Income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Income share held by fourth 20% was 20.8% in 2019. ▬ Flat
Income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka, 1985–2019
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 20.8% for income share held by fourth 20% in 2019.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka peaked at 21.8% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 2016.
That places Sri Lanka 111th out of 123 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 21.8% | — |
| 1990 | 21.0% | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 21.1% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 20.4% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 21.0% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 20.5% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 20.3% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 20.8% | +2.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 20.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 22.1%, 94% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 20.8% is below the median for South Asia, which is 22.0%, 95% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.8% | 21.8% | 21.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 21.1% | 21.0% | 21.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 20.6% | 20.4% | 21.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 20.3% | 20.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More poverty & inequality data for Sri Lanka
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.97 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,804 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 25.42 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 9.85 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 9.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka?
- Income share held by fourth 20% in Sri Lanka was 20.8% in 2019, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by fourth 20% recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 21.8% in 1985.
- What is the lowest income share held by fourth 20% recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 2016.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for income share held by fourth 20%?
- Sri Lanka ranks 111th out of 123 countries with data for 2019.
- Is income share held by fourth 20% rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by fourth 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.