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Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Side-by-side comparison of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Sri Lanka scores 50.1 in the NationsTree Index (88th in the world) and Bangladesh scores 43.6 (115th), a gap of 6.5 points. Their trees are 24 m and 11 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Bangladesh has 8.1 times the population of Sri Lanka. Bangladesh is 2.2 times larger than Sri Lanka by land area. Bangladesh has an economy 4.8 times the size of Sri Lanka (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bangladesh 175.7 million and Sri Lanka 21.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $17,065 in Sri Lanka and $10,154 in Bangladesh (2025, international dollars). People in Sri Lanka live on average 2.7 years longer (77.7 vs 74.9 years).
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Bangladesh ranks higher in the world on 6 and Sri Lanka on 27. Bangladesh is clearly stronger in land & people, science & innovation and main industries. Sri Lanka is clearly stronger in tourism, institutions & safety and environment & energy.
As a nation, Sri Lanka is the older of the two (statehood since 377 BC, 2,402 years), compared with Bangladesh (since 1971). Over the last five years Bangladesh improved faster (direction score 66 vs 48 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh
8.8%
156th of 180
Sri Lankabetter
-4.8%
2nd of 180
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Bangladesh
99.5%
131st of 215
Sri Lankabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Bangladesh
0.9
123rd of 145
Sri Lankabetter
3.9
41st of 145
General government gross debtEconomy
Bangladeshbetter
42.0%
66th of 189
Sri Lanka
96.8%
164th of 189
Under-5 mortalitySociety & health
Bangladesh
30.5
139th of 196
Sri Lankabetter
5.9
49th of 196
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Sri Lanka overtook Bangladesh in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Sri Lanka has been ahead of Bangladesh in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Bangladesh has been ahead of Sri Lanka in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BangladeshSri Lanka All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 147,57093rd/216 · 2024 | 65,610123rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 130,17095th/216 · 2024 | 61,860123rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 175.7 m8th/217 · 2025 | 21.8 m62nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.22%86th/217 · 2025 | -0.73%206th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,333.49th/216 · 2024 | 354.333rd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 33.2%187th/217 · 2025 | 20.5%212th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 27.6%82nd/217 · 2025 | 21.7%110th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.7%130th/217 · 2025 | 12.5%82nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $456.32 bn37th/210 · 2025 | $108.83 bn72nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.78 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $371.27 bn62nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.52 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $317.26 bn61st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,597168th/210 · 2025 | $5,002140th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $10,154140th/199 · 2025 | $17,065115th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $2,840153rd/201 · 2025 | $4,670132nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.5%97th/210 · 2025 | 5.0%54th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.8%156th/180 · 2025 | -4.8%2nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.8%65th/187 · 2025 | 4.0%68th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 31.2%2003 | 73.5%2015 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 42.0%66th/189 · 2025 | 96.8%164th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 | -2.3%86th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 11.4%65th/197 · 2025 | 8.4%81st/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 34.0%38th/200 · 2025 | 25.4%78th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 22.4%12th/192 · 2025 | 17.1%34th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 52.1%136th/200 · 2025 | 54.6%123rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $50.72 bn65th/182 · 2025 | $20.64 bn90th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $76.82 bn53rd/182 · 2025 | $24.86 bn88th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 11.1%172nd/183 · 2025 | 19.0%149th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 16.8%174th/183 · 2025 | 22.8%158th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 28.0%178th/183 · 2025 | 41.8%157th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.1%2018 | 3.6%81st/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 94.5%2018 | 63.7%49th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 3.4%2018 | 29.0%51st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.3%2018 | 0.5%153rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.5%2018 | 1.5%140th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 0.0%76th/191 · 2025 | 1.6%61st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%165th/196 · 2025 | 1.0%146th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.6%126th/209 · 2021 | 0.1%159th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.03%90th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.49%39th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.01%50th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.08%120th/209 · 2021 | 0.08%117th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 60.5%1st/206 · 2024 | 22.2%46th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 620150th/183 · 2022 | 2,38093rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 323,000142nd/194 · 2019 | 540,000119th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $217.9 m122nd/175 · 2020 | $1.08 bn69th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 0.6%160th/168 · 2020 | 8.2%66th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.5 m2013 | 305,00088th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 74.9107th/217 · 2024 | 77.778th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 30.5139th/196 · 2024 | 5.949th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.72116th/174 · 2023 | 1.14102nd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.9123rd/145 · 2023 | 3.941st/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 48.6%117th/153 · 2021 | 82.7%67th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 64.3%142nd/173 · 2024 | 88.0%109th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 55.6%25th/55 · 2022 | 37.5%37th/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.2%130th/217 · 2025 | 19.0%78th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.2%192nd/193 · 2023 | 3.7%165th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 79.0%66th/98 · 2022 | 92.7%47th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 23.7%114th/150 · 2024 | 20.7%122nd/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.685130th/193 · 2023 | 0.77689th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.929th/108 · 2022 | 37.72019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 5.9%79th/108 · 2022 | 2.7%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.5%131st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 59.1%103rd/150 · 2024 | 46.9%113th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 37.3%100th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 53.4%146th/186 · 2024 | 54.6%145th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 108126th/210 · 2024 | 13353rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 8.1126th/208 · 2024 | 8.5122nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,87743rd/82 · 2019 | 1,56259th/82 · 2019 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 6.6 m55th/161 · 2023 | 3.9 m67th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.7252nd/203 · 2024 | 1.0664th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 25.0%92nd/212 · 2021 | 48.8%51st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 69.3198th/200 · 2023 | 22.7133rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 14.4%147th/214 · 2024 | 34.4%98th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 288145th/149 · 2024 | 439124th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 43.2141st/205 · 2025 | 49.7118th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 28.2168th/207 · 2025 | 42.3113th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.6156th/207 · 2025 | 55.2112th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 49.1178th/207 · 2025 | 64.9120th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 39.4173rd/205 · 2025 | 50.3120th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 44.5138th/205 · 2025 | 57.9102nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.32018 | 3.385th/145 · 2019 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.83 bn53rd/156 · 2025 | $1.39 bn77th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.8%129th/156 · 2025 | 1.3%98th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 7.1%46th/154 · 2025 | 4.9%81st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 227,00029th/170 · 2020 | 317,00022nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.32%143rd/168 · 2020 | 3.74%11th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 32.0 m75th/163 · 2025 | 11.0 m105th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 8.0 m1998 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.11%94th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 8773rd/137 · 2024 | 25359th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,25950th/197 · 2023 | 2,32270th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.7 m (2025) compared with 21.8 m for Sri Lanka (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh is larger: 147,570 km² (2024) compared with 65,610 km² for Sri Lanka (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.78 trn intl. (2025) compared with $371.27 bn intl. for Sri Lanka (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $17,065 intl. (2025) compared with $10,154 intl. for Bangladesh (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years (2024) compared with 74.9 years for Bangladesh (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh spends more on the military: $3.83 bn (2025) compared with $1.39 bn for Sri Lanka (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka: 50.1 points (88th in the world); Bangladesh: 43.6 points (115th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bhutan
NepalSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bangladesh-vs-sri-lanka. Data as of 26 October 2026.