Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Barbados
Barbados: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 4.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Barbados, 1970–2024
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Barbados stood at 4.0%.
That represents a change of up 28.1% on the previous year and down 69.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Barbados peaked at 13.3% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1985.
Barbados ranks 54th of 198 countries on this measure, 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 share of GDP in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.5% | — |
| 1971 | 8.4% | +28.2% |
| 1972 | 9.0% | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -75.9% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -64.4% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | +45.2% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | +41.8% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -37.3% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | +63.8% |
| 1979 | 4.5% | +178.1% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | -36.0% |
| 1981 | 3.3% | +15.7% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | -9.8% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | -56.7% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +104.6% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -87.1% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +45.5% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | -16.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +244.0% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -69.8% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +28.8% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -34.1% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +100.9% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -38.3% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +32.1% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | +378.1% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -76.7% |
| 1997 | 1.1% | +68.5% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -8.3% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | +55.6% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +49.6% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +24.4% |
| 2002 | 7.4% | +145.4% |
| 2003 | 5.8% | -21.7% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | +15.2% |
| 2005 | 10.2% | +54.1% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | -20.5% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | +25.5% |
| 2008 | 12.8% | +26.0% |
| 2009 | 8.0% | -37.9% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 9.6% | +16.5% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -80.9% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | +620.9% |
| 2015 | 12.1% | -8.9% |
| 2016 | 9.8% | -18.7% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | -84.1% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | +157.3% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | -13.2% |
| 2020 | 4.9% | +38.9% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | -17.3% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -27.6% |
| 2023 | 3.1% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | +28.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.7% | 0.8% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 0.3% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.4% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 2.4% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 1.6% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.9% | 4.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More economy & growth data for Barbados
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0495 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 1,331 current US$ per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.099 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 2,663 current LCU per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0424 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,139 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 2,645 constant LCU per person (2024)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 4.5 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Barbados?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Barbados was 4.0% in 2024, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 13.3% in 2014.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1985.
- How does Barbados rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Barbados ranks 54th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.