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Nepal vs Sri Lanka
Side-by-side comparison of Nepal 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 Nepal scores 44.6 (111th), a gap of 5.5 points. Their trees are 7.8 m and 11 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Nepal has 36% more people than Sri Lanka. Nepal is 2.2 times larger than Sri Lanka by land area. Sri Lanka has an economy 2.0 times the size of Nepal (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Nepal 29.6 million and Sri Lanka 21.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $17,065 in Sri Lanka and $6,175 in Nepal (2025, international dollars). People in Sri Lanka live on average 7.0 years longer (77.7 vs 70.6 years).
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Nepal ranks higher in the world on 9 and Sri Lanka on 24. Nepal is clearly stronger in science & innovation and land & people. Sri Lanka is clearly stronger in main industries, infrastructure & digital and military.
As a nation, Sri Lanka is the older of the two (statehood since 377 BC, 2,402 years), compared with Nepal (since 1768). Over the last five years Nepal improved faster (direction score 97 vs 48 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Nepal
97.9%
142nd of 215
Sri Lankabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Nepal
0.5
135th of 145
Sri Lankabetter
3.9
41st of 145
UnemploymentEconomy
Nepal
10.5%
152nd of 187
Sri Lankabetter
4.0%
68th of 187
General government gross debtEconomy
Nepalbetter
47.4%
80th of 189
Sri Lanka
96.8%
164th of 189
Under-5 mortalitySociety & health
Nepal
25.1
131st 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 Nepal in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Sri Lanka has been ahead of Nepal in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Nepal has been ahead of Sri Lanka in 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
NepalSri 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 | Nepal | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 147,18194th/216 · 2024 | 65,610123rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 143,35093rd/216 · 2024 | 61,860123rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 29.6 m52nd/217 · 2025 | 21.8 m62nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.11%179th/217 · 2025 | -0.73%206th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 206.866th/216 · 2024 | 354.333rd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 67.0%99th/217 · 2025 | 20.5%212th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 28.1%81st/217 · 2025 | 21.7%110th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.6%133rd/217 · 2025 | 12.5%82nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $45.49 bn103rd/210 · 2025 | $108.83 bn72nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $182.90 bn82nd/199 · 2025 | $371.27 bn62nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $156.29 bn82nd/199 · 2025 | $317.26 bn61st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $1,536182nd/210 · 2025 | $5,002140th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $6,175159th/199 · 2025 | $17,065115th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $1,570172nd/201 · 2025 | $4,670132nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.4%65th/210 · 2025 | 5.0%54th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.7%81st/180 · 2025 | -4.8%2nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 10.5%152nd/187 · 2025 | 4.0%68th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 39.9%16th/55 · 2021 | 73.5%2015 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 47.4%80th/189 · 2025 | 96.8%164th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.8%71st/192 · 2025 | -2.3%86th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 21.6%32nd/197 · 2025 | 8.4%81st/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 12.1%174th/200 · 2025 | 25.4%78th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 5.0%152nd/192 · 2025 | 17.1%34th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 54.4%124th/200 · 2025 | 54.6%123rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $4.02 bn137th/182 · 2025 | $20.64 bn90th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $15.34 bn103rd/182 · 2025 | $24.86 bn88th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 8.8%178th/183 · 2025 | 19.0%149th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 33.7%118th/183 · 2025 | 22.8%158th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 42.6%156th/183 · 2025 | 41.8%157th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%158th/170 · 2022 | 3.6%81st/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 47.5%68th/171 · 2022 | 63.7%49th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 49.4%31st/171 · 2022 | 29.0%51st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.4%121st/171 · 2022 | 0.5%153rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.6%152nd/168 · 2022 | 1.5%140th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 6.6%28th/191 · 2025 | 1.6%61st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.1%173rd/196 · 2025 | 1.0%146th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.5%132nd/209 · 2021 | 0.1%159th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.01%55th/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 | 0.49%69th/209 · 2021 | 0.08%117th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 12.6%83rd/206 · 2024 | 22.2%46th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 6,67059th/183 · 2022 | 2,38093rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 230,000148th/194 · 2020 | 540,000119th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $238.0 m117th/175 · 2020 | $1.08 bn69th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 13.4%45th/168 · 2020 | 8.2%66th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.2 m62nd/107 · 2017 | 305,00088th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 70.6150th/217 · 2024 | 77.778th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 25.1131st/196 · 2024 | 5.949th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.01106th/174 · 2023 | 1.14102nd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.5135th/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 | 33.9%127th/153 · 2021 | 82.7%67th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 90.4%102nd/173 · 2024 | 88.0%109th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 43.5%2010 | 37.5%37th/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.1%131st/217 · 2025 | 19.0%78th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.2%100th/193 · 2023 | 3.7%165th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 68.7%2019 | 92.7%47th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 21.3%121st/150 · 2024 | 20.7%122nd/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.622145th/193 · 2023 | 0.77689th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.024th/108 · 2022 | 37.72019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 2.4%65th/108 · 2022 | 2.7%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 97.9%142nd/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 16.5%143rd/150 · 2024 | 46.9%113th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 53.4%80th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 46.3%151st/186 · 2024 | 54.6%145th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 100138th/210 · 2024 | 13353rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 10.1119th/208 · 2024 | 8.5122nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.19139th/164 · 2018 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 1,56259th/82 · 2019 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 4.3 m64th/161 · 2023 | 3.9 m67th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.5444th/203 · 2024 | 1.0664th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 73.7%24th/212 · 2021 | 48.8%51st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 53.2189th/200 · 2023 | 22.7133rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 43.6%70th/214 · 2024 | 34.4%98th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 451123rd/149 · 2024 | 439124th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 36.6162nd/205 · 2025 | 49.7118th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 32.5153rd/207 · 2025 | 42.3113th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 53.6117th/207 · 2025 | 55.2112th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 57.8149th/207 · 2025 | 64.9120th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 44.2149th/205 · 2025 | 50.3120th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 54.6112th/205 · 2025 | 57.9102nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.169th/145 · 2020 | 3.385th/145 · 2019 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $428.3 m108th/156 · 2025 | $1.39 bn77th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.0%117th/156 · 2025 | 1.3%98th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.5%93rd/154 · 2025 | 4.9%81st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 112,00052nd/170 · 2020 | 317,00022nd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.40%44th/168 · 2020 | 3.74%11th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 6.0 m125th/163 · 2025 | 11.0 m105th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 8.0 m1998 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.30%2010 | 0.11%94th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 202017 | 25359th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 1,59177th/197 · 2023 | 2,32270th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Nepal has the larger population: 29.6 m (2025) compared with 21.8 m for Sri Lanka (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Nepal is larger: 147,181 km² (2024) compared with 65,610 km² for Sri Lanka (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $371.27 bn intl. (2025) compared with $182.90 bn intl. for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $17,065 intl. (2025) compared with $6,175 intl. for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years (2024) compared with 70.6 years for Nepal (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka spends more on the military: $1.39 bn (2025) compared with $428.3 m for Nepal (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka: 50.1 points (88th in the world); Nepal: 44.6 points (111th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bangladesh
BhutanSources
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). Nepal vs Sri Lanka — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/nepal-vs-sri-lanka. Data as of 26 October 2026.