Sri Lanka
Military spending in US dollars in Sri Lanka
Military spending in US dollars in Sri Lanka: $8.31M in 1951 and $1.36B in 2025, by SIPRI estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- $1.36B
- Since 1951
- +$1.35B
- Rank, 2025
- 72 of 151
- counting from the highest
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- The highest was $2.16B in 2015, the lowest $8.31M in 1951.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.36B |
| 2024 | $1.26B |
| 2023 | $1.2B |
| 2022 | $1.25B |
| 2021 | $1.74B |
| 2020 | $1.7B |
| 2019 | $1.82B |
| 2018 | $1.8B |
| 2017 | $1.97B |
| 2016 | $1.89B |
| 2015 | $2.16B |
| 2014 | $2.01B |
| 2013 | $1.71B |
| 2012 | $1.67B |
| 2011 | $1.85B |
| 2010 | $1.76B |
| 2009 | $1.89B |
| 2008 | $1.83B |
| 2007 | $1.6B |
| 2006 | $1.31B |
| 2005 | $1.13B |
| 2004 | $1.22B |
| 2003 | $1.1B |
| 2002 | $1.22B |
| 2001 | $1.47B |
| 2000 | $1.77B |
| 1999 | $1.32B |
| 1998 | $1.47B |
| 1997 | $1.4B |
| 1996 | $1.57B |
| 1995 | $1.69B |
| 1994 | $1B |
| 1993 | $862M |
| 1992 | $805M |
| 1991 | $718M |
| 1990 | $526M |
| 1989 | $386M |
| 1988 | $501M |
| 1987 | $724M |
| 1986 | $565M |
| 1985 | $647M |
| 1984 | $182M |
| 1983 | $161M |
| 1982 | $92M |
| 1981 | $101M |
| 1980 | $113M |
| 1979 | $123M |
| 1978 | $107M |
| 1977 | $86.8M |
| 1976 | $70.2M |
| 1975 | $76.3M |
| 1974 | $72M |
| 1973 | $68.9M |
| 1972 | $84.8M |
| 1971 | $95.5M |
| 1970 | $64.2M |
| 1969 | $51.2M |
| 1968 | $49.6M |
| 1967 | $47.1M |
| 1966 | $45.9M |
| 1965 | $43.4M |
| 1964 | $41.9M |
| 1963 | $43.2M |
| 1962 | $50.3M |
| 1961 | $55M |
| 1960 | $54.2M |
| 1959 | $53.8M |
| 1958 | $49.6M |
| 1957 | $35.2M |
| 1956 | $25.8M |
| 1955 | $21.5M |
| 1954 | $23.5M |
| 1953 | $14.8M |
| 1952 | $10.9M |
| 1951 | $8.31M |
- Estimate
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Sri Lanka in numbers
Every measure for Sri Lanka on one page
Health
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Military
- Military spending1.31% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per person$60 in 2025
- Military share of state spending4.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel317,000 people in 2020
- National power0.31% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers3.74% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports11 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports8 million TIV in 1998