Net foreign assets in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Net foreign assets was 212.60 billion current LCU in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
212.60 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 938.9%
World rank
96th
of 187 countries
All-time high
422.23 billion current LCU
in 2009
All-time low
-364.12 billion current LCU
in 2015
Years of data
60
1960–2019
Net foreign assets in Sri Lanka, 1960–2019
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2019, net foreign assets in Sri Lanka stood at 212.60 billion current LCU.
The figure is up 938.9% on the previous year and down 49.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Sri Lanka peaked at 422.23 billion current LCU in 2009 and was at its lowest, -364.12 billion current LCU, in 2015.
Sri Lanka ranks 96th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 323.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 248.00 million current LCU | -23.2% |
| 1962 | 163.00 million current LCU | -34.3% |
| 1963 | 109.00 million current LCU | -33.1% |
| 1964 | 126.35 million current LCU | +15.9% |
| 1965 | 220.73 million current LCU | +74.7% |
| 1966 | -13.53 million current LCU | -106.1% |
| 1967 | -209.63 million current LCU | +1449.6% |
| 1968 | -339.56 million current LCU | +62.0% |
| 1969 | -628.55 million current LCU | +85.1% |
| 1970 | -629.64 million current LCU | +0.2% |
| 1971 | -393.75 million current LCU | -37.5% |
| 1972 | -434.94 million current LCU | +10.5% |
| 1973 | -139.98 million current LCU | -67.8% |
| 1974 | -384.50 million current LCU | +174.7% |
| 1975 | -720.83 million current LCU | +87.5% |
| 1976 | -633.07 million current LCU | -12.2% |
| 1977 | 1.74 billion current LCU | -375.5% |
| 1978 | 2.37 billion current LCU | +35.9% |
| 1979 | 2.51 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 1980 | -3.40 billion current LCU | -235.6% |
| 1981 | -4.39 billion current LCU | +29.2% |
| 1982 | -4.96 billion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 1983 | -5.46 billion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 1984 | 2.96 billion current LCU | -154.2% |
| 1985 | 1.08 billion current LCU | -63.6% |
| 1986 | 2.74 million current LCU | -99.7% |
| 1987 | -1.48 billion current LCU | -54061.5% |
| 1988 | -4.45 billion current LCU | +201.0% |
| 1989 | -12.17 billion current LCU | +173.5% |
| 1990 | -11.10 billion current LCU | -8.8% |
| 1991 | -6.05 billion current LCU | -45.5% |
| 1992 | -2.99 billion current LCU | -50.6% |
| 1993 | 13.77 billion current LCU | -560.3% |
| 1994 | 25.17 billion current LCU | +82.7% |
| 1995 | 56.23 billion current LCU | +123.4% |
| 1996 | 53.87 billion current LCU | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 82.21 billion current LCU | +52.6% |
| 1998 | 98.86 billion current LCU | +20.3% |
| 1999 | 94.87 billion current LCU | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 61.57 billion current LCU | -35.1% |
| 2001 | 67.47 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 2002 | 101.31 billion current LCU | +50.1% |
| 2003 | 162.51 billion current LCU | +60.4% |
| 2004 | 163.46 billion current LCU | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 207.81 billion current LCU | +27.1% |
| 2006 | 171.10 billion current LCU | -17.7% |
| 2007 | 224.43 billion current LCU | +31.2% |
| 2008 | 88.01 billion current LCU | -60.8% |
| 2009 | 422.23 billion current LCU | +379.8% |
| 2010 | 389.10 billion current LCU | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 131.58 billion current LCU | -66.2% |
| 2012 | 9.44 billion current LCU | -92.8% |
| 2013 | -147.46 billion current LCU | -1661.3% |
| 2014 | -51.33 billion current LCU | -65.2% |
| 2015 | -364.12 billion current LCU | +609.4% |
| 2016 | -318.75 billion current LCU | -12.5% |
| 2017 | 60.72 billion current LCU | -119.1% |
| 2018 | 20.46 billion current LCU | -66.3% |
| 2019 | 212.60 billion current LCU | +938.9% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 212.60 billion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 276.97 billion current LCU, 77% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 212.60 billion current LCU is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.30 trillion current LCU, 16% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | -54061.5% | 2.74 million current LCU | -1.48 billion current LCU |
| 2013 | -1661.3% | 9.44 billion current LCU | -147.46 billion current LCU |
| 1967 | -1449.6% | -13.53 million current LCU | -209.63 million current LCU |
| 2019 | +938.9% | 20.46 billion current LCU | 212.60 billion current LCU |
| 2015 | -609.4% | -51.33 billion current LCU | -364.12 billion current LCU |
| 1993 | +560.3% | -2.99 billion current LCU | 13.77 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -119,040 current LCU | -628.55 million current LCU | 323.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 328.45 million current LCU | -720.83 million current LCU | 2.51 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -3.23 billion current LCU | -12.17 billion current LCU | 2.96 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.48 billion current LCU | -11.10 billion current LCU | 98.86 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 166.99 billion current LCU | 61.57 billion current LCU | 422.23 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -5.78 billion current LCU | -364.12 billion current LCU | 389.10 billion current LCU | 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 net foreign assets in Sri Lanka?
- Net foreign assets in Sri Lanka was 212.60 billion current LCU in 2019, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 422.23 billion current LCU in 2009.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -364.12 billion current LCU in 2015.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for net foreign assets?
- Sri Lanka ranks 96th out of 187 countries with data for 2019.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.