Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Botswana
Botswana: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was 773.32 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Botswana, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 773.32 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net in 2025. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 266.6% on the previous year and up 495.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Botswana peaked at 773.32 million BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, -744.70 million BoP, current US$, in 2023.
Botswana ranks 27th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 38.27 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | -11.15 million BoP, current US$ | -129.1% |
| 1977 | -12.00 million BoP, current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1978 | -40.81 million BoP, current US$ | +240.2% |
| 1979 | -127.85 million BoP, current US$ | +213.3% |
| 1980 | -109.23 million BoP, current US$ | -14.6% |
| 1981 | -88.56 million BoP, current US$ | -18.9% |
| 1982 | -21.07 million BoP, current US$ | -76.2% |
| 1983 | -25.07 million BoP, current US$ | +19.0% |
| 1984 | -62.39 million BoP, current US$ | +148.8% |
| 1985 | -52.14 million BoP, current US$ | -16.4% |
| 1986 | -70.40 million BoP, current US$ | +35.0% |
| 1987 | -113.58 million BoP, current US$ | +61.3% |
| 1988 | -39.92 million BoP, current US$ | -64.9% |
| 1989 | -42.19 million BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1990 | -88.53 million BoP, current US$ | +109.8% |
| 1991 | 16.72 million BoP, current US$ | -118.9% |
| 1992 | 11.42 million BoP, current US$ | -31.7% |
| 1993 | 296.44 million BoP, current US$ | +2495.1% |
| 1994 | 23.62 million BoP, current US$ | -92.0% |
| 1995 | -29.51 million BoP, current US$ | -224.9% |
| 1996 | -72.24 million BoP, current US$ | +144.8% |
| 1997 | -96.01 million BoP, current US$ | +32.9% |
| 1998 | -91.82 million BoP, current US$ | -4.4% |
| 1999 | -35.16 million BoP, current US$ | -61.7% |
| 2000 | -54.92 million BoP, current US$ | +56.2% |
| 2001 | 348.97 million BoP, current US$ | -735.4% |
| 2002 | -365.11 million BoP, current US$ | -204.6% |
| 2003 | -211.97 million BoP, current US$ | -41.9% |
| 2004 | -429.64 million BoP, current US$ | +102.7% |
| 2005 | -363.61 million BoP, current US$ | -15.4% |
| 2006 | -437.11 million BoP, current US$ | +20.2% |
| 2007 | -462.99 million BoP, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 2008 | -612.32 million BoP, current US$ | +32.3% |
| 2009 | -200.88 million BoP, current US$ | -67.2% |
| 2010 | -217.48 million BoP, current US$ | +8.3% |
| 2011 | -302.92 million BoP, current US$ | +39.3% |
| 2012 | -138.13 million BoP, current US$ | -54.4% |
| 2013 | 17.50 million BoP, current US$ | -112.7% |
| 2014 | -403.82 million BoP, current US$ | -2408.0% |
| 2015 | -195.31 million BoP, current US$ | -51.6% |
| 2016 | 27.17 million BoP, current US$ | -113.9% |
| 2017 | -261.44 million BoP, current US$ | -1062.2% |
| 2018 | -203.88 million BoP, current US$ | -22.0% |
| 2019 | -113.40 million BoP, current US$ | -44.4% |
| 2020 | -100.02 million BoP, current US$ | -11.8% |
| 2021 | 286.14 million BoP, current US$ | -386.1% |
| 2022 | -699.51 million BoP, current US$ | -344.5% |
| 2023 | -744.70 million BoP, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 2024 | -464.17 million BoP, current US$ | -37.7% |
| 2025 | 773.32 million BoP, current US$ | -266.6% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 773.32 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is -755.95 million BoP, current US$. (56 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 773.32 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -396.63 million BoP, current US$. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +2495.1% | 11.42 million BoP, current US$ | 296.44 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2014 | -2408.0% | 17.50 million BoP, current US$ | -403.82 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2017 | -1062.2% | 27.17 million BoP, current US$ | -261.44 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2001 | +735.4% | -54.92 million BoP, current US$ | 348.97 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -30.71 million BoP, current US$ | -127.85 million BoP, current US$ | 38.27 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | -62.46 million BoP, current US$ | -113.58 million BoP, current US$ | -21.07 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -6.51 million BoP, current US$ | -96.01 million BoP, current US$ | 296.44 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -278.96 million BoP, current US$ | -612.32 million BoP, current US$ | 348.97 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -179.17 million BoP, current US$ | -403.82 million BoP, current US$ | 27.17 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -158.16 million BoP, current US$ | -744.70 million BoP, current US$ | 773.32 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 24 Papua New Guinea 967.88 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 25 Mauritius 962.72 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 26 Venezuela 799.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 28 Guatemala 625.97 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 29 Azerbaijan 536.01 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 30 Trinidad and Tobago 404.28 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Botswana
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -193.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0175 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 136.3 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.6918 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0128 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 99.52 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Botswana?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Botswana was 773.32 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 773.32 million BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -744.70 million BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does Botswana rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Botswana ranks 27th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 495.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.