NEW: World Trade TARIFFS Simulator!
NEW: 2023 Data and Complexity Rankings
Sign In
Pricing

2023
Economic Complexity
Trade -0.44Rank 85 of 132
2021
Economic Complexity
Technology -0.62Rank 66 of 96
2022
Economic Complexity
Research -0.6Rank 93 of 140
2023
Product
Exports | Imports $13.8B | $17.3B90 of 226 |  93 of 226
2023
Per Capita Product
Exports | Imports $625 | $785137 of 220 |  166 of 220

About

Overview In 2023, Sri Lanka was the number 75 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 90 in total exports, the number 93 in total imports, the number 132 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 85 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) .

Exports The top exports of Sri Lanka are Tea ($1.12B), Other Women's Undergarments ($679M), Knit Women's Undergarments ($586M), Precious Stones ($502M), and Non-Knit Women's Suits ($465M), exporting mostly to United States ($2.98B), India ($991M), Germany ($906M), United Kingdom ($900M), and Italy ($653M).

In 2023, Sri Lanka was the world's biggest exporter of Used Rubber Tires ($425M)

Imports The top imports of Sri Lanka are Refined Petroleum ($2.34B), Crude Petroleum ($921M), Light Rubberized Knitted Fabric ($765M), Packaged Medicaments ($524M), and Raw Sugar ($423M), importing mostly from India ($3.62B), China ($3.33B), United Arab Emirates ($1.72B), Singapore ($895M), and Malaysia ($747M).

Location Sri Lanka borders India and Maldives by sea.

Latest Trends

Latest Trade

Flow
View
Y-AXIS SCALE

The following section uses the most recent trade data from partners of Sri Lanka.

Disclaimer: data is presented based on availability and only countries that use the harmonized system are being shown.

* Trade values are converted to USD using each month's exchange rate. For December 2023 data, the exchange rate from December 30, 2023 is used.

Subscribe today to OEC pro and access the latest data

Sign Up

Latest Data

Flow
Color
Depth

The data obtained is mirror data. The trade of countries that do not report current data can be reconstructed based on data reported by partner countries with current data available.

*All data is converted to USD using January 2020 exchange rates when data is reported in local currency.

Subscribe today to OEC pro and access the latest data

Sign Up

Subscribe today to OEC pro and access the latest data

Sign Up

Historical Data

Yearly Trade

Flow
Color
Depth
Top Export (2023)Tea$1.12B
Top Destination (2023)United States$2.98B

In 2023, Sri Lanka exported a total of $13.8B, making it the number 90 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Sri Lanka have changed by $1.66B from $12.1B in 2018 to $13.8B in 2023.

The most recent exports are led by Tea ($1.12B), Other Women's Undergarments ($679M), Knit Women's Undergarments ($586M), Precious Stones ($502M), and Non-Knit Women's Suits ($465M). The most common destination for the exports of Sri Lanka are United States ($2.98B), India ($991M), Germany ($906M), United Kingdom ($900M), and Italy ($653M).

Explore Visualizations

Exports (2023)
[Click to Select a Product]

Destinations (2023)
[Click to Select a Country]

Market Growth

Flow
View
Growth
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2022 - 2023)
Pakistan$52.2M (+ 56%)
France$41.7M (+ 12.8%)
Oman$39.6M (+ 86.2%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2022 - 2023)
United Arab Emirates$670M (+ 63.8%)
Singapore$190M (+ 27%)
Romania$139M (+ 673%)

Total Export Growth by Market (2022 - 2023)

Potential Exports

Potential Exports

Type
Flow
Depth
View
Sort By

Subscribe today to OEC pro and access the latest data

Sign Up

Service Trade

Service Trade

Sri Lanka Exports Services (2018)$8.37B
Sri Lanka Imports Services (2018)$4.61B

In 2018, Sri Lanka exported $8.37B worth of services. The top services exported by Sri Lanka in 2018 were Personal travel ($4.38B), Transportation ($2.49B), Computer and information services ($995M), Financial services ($242M), and Insurance services ($130M).

The top services imported by Sri Lanka in 2018 were Transportation ($1.74B), Personal travel ($1.66B), Computer and information services ($484M), Financial services ($447M), and Insurance services ($97.4M).

Service Exports (2018)

Service Imports (2018)

Economic Complexity

Overview

Economic Complexity (Trade)-0.44Rank 85 of 132
Economic Complexity (Technology)-0.62Rank 66 of 96
Economic Complexity (Research)-0.6Rank 93 of 140

Most Specialized Products by RCA Index

Sri Lanka has a high level of specialization in Coconut and Other Vegetable Fibers (337), Cinnamon (293), Tea (253), Used Rubber Tires (232), and Knit Gloves (122). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Sri Lanka observed and expected exports in each product.

Export Opportunities by Relatedness

The top export opportunities for Sri Lanka according to the relatedness index, were Raw Sugar (0.28), Insect Resins (0.28), Fake Hair (0.27), Non-Retail Pure Cotton Yarn (0.27), and Cocoa Beans (0.27). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Sri Lanka is not specialized in.

Product Space

The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products a country currently specializes in.

Relatedness Space

This network shows the products most related to the production structure of Sri Lanka. These are products that tend to be co-exported with the products that Sri Lanka exports. Higher relatedness values ​​indicate greater knowledge, which predicts a greater probability of exporting that product in the future.

Relatedness Space (2023)

Diversification Frontier

Filter
Depth

The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower greenhouse emissions.

Diversification Frontier

Economic Complexity Ranking

Methodology
Scale

During the last 20 years Sri Lanka's⁩ ⁨economy has become relatively more complex, moving from the ⁩⁨93rd to the 85th⁩ position in the ECI rank.

These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.

Explore Rankings

ECI (Trade) Ranking by Country

Keep Exploring

Have questions, comments, or concerns?
Send us an e-mail: support@oec.world
Follow @OECtoday on
Created, Designed, and Developed by:
In collaboration with
About the OECPrivacy PolicyTerms