Sri Lanka Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Sri Lanka's industry employment was 26.30% in 2025, ranked 149th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Sri Lanka's industry employment stood at 26.30% in 2025, a rise of +0.24% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 26.28% by 2026. Sri Lanka ranked 149th globally.
Sri Lanka's industry employment rate has experienced fluctuations over the 35-year period, with the latest value standing at 26.30 percent in 2025, ranking 149 globally. The all-time peak of 28.40 percent was reached in 2017, while the trough of 16.95 percent occurred in 1992. Compared to its peer countries, Sri Lanka's industry employment rate is slightly lower than Croatia's 26.36 percent. Notably, the country's industrial sector employment has shown a moderate upward trend from 22.62 percent in 1991 to the current level. This growth has been steady, but not rapid, and can be seen in the context of Sri Lanka's efforts to transition towards a more service-oriented economy. A shift towards more export-oriented industries, potentially driven by the country's strategic location in South Asia, could alter the trajectory of its industry employment rate in the coming years, potentially leading to a sustained increase in this metric.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 26.32% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 26.30% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 26.28% | - | - |
| 2025 | 26.30% | +0.24% | #149 |
| 2024 | 26.07% | −0.20% | #146 |
| 2023 | 26.26% | −0.22% | #151 |
| 2022 | 26.49% | +0.49% | #151 |
| 2021 | 26.00% | −0.91% | #148 |
| 2020 | 26.91% | −0.69% | #157 |
| 2019 | 27.61% | −0.33% | #159 |
| 2018 | 27.94% | −0.47% | #163 |
| 2017 | 28.40% | +2.01% | #164 |
| 2016 | 26.39% | +0.62% | #156 |
| 2015 | 25.77% | −0.57% | #153 |
| 2014 | 26.35% | +0.51% | #156 |
| 2013 | 25.83% | −0.24% | #150 |
| 2012 | 26.07% | +1.26% | #152 |
| 2011 | 24.81% | +0.65% | #141 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Sri Lanka matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Sri Lanka's industry employment was 26.30% in 2025. Ranked 149th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Sri Lanka's industry employment peaked at 28.40% in 2017.
The lowest industry employment in Sri Lanka was 16.95% in 1992.
Sri Lanka ranks 149th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Sri Lanka's industry employment is projected to reach 26.28% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Sri Lanka in 2025 was 26.30%. This ranks 149th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_sri-lanka_industry-employment,
title = {Sri Lanka Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/sri-lanka/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}