Sri Lanka's net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) was −US$432.14 million in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 142.31% from US$1.02 billion in 2014.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | −US$432.14 million | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | −US$12.54 million | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | US$1.02 billion | 2014 |
| Highest | US$1.83 billion | 2012 |
| Lowest | −US$432.14 million | 2024 |
| Average since 2015 | US$68.3 million | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | US$300,000 |
What the numbers say
In 2024, Sri Lanka's net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) fell US$119.3 million on 2023 (from −US$312.84 million to −US$432.14 million).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −US$10.29 million and a typical year strayed about US$434.47 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$1.54 billion in 2012 and the biggest yearly fall was US$927.58 million in 2018. 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 downward, about US$70.16 million a year. A straight line explains 38% 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 59th highest value of the 79 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$432.14 million | 2024 |
| South Asia | US$35.87 billion | 2024 |
| Upper middle income | −US$59.61 billion | 2024 |
Closest to Sri Lanka in the 2024 ranking
- Argentina — 56th of 79: −US$190.54 million
- Tunisia — 57th of 79: −US$342.63 million
- Dominican Republic — 58th of 79: −US$424.04 million
- Senegal — 60th of 79: −US$470.19 million
- Montenegro — 61st of 79: −US$485.22 million
- Ukraine — 62nd of 79: −US$583.52 million
What this measures
Private nonguaranteed external debt is an external obligation of a private debtor that is not guaranteed for repayment by a public entity. Net flows (or net lending or net disbursements) received by the borrower during the year are disbursements minus principal repayments. Long-term external debt is defined as debt that has an original or extended maturity of more than one year and that is owed to nonresidents by residents of an economy and repayable in currency, goods, or services. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 47 values
| Year | Net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | -432,137,000 |
| 2023 | -312,836,000 |
| 2022 | 282,689,000 |
| 2021 | 48,053,000 |
| 2020 | 74,566,000 |
| 2019 | -12,541,000 |
| 2018 | -174,395,000 |
| 2017 | 753,182,000 |
| 2016 | 104,127,000 |
| 2015 | 352,274,000 |
Net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) in nearby economies
- Bangladesh — US$139.92 million (2024)
- Bhutan — US$2.5 million (2021)
- India — US$36.3 billion (2024)
- Maldives — −US$43.97 million (2024)
- Nepal — −US$99.09 million (2024)
More economic policy & debt data for Sri Lanka
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$) — 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 net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$)?
- −US$432.14 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1977?
- It is down 144,146% from US$300,000 in 1977. The highest value was US$1.83 billion in 2012 and the lowest −US$432.14 million in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank?
- 59th highest of 79 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) unusual for Sri Lanka?
- In 2024, Sri Lanka's net flows on external debt, private nonguaranteed (PNG) (NFL, current US$) fell US$119.3 million on 2023 (from −US$312.84 million to −US$432.14 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −US$10.29 million and a typical year strayed about US$434.47 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.NFL.DPNG.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), uri: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/debt-statistics 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.
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