Sri Lanka’s GDP growth rate for the first quarter of 2026 has been estimated as 5.1 per cent of positive growth, the Department of Census and Statistics said, releasing the National Accounts Estimates.

Accordingly, the Gross Domestic Product for Sri Lanka for the first quarter of the year 2026 at constant price (2015) has increased up to Rs 3,652,503 million from Rs. 3,476,664 million which was recorded in the first quarter of 2025. 

In addition, the Gross Domestic Product for Sri Lanka for the first quarter of 2026 at current price has increased up to Rs. 9,164,652 million from Rs. 8,253,485 million which recorded in the same quarter in 2025 registering an 11.0 percent of positive change in the current price GDP. 

The three major economic activities of the economy; ‘Agriculture’, ‘Industry’ and ‘Services’ stood at 7.3 percent, 27.2 percent and 54.2 percent respectively as their shares to the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) of the economy.

‘Taxes less subsidies on products’ accounted for a share of 11.3 percent of the GDP in the first quarter of 2026.

National Accounts Estimates of Sri Lanka (Newswire)

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The Department of Census and Statistics has released the Official Poverty Line figures for April 2026, revealing that an individual requires a minimum of Rs. 17,117 per month to meet basic needs.

According to the data, the highest cost of fulfilling basic monthly needs was recorded in the Colombo District at Rs. 18,461, while the lowest was in the Monaragala District at Rs. 16,367.

The poverty line represents the minimum expenditure required by a person to meet basic food and non-food needs, and it is revised monthly to reflect inflation and cost-of-living changes. 

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the Official Poverty Line was updated based on the 2012/13 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

The department further said that the District Official Poverty Lines have been re-estimated, adjusting for price differences using the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI). 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk/povertyLine/2021_Rebase (Newswire)

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The Department of Census and Statistics has stated that Sri Lanka’s GDP growth rate for 2025 has been estimated at 5.0 per cent.

Issuing a communiqué on the National Accounts Estimates, the department noted that the Gross Domestic Product at constant prices (2015) increased to Rs. 13,128,577 million in 2025, compared to Rs. 12,508,954 million recorded in 2024.

At current prices, GDP rose to Rs. 32,750,844 million in 2025 from Rs. 30,095,825 million in 2024, reflecting an 8.8 per cent positive change.

The three major economic activities: Agriculture, Industry, and Services, contributed 8.4 per cent, 25.4 per cent, and 54.6 per cent respectively to GDP at current prices, while the component ‘Taxes less subsidies on products’ accounted for 11.6 per cent.

All three sectors expanded in 2025: Agriculture by 1.4 per cent, Industry by 7.8 per cent, and Services by 3.3 per cent.

Key highlights of the National Accounts Estimates are as follows;

-Performance in Agricultural Activities

• Agriculture grew by 1.4% in 2025, up from 0.6% in 2024.
• Strong growth came from plant propagation (28.1%), forestry (10.7%), animal production (10.5%), coconuts/oleaginous fruits (8.2%), rice (5.3%), and sugar cane/tobacco (4.2%).
• Declines were seen in freshwater fishing (‑45.3%), coffee/cocoa/beverage crops (‑10.1%), vegetables (‑7.1%), rubber (‑6.0%), and other perennial crops (‑5.1%), mainly due to adverse weather.

-Performance in Industrial Activities

• Industry expanded 7.8% in 2025, slower than 11.1% in 2024.
• Major growth drivers: construction (9.2%) and mining/quarrying (16.9%).
• Manufacturing grew 6.2%, with strong gains in petroleum products (16.9%), mineral products (16.2%), metals (15.8%), paper (10.5%), textiles (8.0%), and food/beverages (5.2%).
• Only one decline: repair/installation of machinery (‑5.8%).
• Utilities also grew: electricity/gas (9.2%), water supply (5.7%), and waste treatment (8.1%).

-Performance in Services Activities

• Services grew 3.3% in 2025, up from 2.4% in 2024.
• Biggest contributors: insurance (14.6%), IT consultancy (12.8%), accommodation/food (12.4%), and financial services (10.6%).
• Other areas like postal services (8.9%), real estate (3.6%), telecom (3.1%), transport (3.0%), and healthcare (3.0%) also expanded.
• Only decline: public administration and defence (‑1.3%).

-Performance in the 4th Quarter of 2025

• GDP grew 4.8% in Q4 2025, compared to 5.6% in Q4 2024.
• At constant prices: GDP rose to Rs. 3,414,142 million (from Rs. 3,256,900 million).
• At current prices: GDP rose 10% to Rs. 8,700,316 million.
• Sector growth in Q4: agriculture (2.1%), industry (7.3%), services (3.1%).

Full report: https://www.statistics.gov.lk/qlink/PressReleases/GDPSummaryIndicatorsQ42025_En (Newswire)

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The Department of Census and Statistics has released the Official Poverty Line figures for January 2026, revealing that an individual requires a minimum of Rs. 16,730 per month to meet basic needs. 

According to the data, the highest cost of fulfilling basic monthly needs was recorded in the Colombo District at Rs. 18,044, while the lowest was in the Monaragala District at Rs. 15,997.

The poverty line represents the minimum expenditure required by a person to meet basic food and non-food needs, and it is revised monthly to reflect inflation and cost-of-living changes. 

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the Official Poverty Line was updated based on the 2012/13 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

The department further said that the District Official Poverty Lines have been re-estimated, adjusting for price differences using the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI). 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk/povertyLine/2021_Rebase (Newswire)

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The Department of Census and Statistics has released the Official Poverty Line figures for April 2025, revealing that an individual requires a minimum of Rs. 16,342 per month to meet basic needs.

According to the data, the highest cost of fulfilling basic monthly needs was recorded in the Colombo District at Rs. 17,625, while the lowest was in the Monaragala District at Rs. 15,626.

The poverty line represents the minimum expenditure required by a person to meet basic food and non-food needs, and it is revised monthly to reflect inflation and cost-of-living changes. 

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the Official Poverty Line was updated based on the 2012/13 Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

The department further said that the District Official Poverty Lines have been re-estimated, adjusting for price differences using the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI). 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk/povertyLine/2021_Rebase#gsc.tab=0 (Newswire)

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The Department of Census and Statistics has released the official poverty line figures for February 2025, revealing that an individual requires a minimum of Rs. 16,318 per month to meet basic needs.

According to the data, the highest cost of fulfilling basic monthly needs was recorded in the Colombo District at Rs. 17,599, while the lowest was in the Monaragala District at Rs. 15,603.

The poverty line represents the minimum expenditure required by a person to meet basic food and non-food needs, and it is revised monthly to reflect inflation and cost-of-living changes. 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk/povertyLine/2021_Rebase#gsc.tab=0 (Newswire)

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The Overall Rate of Inflation, as measured by the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) on a year-on-year basis, has decreased to -4.0% in January 2025.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, it is a decrease compared to the -2.0% reported in December 2024.

Food inflation has also decreased to -2.5% in January 2025 from the -1.0% recorded in December 2024.

Non-food inflation has decreased to -5.2% in January 2025 from the -2.9% reported in December 2024. 

Full report : https://www.statistics.gov.lk/WebReleases/NCPI_Jan_2025 (Newswire) 

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Sri Lanka has reported a significant decrease in annual birth rate between 2019 and 2022, according to the Department of Census and Statistics.

According to Ada Derana, despite a continuous decrease in birth rates since 2014, data shows a drastic drop in Sri Lanka’s annual birth rate between 2019 to 2022.

The department states a total of 268,920 births have been reported as of 01 July 2023, while a total of 275,321 births were reported in 2022. 

A decrease of 6,401 in the number of registered births has been reported in 2023 compared to 2022, it added.

Revealing data on the previous years,  the department said 284,848 births were reported in 2021, while over 300,000 births were recorded in 2020.

Various reasons, such as social and economic constraints, birth control plans, family planning methods and global pandemics are deemed to have contributed towards peoples’ decisions to not have children. (NewsWire)

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The year-on-year Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the year 2022 has been reported as a 7.8 per cent of negative growth rate, the Department of Census and Statistics reported.

The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) Sri Lanka, has released the estimated GDP at the current price and at constant (2015) price in the Production approach and the other macroeconomic indicators for the fourth quarter from October 1st to December 31st of 2022 and for the year from January 1st to December 31st of 2022. 

According to the report, the GDP for the year 2022 at the constant price (2015) has declined to Rs. 12,017,849 million from Rs. 13,037,934 million recorded in the year 2021. 

The year-on-year GDP growth rate for the year 2022 has been reported as a 7.8 per cent of negative growth rate. 

The overall Agriculture, Industry and Services activities declined by 4.6 per cent, 16.0 per cent and 2.0 per cent respectively, in the year 2022. 

The GDP for Sri Lanka for the fourth quarter of the year 2022 at the constant price (2015) has declined to Rs. 2,917,721 million from Rs. 3,331,073 million recorded in the year 2021, registering a negative growth rate of 12.4 per cent. 

Full report: http://www.statistics.gov.lk/NationalAccounts/StaticalInformation/Reports/press_note_2022q4_en (NewsWire)

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