | +21.7% |
| 2009 | 8.05 billion current US$ | -32.0% |
| 2010 | 10.50 billion current US$ | +30.5% |
| 2011 | 17.14 billion current US$ | +63.2% |
| 2012 | 15.84 billion current US$ | -7.6% |
| 2013 | 17.90 billion current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2014 | 19.21 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 15.12 billion current US$ | -21.3% |
| 2016 | 19.23 billion current US$ | +27.1% |
| 2017 | 20.72 billion current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 21.94 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 19.47 billion current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2020 | 15.57 billion current US$ | -20.0% |
| 2021 | 20.02 billion current US$ | +28.6% |
| 2022 | 17.24 billion current US$ | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 16.10 billion current US$ | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 319.32 million current US$ | 257.10 million current US$ | 364.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 581.83 million current US$ | 190.15 million current US$ | 1.41 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.89 billion current US$ | 1.73 billion current US$ | 2.16 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.14 billion current US$ | 2.56 billion current US$ | 5.69 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.94 billion current US$ | 5.22 billion current US$ | 11.84 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.71 billion current US$ | 10.50 billion current US$ | 21.94 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.23 billion current US$ | 15.57 billion current US$ | 20.02 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More private sector data for Sri Lanka
- Merchandise trade 32.2% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 59.7% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 27.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 66.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.58 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)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.33 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Sri Lanka was 16.10 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 21.94 billion current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 190.15 million current US$ in 1972.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- Sri Lanka ranks 91st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.