United States and Sri Lanka
American diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka began when the country was still called Ceylon. Recognition of independence in 1948 was followed by opening of the Ceylonese Washington embassy and American accreditation in Colombo.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between United States and Sri Lanka totalled 3,617.1 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from United States to Sri Lanka, at 21.1 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 3,617.14 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: United States to Sri Lanka | 369.61 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Sri Lanka to United States | 3,247.53 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: United States to Sri Lanka | 0.017 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Sri Lanka to United States | ||
| Investment stock: United States in Sri Lanka | ||
| Investment stock: Sri Lanka in United States |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: United States to Sri Lanka
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Sri Lanka to United States
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: United States to Sri Lanka
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | United States | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 30.77 trillion USD2025 · WB | 108.83 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 90,026.52 USD2025 · WB | 5,002.08 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.16 %2025 · WB | 4.95 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 3.75–4 %2026-09-16 · Fed | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.7 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF | -4.76 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.4 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · BLS | |
| Unemployment | 4.2 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 4.01 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -6.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 123.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -3.63 %2025 · WB | 1.21 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 341,784,8572025 · WB | 21,756,0002025 · WB |
| Area | 9,831,510 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 65,610 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited States: 2025 · World BankSri Lanka: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited States: 2025 · World BankSri Lanka: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United States: 2025 · World BankSri Lanka: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)United States: 2026-09-16 · Federal funds target range · Federal Reserve
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United States: 2025 · Average annual change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07Sri Lanka: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited States: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Published: 2026-09-11 · Headline year-on-year CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted; not monthly or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited States: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Sri Lanka: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited States: 2025 · World BankSri Lanka: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleUnited States: 2025 · World BankSri Lanka: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date. Preliminary.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited States: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOSri Lanka: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United States to Sri Lanka
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 21.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 19.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 18.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 6.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 2.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.736 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.344 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.0972 M USD2025 · Source |
Sri Lanka to United States
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 84.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 40.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 6.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.309 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.0164 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.0112 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | United States to Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka to United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,431.9 | 391.2 | 3,040.7 |
| 2022 | 3,981.7 | 337.1 | 3,644.6 |
| 2023 | 3,342.3 | 366.2 | 2,976.1 |
| 2024 | 3,527.4 | 368.2 | 3,159.2 |
| 2025 | 3,617.1 | 369.6 | 3,247.5 |
Connections between people
The State Department’s historical account describes this initial formation of bilateral representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United States living in Sri Lanka | ||
| Residents from Sri Lanka living in United States | ||
| Study and training: United States in Sri Lanka | ||
| Study and training: Sri Lanka in United States | ||
| Academic stays: United States in Sri Lanka | ||
| Academic stays: Sri Lanka in United States | ||
| Travel: United States to Sri Lanka | ||
| Travel: Sri Lanka to United States |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
Harry S. Truman addressed a recognition letter dated 3 February 1948 to Governor General Henry Moore. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for United States is 30,769.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 108.8 for Sri Lanka (2025). The reference populations are 341.78 and 21.76 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of United States was 282.74 times that of Sri Lanka in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
American recognition took effect the following day, coinciding with Ceylon’s independence agreed with the United Kingdom and dominion status within the Commonwealth. Diplomatic relations were established on 29 October 1948 when Ceylon’s Washington embassy opened, with Claude Corea as ambassador. Felix Cole presented credentials as American ambassador in Colombo on 3 August 1949. These are distinct milestones: independence and recognition, establishment of relations and subsequent accreditation of the American representative. The State Department’s historical account describes this initial formation of bilateral representation. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (United States and Sri Lanka) totalled 3,617.1 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 369.6 million; those in the opposite direction, 3,247.5 million. The difference between the two flows was 2,877.9 million, in favour of Sri Lanka. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from United States to the partner represented 0.017% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 3,431.9 million USD in 2021 and 3,617.1 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +5.4 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 3,981.7 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, pharmaceutical products stands out in shipments from United States to Sri Lanka, at 21.1 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Sri Lanka to United States, at 84.3 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Sri Lanka — history of recognition and diplomatic relations with the United States
U.S. Department of State — Office of the Historian · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.