Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 4.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka, 1981–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 4.3% for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in 2024.
The figure is down 7.5% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka peaked at 15.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2012.
Sri Lanka ranks 118th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 15.8% | — |
| 1985 | 12.6% | -20.5% |
| 1990 | 15.9% | +26.2% |
| 1991 | 14.7% | -7.8% |
| 1992 | 14.2% | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 13.9% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 12.2% | -12.2% |
| 1996 | 10.8% | -11.3% |
| 1997 | 9.7% | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 7.7% | -12.8% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -15.6% |
| 2007 | 6.0% | -8.0% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | -12.7% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +12.4% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | -18.3% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 4.2% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | +8.7% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 4.0% | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 4.7% | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | +14.9% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | -7.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 4.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.8%, 74% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 4.3% is below the median for South Asia, which is 4.4%, 98% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.2% | 12.6% | 15.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.3% | 8.9% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.0% | 5.2% | 8.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 4.3% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sri Lanka was 4.3% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 15.9% in 1990.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2012.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Sri Lanka ranks 118th out of 185 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.