Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines was 14.3% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka, 1990–2019
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka is 14.3%, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.6% on the previous year and down 49.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka peaked at 46.8% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 2019.
Sri Lanka ranks 47th of 70 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26.1% | — |
| 1995 | 28.8% | +10.3% |
| 2002 | 46.8% | +62.5% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | -27.1% |
| 2009 | 28.4% | -16.7% |
| 2012 | 22.5% | -20.8% |
| 2016 | 16.0% | -28.9% |
| 2019 | 14.3% | -10.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.5% | 26.1% | 28.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 36.4% | 28.4% | 46.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 17.6% | 14.3% | 22.5% | 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 poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Sri Lanka was 14.3% in 2019, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 46.8% in 2002.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 2019.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Sri Lanka ranks 47th out of 70 countries with data for 2019.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.