Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 5,355 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
5,355
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
142nd
of 160 countries
All-time high
29,972
in 1985
All-time low
4,550
in 2003
Years of data
33
1985–2020

Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka, 1985–2020

010.0k20.0k30.0k1985200220201985: 30.0k1989: 17.6k1990: 23.9k1991: 6.5k1992: 7.3k1993: 7.8k1994: 9.1k1995: 7.2k1996: 7.0k1997: 6.1k1998: 6.5k1999: 6.0k2000: 8.7k2001: 7.0k2002: 4.9k2003: 4.6k2004: 5.1k2005: 5.7k2006: 6.1k2007: 7.5k2008: 8.6k2009: 8.5k2010: 7.9k2011: 8.3k2012: 7.5k2013: 7.7k2014: 9.0k2015: 8.2k2016: 6.2k2017: 6.2k2018: 5.7k2019: 5.7k2020: 5.4k

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Sri Lanka recorded 5,355 for military spending per armed forces personnel in 2020.

The figure is down 6.9% on the previous year and down 32.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka peaked at 29,972 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 4,550, in 2003.

That places Sri Lanka 142nd out of 160 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka, 1985 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1985 29,972 —
1989 17,561 -41.4%
1990 23,905 +36.1%
1991 6,527 -72.7%
1992 7,313 +12.0%
1993 7,834 +7.1%
1994 9,100 +16.2%
1995 7,154 -21.4%
1996 6,991 -2.3%
1997 6,148 -12.0%
1998 6,504 +5.8%
1999 6,043 -7.1%
2000 8,667 +43.4%
2001 7,029 -18.9%
2002 4,945 -29.6%
2003 4,550 -8.0%
2004 5,110 +12.3%
2005 5,651 +10.6%
2006 6,127 +8.4%
2007 7,503 +22.5%
2008 8,590 +14.5%
2009 8,471 -1.4%
2010 7,895 -6.8%
2011 8,279 +4.9%
2012 7,474 -9.7%
2013 7,675 +2.7%
2014 9,000 +17.3%
2015 8,160 -9.3%
2016 6,187 -24.2%
2017 6,203 +0.3%
2018 5,686 -8.3%
2019 5,750 +1.1%
2020 5,355 -6.9%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 5,355 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19,504, 27% of the median. (46 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 23,766 17,561 29,972 2
1990s 8,752 6,043 23,905 10
2000s 6,664 4,550 8,667 10
2010s 7,231 5,686 9,000 10
2020s 5,355 5,355 5,355 1

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 139 Benin 6,087 compare
  2. 140 Belarus 5,738 compare
  3. 141 Tajikistan 5,405 compare
  4. 143 Central African Republic 4,842 compare
  5. 144 Madagascar 4,523 compare
  6. 145 Gambia 4,400 compare

See the full ranking of 160 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka?
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka was 5,355 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 29,972 in 1985.
What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 4,550 in 2003.
How does Sri Lanka rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
Sri Lanka ranks 142nd out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military spending per armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 15 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-spending-per-armed-forces-personnel/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Military spending per armed forces personnel
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
160 places, 4,610 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed