Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Panama
Panama: Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) was 3.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Panama, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Panama is 3.7%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 31.5% on the previous year and down 61.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Panama peaked at 15.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -2.9%, in 2020.
That places Panama 68th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Panama, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.9% | — |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -28.4% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | -61.0% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +300.1% |
| 2004 | 8.5% | +9.6% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | -21.5% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | +137.5% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | -35.1% |
| 2008 | 9.3% | -9.3% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | -58.0% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | +115.9% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | +46.1% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -34.0% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 9.7% | +19.8% |
| 2015 | 9.2% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 8.8% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -27.7% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +5.0% |
| 2020 | -2.9% | -142.6% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | -195.1% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | +18.6% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -11.7% |
| 2024 | 3.7% | +31.5% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 3.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.6%, 1.5× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Panama's 3.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.4%, 1.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) in Panama 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +300.1% | 1.9% | 7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.6% | 1.9% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.4% | 6.3% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | -2.9% | 3.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 65 Chile 3.8% compare
- 66 Czechia 3.8% compare
- 67 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.7% compare
- 69 Malaysia 3.7% compare
- 70 Dominican Republic 3.6% compare
- 71 Côte d'Ivoire 3.6% compare
- 71 Cote d'Ivoire 3.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Panama
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 58.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.82 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 114.24 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0042 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 83.42 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Panama?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Panama was 3.7% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 15.8% in 2006.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.9% in 2020.
- How does Panama rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp?
- Panama ranks 68th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Panama 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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