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Trade between Sri Lanka and the United States

In 2024, Sri Lanka exported $3.2 billion to the United States and imported $440 million. Sri Lanka ran a surplus of $2.7 billion with the United States, compared with a surplus of $2.4 billion in 2019. The United States was Sri Lanka’s 3rd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and Sri Lanka was the United States’ 74th (0.1%).

Summary

Sri Lanka → United States
$3.2billion
United States → Sri Lanka
$440million
Sri Lanka’s balance
$2.7billion

Balance

Sri Lanka’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between Sri Lanka and the United States grew 2.2-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Sri Lanka’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 3.2
  • Imports 0.4
  • Balance +2.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.3 billion$273 million$1.1 billion
1996$1.5 billion$206 million$1.3 billion
1997$1.7 billion$151 million$1.6 billion
1998$1.9 billion$185 million$1.7 billion
1999$2 billion$278 million$1.8 billion
2000$2.5 billion$315 million$2.2 billion
2001$2.3 billion$285 million$2.1 billion
2002$2.3 billion$220 million$2.1 billion
2003$2.1 billion$213 million$1.9 billion
2004$2.4 billion$255 million$2.1 billion
2005$2.4 billion$221 million$2.2 billion
2006$2.5 billion$216 million$2.2 billion
2007$2.3 billion$289 million$2 billion
2008$2.1 billion$339 million$1.8 billion
2009$1.7 billion$287 million$1.4 billion
2010$1.9 billion$198 million$1.7 billion
2011$2.2 billion$298 million$1.9 billion
2012$2.3 billion$251 million$2.1 billion
2013$2.5 billion$375 million$2.2 billion
2014$2.8 billion$491 million$2.3 billion
2015$2.9 billion$484 million$2.5 billion
2016$2.9 billion$561 million$2.3 billion
2017$3 billion$813 million$2.2 billion
2018$2.8 billion$359 million$2.4 billion
2019$3 billion$553 million$2.4 billion
2020$2.6 billion$499 million$2.1 billion
2021$3.1 billion$549 million$2.5 billion
2022$3.6 billion$400 million$3.2 billion
2023$3 billion$517 million$2.5 billion
2024$3.2 billion$440 million$2.7 billion

What they sell each other

What Sri Lanka sells to the United States

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Bras and corsets$256 million · 8.1%
    4 thousand tonnes
  2. Women's knitted underwear and pajamas$242 million · 7.7%
    7 thousand tonnes
  3. Gemstones$205 million · 6.5%
  4. Women's suits and dresses$203 million · 6.4%
    6 thousand tonnes
  5. Used and retreaded tires$172 million · 5.4%
    46 thousand tonnes
  6. Sweaters and pullovers$164 million · 5.2%
    5 thousand tonnes
  7. Knitted gloves$148 million · 4.7%
    7 thousand tonnes
  8. Women's knitted suits and dresses$124 million · 3.9%
    4 thousand tonnes
  9. Men's suits and trousers$105 million · 3.3%
    3 thousand tonnes
  10. Men's shirts$86 million · 2.7%
    2 thousand tonnes

What the United States sells to Sri Lanka

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Soybean meal and pellets$125 million · 28.5%
    246 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  2. Turbojets and gas turbines$16 million · 3.6%
    26 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Orthopedic and hearing devices$14 million · 3.1%
    12 tonnes
  4. Metallized yarn$13 million · 3%
    67 tonnes
  5. Aircraft parts$13 million · 3%
    59 tonnes
  6. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$12 million · 2.7%
    80 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  7. Wheat$10 million · 2.4%
    34 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  8. Kraft paper and paperboard$10 million · 2.3%
    18 thousand tonnes
  9. Other plastic articles$10 million · 2.3%
    110 tonnes
  10. Medical and dental instruments$9 million · 2.1%
    151 tonnes · the United States’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Colombo to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Colombo and Los Angeles is 9,620 nautical miles (17,816 km) long: ≈ 22.5–28.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Passages it crosses: Strait of Malacca and Singapore.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$2.4 billion · 67.6%
  2. Air$1.2 billion · 32.4%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United States was Sri Lanka’s 3rd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and Sri Lanka was the United States’ 74th (0.1%).

The United States in Sri Lanka’s trade
10.8%
The United States’ rank among Sri Lanka’s partners
3rd
Sri Lanka in the United States’ trade
0.1%
Sri Lanka’s rank among the United States’ partners
74th

Compare with

Other partners of Sri Lanka

Other partners of the United States

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.