Palma ratio in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Palma ratio was 1.67 in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
1.67
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
37th
of 120 countries
All-time high
1.87
in 2002
All-time low
1.28
in 1985
Years of data
9
1985–2019

Palma ratio in Sri Lanka, 1985–2019

00.511.521985200220191985: 1.31990: 1.31995: 1.52002: 1.92006: 1.82009: 1.52012: 1.82016: 1.82019: 1.7

Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2019, palma ratio in Sri Lanka stood at 1.67.

The figure is down 8.3% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, palma ratio in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.87 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.28, in 1985.

That places Sri Lanka 37th out of 120 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

Palma ratio in Sri Lanka, year by year

Annual values for Palma ratio in Sri Lanka, 1985 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1985 1.28
1990 1.29 +1.0%
1995 1.47 +14.1%
2002 1.87 +27.2%
2006 1.83 -2.5%
2009 1.53 -16.3%
2012 1.75 +14.6%
2016 1.82 +3.6%
2019 1.67 -8.3%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 1.67 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.5, 1.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
  • Sri Lanka's 1.67 is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.11, 1.5× the median. (5 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.28 1.28 1.28 1
1990s 1.38 1.29 1.47 2
2000s 1.74 1.53 1.87 3
2010s 1.74 1.67 1.82 3

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 34 Malawi 1.73 compare
  2. 35 Kenya 1.72 compare
  3. 36 Israel 1.69 compare
  4. 38 Togo 1.66 compare
  5. 39 Burundi 1.64 compare
  6. 40 Burkina Faso 1.63 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is palma ratio in Sri Lanka?
Palma ratio in Sri Lanka was 1.67 in 2019, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest palma ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 1.87 in 2002.
What is the lowest palma ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 1.28 in 1985.
How does Sri Lanka rank for palma ratio?
Sri Lanka ranks 37th out of 120 countries with data for 2019.
Is palma ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Palma ratio in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/palma-ratio-wb/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Palma ratio
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality.