Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP was 1.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Southern Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Southern Africa is 1.1%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.3% on the previous year and down 33.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Southern Africa peaked at 9.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2004.
That places Southern Africa 28th out of 37 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.8% | — |
| 2001 | 5.3% | +542.8% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -70.8% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -61.8% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -11.0% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | +350.0% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -75.7% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +285.2% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +50.5% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -24.8% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -61.1% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +12.8% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | +15.0% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | +68.6% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | -22.1% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -53.8% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -22.1% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +124.5% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -12.2% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -31.3% |
| 2021 | 9.0% | +973.4% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -72.7% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -33.2% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -33.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Southern Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +973.4% | 0.8% | 9.0% |
| 2001 | +542.8% | 0.8% | 5.3% |
| 2005 | +350.0% | 0.5% | 2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.0% | 0.5% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 0.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 0.8% | 9.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 25 New Caledonia 8.5% compare
- 26 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 27 Iceland 8.1% compare
- 28 Kosovo 7.7% compare
- 29 Saint Lucia 7.3% compare
- 30 Montenegro 7.2% compare
- 31 Nicaragua 6.9% compare
More economy & growth data for Southern Africa
- Gross Domestic Product, GDP in millions constant 2021 international $ 1.01 million (2027)
- Gross Domestic Product — Value US$ 437,021 million USD (2024)
- Gross Fixed Capital Formation — Value US$, 2015 prices 61,673 million USD (2024)
- Gross Domestic Product — Value US$ per capita 5,975 USD (2024)
- Gross Domestic Product — Value US$ per capita, 2015 prices 5,489 USD (2024)
- Gross Domestic Product — Value US$, 2015 prices 401,475 million USD (2024)
- Gross Domestic Product — Annual growth US$ 5 % (2024)
- Gross Domestic Product — Annual growth US$ per capita 3.65 % (2024)
- Gross Fixed Capital Formation — Annual growth US$ 2.74 % (2024)
- Gross Fixed Capital Formation — Share of GDP US$, 2015 prices 15.36 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Southern Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Southern Africa was 1.1% 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 Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2004.
- How does Southern Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp?
- Southern Africa ranks 28th out of 37 groups with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Southern Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).