Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 26.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Transport services in Sri Lanka, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for transport services in Sri Lanka is 26.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Sri Lanka peaked at 50.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 18.5%, in 1981.
Sri Lanka ranks 55th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 42.9% | — |
| 1976 | 38.1% | -11.1% |
| 1977 | 30.9% | -19.0% |
| 1978 | 20.8% | -32.5% |
| 1979 | 19.5% | -6.3% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 18.5% | -5.0% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | +13.3% |
| 1983 | 24.0% | +14.8% |
| 1984 | 25.5% | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 31.2% | +22.3% |
| 1986 | 31.6% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 36.7% | +16.1% |
| 1988 | 38.7% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 39.9% | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 39.7% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 38.9% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 36.5% | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 38.1% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 40.2% | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 41.9% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 45.8% | +9.2% |
| 1997 | 45.7% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 45.2% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 42.9% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 43.7% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 28.8% | -34.1% |
| 2002 | 41.2% | +43.2% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 41.4% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 44.3% | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 46.8% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 47.7% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 50.4% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 46.2% | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 47.3% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 45.5% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 43.3% | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 38.3% | -11.5% |
| 2014 | 34.5% | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 30.4% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 29.8% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 31.4% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 39.0% | +24.3% |
| 2021 | 24.8% | -36.5% |
| 2022 | 22.2% | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 28.6% | +29.0% |
| 2024 | 26.1% | -8.9% |
| 2025 | 26.7% | +2.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 26.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.8%, 1.9× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 26.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 13.8%, 1.9× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.4% | 19.5% | 42.9% | 5 |
| 1980s | 28.7% | 18.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.5% | 36.5% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.1% | 28.8% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.5% | 29.8% | 47.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.9% | 22.2% | 39.0% | 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)
- Manufactures exports 63.7% (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Sri Lanka?
- Transport services in Sri Lanka was 26.7% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 50.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.5% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for transport services?
- Sri Lanka ranks 55th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.