Unemployment rate,Percent in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Unemployment rate,Percent was 3.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate,Percent in Sri Lanka, 1990–2025
Source: World Bank.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate,percent in Sri Lanka is 3.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.4% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate,percent in Sri Lanka peaked at 15.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2025.
Sri Lanka ranks 52nd of 71 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 rate,Percent in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 15.9% | — |
| 1991 | 14.7% | -7.5% |
| 1992 | 14.6% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 13.1% | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | -6.1% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | -8.1% |
| 1997 | 10.5% | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -12.4% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | -14.6% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 8.8% | +11.4% |
| 2003 | 8.1% | -8.0% |
| 2004 | 8.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -15.6% |
| 2007 | 6.0% | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -10.0% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +9.3% |
| 2010 | 4.9% | -16.9% |
| 2011 | 4.2% | -14.3% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 4.4% | +10.0% |
| 2014 | 4.3% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 4.8% | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 5.5% | +14.6% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | -7.8% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | -6.4% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | -11.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 3.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.2%, 75% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.4% | 8.9% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 5.4% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 4.0% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 3.9% | 5.5% | 6 |
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 rate,percent in Sri Lanka?
- Unemployment rate,percent in Sri Lanka was 3.9% in 2025, according to the World Bank.
- What is the highest unemployment rate,percent recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 15.9% in 1990.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate,percent recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2025.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for unemployment rate,percent?
- Sri Lanka ranks 52nd out of 71 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate,percent rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Unemployment rate,Percent,,,. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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