Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Central African Republic, 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
Central African Republic recorded 1.5% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2024.
The figure is down 3.1% on the previous year and up 700.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Central African Republic peaked at 5.9% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -0.8%, in 1993.
That places Central African Republic 125th out of 198 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 share of GDP in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 0.3% | -45.2% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | +87.4% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | -111.3% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | -2894.7% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -28.2% |
| 1976 | 0.8% | -44.5% |
| 1977 | -0.6% | -168.4% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -277.7% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | +225.9% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | -79.4% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | +24.1% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +47.0% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -44.5% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | +19.0% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -57.2% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +110.2% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +36.3% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | -130.5% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -134.4% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -53.5% |
| 1991 | -0.4% | -830.6% |
| 1992 | -0.8% | +113.7% |
| 1993 | -0.8% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -154.2% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | +31.4% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | +95.0% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -85.3% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | +372.6% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -20.8% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | -83.8% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +473.1% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +74.6% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | +20.0% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -36.4% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | +214.2% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | +40.8% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +76.0% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | -65.2% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +40.4% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | -47.3% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | +84.3% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -96.1% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +67.4% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | +124.7% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -16.4% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | +143.9% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | +42.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -93.5% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +187.9% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | +369.5% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | +50.2% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.0% | -0.6% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | -0.3% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | -0.8% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 0.1% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.1% | 1.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
More economy & growth data for Central African Republic
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -0.5324 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.55 Percent per annum (2029)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 37.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 112.57 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 62,605 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 38.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0722 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 40.13 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 8.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1478 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Central African Republic?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Central African Republic was 1.5% 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 Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.8% in 1993.
- How does Central African Republic rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Central African Republic ranks 125th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 700.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Central African Republic 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.