Economy snapshot
Sri Lanka's economy in 2025
The year in numbers, 2024 and 2025 side by side: growth, prices, interest rates, banks, trade and the government's finances. All figures are from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
The Central Bank says the economy continued to build on its recovery amid multiple shocks. Its own summary points:
Stability restoredCredit ratings improvedPositive economic momentum continued
Growth
Real GDP growth (year on year)
20245.0% 2025 is unchanged from 2024 20255.0%●
Growth by sector in 2025
Agriculture1.4%Industry7.8%Services3.3%
Size of the economy
Nominal GDP in rupees
2024Rs 30.1 tn 2025 is up from 2024 2025Rs 32.8 tn▲
Nominal GDP in US dollars
2024USD 99.6 bn 2025 is up from 2024 2025USD 108.8 bn▲
Grew 8.8% in 2025 in rupee terms.
Income per person
GDP per capita
2024USD 4,546 2025 is up from 2024 2025USD 5,003▲
Prices
Annual average headline inflation (CCPI)
20241.2% 2025 is down from 2024 2025-0.5%▼
In December 2025
Headline inflation2.1%Core inflation2.7%
Interest rates
The Central Bank described monetary policy as accommodative. End of year rates:
- Overnight Policy Rate (OPR)8.00% → 7.75%
- Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR)7.50% → 7.25%
- Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR)8.50% → 8.25%
Rates banks charge and pay
- Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWPR, monthly)8.92% → 8.87%
- Average Weighted Lending Rate (AWLR)11.93% → 11.48%
- Average Weighted New Lending Rate (AWNLR)10.77% → 10.69%
- Average Weighted Deposit Rate (AWDR)7.53% → 6.78%
- Average Weighted New Deposit Rate (AWNDR)6.52% → 6.29%
- 1 year Treasury bill yield8.96% → 8.45%
Banks and lending
Private sector credit growth (licensed commercial banks)
202410.7% 2025 is up from 2024 202525.2%▲
New credit given in the year
2024Rs 790 bn 2025 is up from 2024 2025Rs 2,056 bn▲
Loans in the worst category, banking sector
202412.3% 2025 is down from 2024 20259.7%▼
Loans in the worst category, finance companies
202411.5% 2025 is down from 2024 20256.1%▼
Capital adequacy ratio, banking sector
202420.3% 2025 is down from 2024 202517.9%▼
Capital adequacy ratio, finance companies
202421.3% 2025 is down from 2024 202518.7%▼
Worst category means the gross Stage 3 loan ratio, the share of loans classed as credit-impaired.
Government finances
Government revenue, % of GDP
202413.6% 2025 is up from 2024 202516.7%▲
Budget deficit, % of GDP
20246.8% 2025 is down from 2024 20252.3%▼
Primary surplus, % of GDP
20242.2% 2025 is up from 2024 20255.4%▲
Central government debt, % of GDP (end of year)
end 202495.5% end 2025 is down from end 2024 end 202591.6%▼
The debt ratio follows the Central Bank's footnotes to table 1.21 of the Annual Economic Review 2025. See also our debt page.
Trade, tourism and the rupee
Trade deficit
2024USD 6.1 bn 2025 is up from 2024 2025USD 7.9 bn▲
Imports grew faster than exports.
Tourist arrivals
20242.05 mn 2025 is up from 2024 20252.36 mn▲
Workers' remittances
2024USD 6.6 bn 2025 is up from 2024 2025USD 8.1 bn▲
May include other remittances, such as those received after Cyclone Ditwah.
Current account surplus
2024USD 1.2 bn 2025 is up from 2024 2025USD 1.7 bn▲
Gross official reserves
end 2024USD 6.1 bn end 2025 is up from end 2024 end 2025USD 6.8 bn▲
Exchange rate (rupees per US dollar)
end 2024292.58 end 2025 is up from end 2024 end 2025309.99▲
The rupee lost 5.6% against the dollar in 2025, after gaining 10.7% in 2024.
Central Bank net foreign currency purchases
2024USD 2.8 bn 2025 is down from 2024 2025USD 2 bn▼
Based on value date.
Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Annual Economic Review 2025 presentation, infographic slide "Snapshot of the Sri Lankan Economy 2025". Figures are shown as the Central Bank published them and may be revised. The layout and wording here are Budgets LK's. 2024 is the comparison year.