Military spending in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Military spending was 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.52 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
76th
of 172 countries
All-time high
2.16 billion constant 2022 US$
in 2018
All-time low
12.58 million constant 2022 US$
in 1950
Years of data
76
1948–2023
Military spending in Sri Lanka, 1948–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ for military spending in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 12.58 million constant 2022 US$, in 1950.
Sri Lanka ranks 76th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 15.99 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1949 | 13.89 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.1% |
| 1950 | 12.58 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.5% |
| 1951 | 18.12 million constant 2022 US$ | +44.1% |
| 1952 | 24.44 million constant 2022 US$ | +34.9% |
| 1953 | 32.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +33.9% |
| 1954 | 50.36 million constant 2022 US$ | +53.9% |
| 1955 | 49.78 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 61.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +24.3% |
| 1957 | 79.68 million constant 2022 US$ | +28.8% |
| 1958 | 103.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +29.3% |
| 1959 | 105.50 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 101.22 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.1% |
| 1961 | 105.87 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.6% |
| 1962 | 100.30 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.3% |
| 1963 | 93.84 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 90.04 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.1% |
| 1965 | 88.53 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 84.33 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.7% |
| 1967 | 81.46 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 75.97 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.7% |
| 1969 | 76.29 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 82.59 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.3% |
| 1971 | 137.64 million constant 2022 US$ | +66.7% |
| 1972 | 121.30 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.9% |
| 1973 | 98.29 million constant 2022 US$ | -19.0% |
| 1974 | 90.67 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.8% |
| 1975 | 89.46 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 86.94 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 85.86 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 89.67 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 118.20 million constant 2022 US$ | +31.8% |
| 1980 | 122.07 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 129.26 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 139.82 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 1983 | 166.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.3% |
| 1984 | 189.97 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.9% |
| 1985 | 430.69 million constant 2022 US$ | +126.7% |
| 1986 | 575.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +33.7% |
| 1987 | 575.27 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 544.44 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.4% |
| 1989 | 523.04 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 643.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +23.1% |
| 1991 | 691.54 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.4% |
| 1992 | 714.80 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 769.68 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.7% |
| 1994 | 807.83 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 1.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | +47.9% |
| 1996 | 1.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +13.1% |
| 1997 | 1.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 1.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 1.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | -17.0% |
| 2000 | 1.34 billion constant 2022 US$ | +20.0% |
| 2001 | 1.16 billion constant 2022 US$ | -13.9% |
| 2002 | 803.76 million constant 2022 US$ | -30.6% |
| 2003 | 788.89 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 803.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 829.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 1.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +32.1% |
| 2007 | 1.56 billion constant 2022 US$ | +42.3% |
| 2008 | 1.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | +24.0% |
| 2009 | 1.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 1.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 1.85 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.88 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.04 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.6% |
| 2014 | 2.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 2.15 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 2.14 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 2.15 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 1.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 1.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.2% |
| 2022 | 1.55 billion constant 2022 US$ | -10.4% |
| 2023 | 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.25 billion constant 2022 US$, 1.2× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.03 billion constant 2022 US$, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +126.7% | 189.97 million constant 2022 US$ | 430.69 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1971 | +66.7% | 82.59 million constant 2022 US$ | 137.64 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 14.94 million constant 2022 US$ | 13.89 million constant 2022 US$ | 15.99 million constant 2022 US$ | 2 |
| 1950s | 53.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 12.58 million constant 2022 US$ | 105.50 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 89.79 million constant 2022 US$ | 75.97 million constant 2022 US$ | 105.87 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 100.06 million constant 2022 US$ | 82.59 million constant 2022 US$ | 137.64 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 339.71 million constant 2022 US$ | 122.07 million constant 2022 US$ | 575.72 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 994.12 million constant 2022 US$ | 643.72 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.21 billion constant 2022 US$ | 788.89 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.03 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 73 Uruguay 1.62 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 74 Croatia 1.60 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 75 North Korea 1.57 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 77 Ireland 1.51 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 78 Tunisia 1.44 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 79 Kenya 1.40 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
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 military spending in Sri Lanka?
- Military spending in Sri Lanka was 1.52 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.58 million constant 2022 US$ in 1950.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for military spending?
- Sri Lanka ranks 76th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.