Fuel imports in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Fuel imports was 21.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Fuel imports in Sri Lanka, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fuel imports in Sri Lanka is 21.5%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 13.4% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in Sri Lanka peaked at 31.4% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1971.
Sri Lanka ranks 43rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Fuel imports in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 8.2% | — |
| 1963 | 8.6% | +5.5% |
| 1964 | 5.4% | -37.6% |
| 1965 | 8.1% | +51.0% |
| 1966 | 6.7% | -17.7% |
| 1967 | 7.1% | +5.5% |
| 1968 | 9.2% | +30.8% |
| 1969 | 6.4% | -31.1% |
| 1970 | 2.7% | -57.9% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | -42.3% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | +22.5% |
| 1974 | 20.0% | +954.6% |
| 1975 | 16.7% | -16.4% |
| 1976 | 24.9% | +49.1% |
| 1977 | 24.1% | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 16.5% | -31.4% |
| 1979 | 17.5% | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 24.3% | +38.4% |
| 1981 | 25.0% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 31.4% | +25.5% |
| 1983 | 23.9% | -23.9% |
| 1984 | 25.7% | +7.7% |
| 1985 | 21.8% | -15.3% |
| 1986 | 12.6% | -42.2% |
| 1987 | 15.3% | +21.3% |
| 1990 | 12.6% | -17.2% |
| 1991 | 11.0% | -13.1% |
| 1992 | 8.9% | -19.1% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | -13.3% |
| 1994 | 6.2% | -19.3% |
| 1999 | 5.7% | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | +61.5% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | +48.2% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | -18.3% |
| 2004 | 14.4% | +27.7% |
| 2005 | 13.4% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 16.7% | +24.2% |
| 2007 | 23.5% | +41.2% |
| 2008 | 23.0% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 19.4% | -15.6% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | -13.8% |
| 2011 | 20.2% | +21.1% |
| 2012 | 21.4% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 22.8% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 14.0% | -38.8% |
| 2016 | 12.0% | -14.4% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +26.0% |
| 2019 | 17.6% | +16.9% |
| 2020 | 13.4% | -23.9% |
| 2021 | 15.8% | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | +43.5% |
| 2023 | 24.8% | +9.4% |
| 2024 | 21.5% | -13.4% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 21.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 1.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 21.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 21.2%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fuel imports in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +954.6% | 1.9% | 20.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.5% | 5.4% | 9.2% | 8 |
| 1970s | 14.0% | 1.5% | 24.9% | 9 |
| 1980s | 22.5% | 12.6% | 31.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 8.7% | 5.7% | 12.6% | 6 |
| 2000s | 15.4% | 9.2% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 12.0% | 23.5% | 9 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 13.4% | 24.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 40 New Caledonia 22.3% compare
- 41 Burundi 22.1% compare
- 42 Mauritius 21.6% compare
- 44 Mozambique 21.3% compare
- 45 Malta 21.2% compare
- 46 Timor-Leste 21.2% compare
More energy & mining data for Sri Lanka
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in Sri Lanka?
- Fuel imports in Sri Lanka was 21.5% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 31.4% in 1982.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1971.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for fuel imports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 43rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.