Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) was 2.87 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Sri Lanka, 1975–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 2.87 for total reserves in months of imports in 2024.
The figure is up 20.2% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Sri Lanka peaked at 5.34 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.8312, in 1975.
Sri Lanka ranks 125th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.8312 | — |
| 1976 | 1.57 | +88.5% |
| 1977 | 4.41 | +181.4% |
| 1978 | 4.38 | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 4.14 | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 1.49 | -63.9% |
| 1981 | 1.94 | +29.7% |
| 1982 | 1.96 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 1.66 | -15.3% |
| 1984 | 2.8 | +68.1% |
| 1985 | 2.26 | -19.2% |
| 1986 | 1.83 | -18.9% |
| 1987 | 1.42 | -22.3% |
| 1988 | 1.06 | -25.5% |
| 1989 | 1.14 | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 1.66 | +46.2% |
| 1991 | 2.29 | +37.4% |
| 1992 | 2.88 | +25.9% |
| 1993 | 4.28 | +48.7% |
| 1994 | 4.39 | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 4 | -9.0% |
| 1996 | 3.68 | -8.0% |
| 1997 | 3.51 | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 3.39 | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 2.76 | -18.7% |
| 2000 | 1.59 | -42.4% |
| 2001 | 2.17 | +36.8% |
| 2002 | 2.76 | +27.2% |
| 2003 | 3.49 | +26.3% |
| 2004 | 2.79 | -19.9% |
| 2005 | 3.14 | +12.5% |
| 2006 | 2.76 | -12.3% |
| 2007 | 3.11 | +12.8% |
| 2008 | 1.86 | -40.2% |
| 2009 | 5.22 | +180.5% |
| 2010 | 5.34 | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 3.46 | -35.2% |
| 2012 | 3.69 | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 3.85 | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 3.92 | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 3.48 | -11.2% |
| 2016 | 2.8 | -19.7% |
| 2017 | 3.42 | +22.4% |
| 2018 | 2.82 | -17.7% |
| 2019 | 3.36 | +19.4% |
| 2020 | 3.29 | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 1.59 | -51.5% |
| 2022 | 1.06 | -33.3% |
| 2023 | 2.38 | +123.9% |
| 2024 | 2.87 | +20.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 2.87 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.13, 56% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 2.87 is below the median for South Asia, which is 5.26, 54% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.07 | 0.8312 | 4.41 | 5 |
| 1980s | 1.76 | 1.06 | 2.8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.28 | 1.66 | 4.39 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.89 | 1.59 | 5.22 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.62 | 2.8 | 5.34 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.24 | 1.06 | 3.29 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 122 Georgia 3.02 compare
- 123 Antigua and Barbuda 3 compare
- 124 Saint Lucia 2.99 compare
- 126 Ecuador 2.84 compare
- 127 United States 2.8 compare
- 128 Sao Tome and Principe 2.72 compare
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 total reserves in months of imports in Sri Lanka?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Sri Lanka was 2.87 in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 5.34 in 2010.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8312 in 1975.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 125th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].