Trend of Annual Unemployment Rate of Sri Lanka

Updated on May 15, 2026.

According to recent data from the World Bank, the total unemployment rate of Sri Lanka was 4.01% in 2026, a difference of -0.23 points compared to 2025; and the total labor force of Sri Lanka in 2026 was 8,367,977. The most recent figures on male and female unemployment rates were 2.76% and 6.48% respectively in 2026.

The chart and table below shows the trend of the total, male, and female unemployment rates of Sri Lanka for 1992-2026.

You can see similar information for other countries.

The World Bank defines unemployment rate as "the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment".

You may also be interested in:
Trend of Annual Youth Unemployment Rate of Sri Lanka.

Related Topics: World Bank Topic List

Data Source: World Bank.

Trend of Annual Unemployment Rate of Sri Lanka (%)

Total

Male

Female

Trend of Annual Unemployment Rate of Sri Lanka

0 of 0

Year	Total Unempl.(%)	Male Unempl.(%)	Female Unempl.(%)
1991	14.66	10.29	22.91
1992	14.22	10.15	22.62
1993	13.82	9.81	21.85
1994	13.03	9.3	20.48
1995	12.27	8.87	19.28
1996	11.35	8.3	17.75
1997	10.6	7.83	16.44
1998	9.17	6.67	13.72
1999	8.88	6.65	13.35
2000	7.74	5.89	11.47
2001	7.9	6.16	11.42
2002	8.76	6.65	13.03
2003	8.22	5.92	12.89
2004	8.38	6.12	12.95
2005	7.67	5.57	11.93
2006	6.5	4.8	9.94
2007	5.97	4.39	9.17
2008	5.22	3.73	8.24
2009	5.85	4.4	8.78
2010	4.78	3.45	7.48
2011	4.12	2.68	6.98
2012	3.88	2.79	6.16
2013	4.19	2.99	6.51
2014	4.16	3.07	6.3
2015	4.52	2.99	7.45
2016	4.24	2.89	6.84
2017	4.05	2.82	6.32
2018	4.32	2.99	6.97
2019	4.67	3.29	7.33
2020	5.36	3.96	8.25
2021	4.98	3.65	7.7
2022	4.53	3.66	6.27
2023	4.53	3.5	6.64
2024	4.24	2.95	6.81
2025	4.01	2.76	6.48