Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) was 21.2% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Claims on central government, etc. in Sri Lanka, 1960–2019
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for claims on central government, etc. in Sri Lanka is 21.2%, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 16.7% on the previous year and up 59.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government, etc. in Sri Lanka peaked at 24.4% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1997.
Sri Lanka ranks 44th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.1% | — |
| 1961 | 16.3% | +15.7% |
| 1962 | 18.6% | +13.8% |
| 1963 | 19.3% | +4.0% |
| 1964 | 20.0% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 20.2% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 20.1% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 22.1% | +10.2% |
| 1968 | 19.8% | -10.5% |
| 1969 | 19.7% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 18.5% | -6.1% |
| 1971 | 19.5% | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 16.9% | -13.2% |
| 1973 | 13.0% | -23.4% |
| 1974 | 9.5% | -27.1% |
| 1975 | 9.3% | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 12.3% | +33.3% |
| 1977 | 13.3% | +7.6% |
| 1978 | 10.6% | -20.2% |
| 1979 | 12.8% | +20.8% |
| 1980 | 24.4% | +90.4% |
| 1981 | 23.8% | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 24.4% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 21.2% | -13.1% |
| 1984 | 13.8% | -35.2% |
| 1985 | 17.0% | +23.7% |
| 1986 | 17.0% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 18.3% | +7.5% |
| 1988 | 20.9% | +14.6% |
| 1989 | 14.5% | -30.6% |
| 1990 | 12.4% | -14.6% |
| 1991 | 11.8% | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 10.1% | -14.7% |
| 1993 | 7.5% | -25.9% |
| 1994 | 6.6% | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 6.6% | -8.7% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | -17.0% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | +21.0% |
| 1999 | 8.5% | +27.9% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | +37.8% |
| 2001 | 12.5% | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 12.3% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | -16.1% |
| 2004 | 10.6% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 10.4% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 11.9% | +14.0% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | -14.0% |
| 2008 | 13.2% | +29.2% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 9.7% | -27.0% |
| 2011 | 15.1% | +56.4% |
| 2012 | 15.2% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 18.1% | +18.9% |
| 2014 | 19.5% | +7.9% |
| 2015 | 20.3% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 20.0% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 19.4% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 18.1% | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | +16.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 21.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.5%, 2.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 21.2% is above the median for South Asia, which is 20.6%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.0% | 14.1% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.6% | 9.3% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.5% | 13.8% | 24.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.3% | 5.5% | 12.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.7% | 10.2% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 9.7% | 21.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More financial sector data for Sri Lanka
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.1797 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.1312 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.1797 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is claims on central government, etc. in Sri Lanka?
- Claims on central government, etc. in Sri Lanka was 21.2% in 2019, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 24.4% in 1982.
- What is the lowest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1997.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for claims on central government, etc.?
- Sri Lanka ranks 44th out of 187 countries with data for 2019.
- Is claims on central government, etc. rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.