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Sri Lanka Government Spending

Government expenditure as % of GDP  GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS

17.68% −0.44% (-2.4%)
Year 2025 Rank #93 Global Peak 25.95% (1995) Source World Bank

Sri Lanka Government Spending (1990–2025)

Overview

Sri Lanka's government spending stood at 17.68% in 2025, a decline of +0.44% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 17.68% by 2025. Sri Lanka ranked 93rd globally.

Data & projection

Year Government Spending YoY change Rank
2026* trend 17.78% - -
2025* trend 17.68% - -
2025 17.68% −0.44% #93
2023 18.11% +2.37% #19
2022 15.74% −1.72% #13
2021 17.47% −1.60% #29
2020 19.07% +3.14% #29
2019 15.93% +0.65% #28
2018 15.28% −0.05% #29
2017 15.33% −0.33% #26
2016 15.66% −1.43% #28
2015 17.09% +2.88% #38
2014 14.20% +0.05% #23
2013 14.16% −0.91% #21
2012 15.07% −0.51% #25
2011 15.58% −0.72% #27
2010 16.30% −4.66% #26
Show all years (1990-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +38.3% GDP growth 5.0% C/A balance 1.2%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Sri Lanka matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw government spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sri Lanka's government spending?

Sri Lanka's government spending was 17.68% in 2025. Ranked 93rd globally. This represents a 2.4% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest government spending in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka's government spending peaked at 25.95% in 1995.

What was the lowest government spending in Sri Lanka?

The lowest government spending in Sri Lanka was 14.16% in 2013.

How does Sri Lanka rank in government spending?

Sri Lanka ranks 93rd globally in government spending as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for government spending?

The World Bank indicator code is GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected government spending of Sri Lanka in 2025?

Sri Lanka's government spending is projected to reach 17.68% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the government spending of Sri Lanka in 2025?

The government spending of Sri Lanka in 2025 was 17.68%. This ranks 93rd in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Sri Lanka Government Spending. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/sri-lanka/government-spending
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_sri-lanka_government-spending, title = {Sri Lanka Government Spending}, url = {https://historysaid.com/sri-lanka/government-spending}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }