Sri Lanka's external debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) was US$39.54 billion in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 53.11% from US$25.83 billion in 2014 (4.35% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | US$39.54 billion | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | US$36.99 billion | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | US$25.83 billion | 2014 |
| Highest | US$41.39 billion | 2023 |
| Lowest | US$319.16 million | 1970 |
| Average since 2015 | US$35.7 billion | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | US$319.16 million |
What the numbers say
In 2024, Sri Lanka's external debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) fell 4.5% on 2023 (from US$41.39 billion to US$39.54 billion).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +6.8% and a typical year strayed about 6.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 24.2% in 1971 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.9% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$1.39 billion a year. A straight line explains 90% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, Sri Lanka had the 22nd highest value of the 118 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | US$39.54 billion | 2024 |
| South Asia | US$372.38 billion | 2024 |
| Upper middle income | US$2.2 trillion | 2024 |
Closest to Sri Lanka in the 2024 ranking
- Morocco — 18th of 118: US$45.73 billion
- Ecuador — 19th of 118: US$40.76 billion
- Dominican Republic — 20th of 118: US$39.91 billion
- Uzbekistan — 22nd of 118: US$39.16 billion
- Viet Nam — 23rd of 118: US$38.45 billion
- Kenya — 24th of 118: US$35.58 billion
What this measures
Public and publicly guaranteed debt comprises long-term external obligations of public debtors, including the national government, Public Corporations, State Owned Enterprises, Development Banks and Other Mixed Enterprises, political subdivisions (or an agency of either), autonomous public bodies, and external obligations of private debtors that are guaranteed for repayment by a public entity. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 55 values
| Year | External debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 39,541,858,681 |
| 2023 | 41,391,968,057 |
| 2022 | 38,488,278,144 |
| 2021 | 38,491,045,715 |
| 2020 | 37,568,683,173 |
| 2019 | 36,986,947,569 |
| 2018 | 34,355,813,921 |
| 2017 | 32,625,375,177 |
| 2016 | 30,115,690,503 |
| 2015 | 27,454,469,835 |
External debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) in nearby economies
- Bangladesh — US$77.58 billion (2024)
- Bhutan — US$3.32 billion (2024)
- India — US$238.95 billion (2024)
- Maldives — US$4.12 billion (2024)
- Nepal — US$8.87 billion (2024)
More economic policy & debt data for Sri Lanka
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$) — US$9.1 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU) — 2.74 trillion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) — US$6.84 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) — 929.67 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (% of GDP) — 8.36% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$) — US$18.63 billion (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU) — 5.61 trillion (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP) — 17.12% (2025)
- Industry, including construction, value added (current US$)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Sri Lanka's external debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$)?
- US$39.54 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1970?
- It is up 12,289% from US$319.16 million in 1970 (9.34% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$41.39 billion in 2023 and the lowest US$319.16 million in 1970.
- How does Sri Lanka rank?
- 22nd highest of 118 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in external debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) unusual for Sri Lanka?
- In 2024, Sri Lanka's external debt stocks, public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) (DOD, current US$) fell 4.5% on 2023 (from US$41.39 billion to US$39.54 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +6.8% and a typical year strayed about 6.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.DOD.DPPG.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
Legal entity
Devansh Yadav
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Governing law: Courts at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91 8433475698
Legal: legal@analyzeit.in