According to the Human Development Index (HDI) monitored annually by the Human Development Report (HDR), Sri Lanka gradually improved in human development from 0.685 in 2000 to 0.770 in 2017 The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.

Sri Lanka's 2017 HDI of 0.770 is above the average of 0.757 for countries in the high human development group and above the average of 0.638 for countries in South Asia. Among South Asian countries, India ranked 130, Bangladesh 139 and Pakistan 150.

The Gender Inequality Index, which reflects gender-based inequalities in reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity, ranks Sri Lanka 80 out of 160 countries in the 2017 index. In comparison, India and Pakistan are ranked at 127 and 133 respectively on this index.Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany lead the ranking of 189 countries and territories in the Human Development Index, while Niger, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI.