New business density in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: New business density was 1.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022. ▲ Rising
New business density in Sri Lanka, 2008–2022
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
The most recent figure for new business density in Sri Lanka is 1.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 3.5% on the previous year and up 142.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.24 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.2909 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2009.
That places Sri Lanka 121st out of 177 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
New business density in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0.3109 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2009 | 0.2909 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 0.4358 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +49.8% |
| 2011 | 0.5443 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +24.9% |
| 2012 | 0.4929 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -9.4% |
| 2013 | 0.4217 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -14.4% |
| 2014 | 0.4831 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +14.6% |
| 2015 | 0.5453 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +12.9% |
| 2016 | 0.5743 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 0.6683 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +16.4% |
| 2018 | 0.7347 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +9.9% |
| 2021 | 1.24 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +68.3% |
| 2022 | 1.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.3009 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.2909 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.3109 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.5445 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.4217 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 0.7347 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 9 |
| 2020s | 1.21 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 1.24 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 118 Ghana 1.37 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 119 Belarus 1.27 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 120 Senegal 1.22 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 122 El Salvador 1.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 123 Tuvalu 1.13 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 124 Nigeria 1.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
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 new business density in Sri Lanka?
- New business density in Sri Lanka was 1.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.24 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2021.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2909 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2009.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for new business density?
- Sri Lanka ranks 121st out of 177 countries with data for 2022.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 142.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.