Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Central America

Central America: Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP was 2.7% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
2.7%
Change on year
up 35.5%
Rank
11th
of 37 groups
All-time high
4.0%
in 2013
All-time low
1.9%
in 2012
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Central America, 2000–2024

012342000201220242000: 2.5 %2001: 3.6 %2002: 2.4 %2003: 2.4 %2004: 3.2 %2005: 2.9 %2006: 2.6 %2007: 3.2 %2008: 2.9 %2009: 2.2 %2010: 3 %2011: 2.4 %2012: 1.9 %2013: 4 %2014: 2.6 %2015: 3.3 %2016: 3.7 %2017: 3 %2018: 3.2 %2019: 2.6 %2020: 2.5 %2021: 2.9 %2022: 2.7 %2023: 2 %2024: 2.7 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

Central America recorded 2.7% for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 35.5% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Central America peaked at 4.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2012.

That places Central America 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Central America, year by year

Annual values for Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Central America, 2000 to 2024.
Year % Change
2000 2.5%
2001 3.6% +46.1%
2002 2.4% -33.7%
2003 2.4% +3.0%
2004 3.2% +31.2%
2005 2.9% -8.5%
2006 2.6% -12.9%
2007 3.2% +25.7%
2008 2.9% -8.6%
2009 2.2% -23.8%
2010 3.0% +31.6%
2011 2.4% -17.8%
2012 1.9% -19.7%
2013 4.0% +107.0%
2014 2.6% -35.0%
2015 3.3% +27.4%
2016 3.7% +10.7%
2017 3.0% -18.7%
2018 3.2% +6.7%
2019 2.6% -19.7%
2020 2.5% -3.2%
2021 2.9% +18.2%
2022 2.7% -7.0%
2023 2.0% -28.6%
2024 2.7% +35.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.8% 2.2% 3.6% 10
2010s 3.0% 1.9% 4.0% 10
2020s 2.6% 2.0% 2.9% 5

Countries ranked near Central America

  1. 8 Namibia 14.8% compare
  2. 9 Mauritania 13.2% compare
  3. 10 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.0% compare
  4. 11 Egypt 12.0% compare
  5. 12 Grenada 11.9% compare
  6. 13 Mongolia 11.7% compare
  7. 14 Oman 11.6% compare

See the full ranking of 249 places →

More economy & growth data for Central America

All data for Central America →

Frequently asked questions

What is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Central America?
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Central America was 2.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Central America?
The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2013.
What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Central America?
The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2012.
How does Central America rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp?
Central America ranks 11th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
Is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Central America?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Central America data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Central America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-inflows-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/central-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
249 places, 6,020 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed