Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) was 27.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka is 27.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka peaked at 29.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1994.
Sri Lanka ranks 79th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 19.1% | — |
| 1992 | 14.5% | -24.0% |
| 1993 | 15.4% | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 13.5% | -12.1% |
| 1995 | 17.9% | +32.3% |
| 1996 | 17.7% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 18.9% | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 18.4% | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 18.5% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 18.7% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 18.5% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 18.6% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 18.9% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 20.9% | +10.4% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 22.2% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 22.9% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 23.2% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 26.1% | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 26.4% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 25.9% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 26.8% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 29.0% | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 28.8% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 28.0% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 27.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 27.5% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 27.4% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 27.0% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 27.0% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 27.3% | +1.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 27.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 26.9%, 1.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 27.3% is above the median for South Asia, which is 25.0%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +32.3% | 13.5% | 17.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.1% | 13.5% | 19.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 20.9% | 18.5% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 24.1% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.3% | 27.0% | 27.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5407 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5702 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,218 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,672 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 10,578 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 21,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka?
- Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) in Sri Lanka was 27.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry, male (% of male employment) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 29.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest employment in industry, male (% of male employment) recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1994.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for employment in industry, male (% of male employment)?
- Sri Lanka ranks 79th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).