Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Liberia
Liberia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 9.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
9.9%
Change on year
up 38.7%
World rank
20th
of 198 countries
All-time high
103.3%
in 2010
All-time low
-82.9%
in 1996
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Liberia, 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
Liberia recorded 9.9% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2024.
That represents a change of up 38.7% on the previous year and down 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Liberia peaked at 103.3% in 2010 and was at its lowest, -82.9%, in 1996.
Liberia ranks 20th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Liberia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 17.7% | — |
| 1971 | -9.9% | -156.2% |
| 1972 | 5.6% | -156.4% |
| 1973 | 19.3% | +244.7% |
| 1974 | 11.9% | -38.7% |
| 1975 | 31.2% | +163.6% |
| 1976 | 13.9% | -55.4% |
| 1977 | 25.3% | +81.7% |
| 1978 | 20.2% | -20.3% |
| 1979 | 5.1% | -74.9% |
| 1980 | 8.4% | +66.2% |
| 1981 | 34.0% | +304.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -99.7% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | +48.0% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -28.5% |
| 1985 | -0.0% | -144.6% |
| 1986 | -0.0% | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -301.7% |
| 1988 | 27.9% | +32690.1% |
| 1989 | 83.4% | +198.6% |
| 1990 | 58.6% | -29.8% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | -95.9% |
| 1992 | -4.9% | -300.9% |
| 1993 | -33.4% | +588.6% |
| 1994 | 13.1% | -139.3% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | -74.0% |
| 1996 | -82.9% | -2529.1% |
| 1997 | 72.3% | -187.2% |
| 1998 | 52.9% | -26.8% |
| 1999 | 58.0% | +9.6% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | -95.9% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | -61.5% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -67.0% |
| 2003 | 49.8% | +16374.8% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | -83.1% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 9.6% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 16.4% | +71.3% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | -56.0% |
| 2010 | 103.3% | +1329.5% |
| 2011 | 87.0% | -15.8% |
| 2012 | 82.7% | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 62.9% | -24.0% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | -75.3% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | -53.7% |
| 2016 | 9.2% | +27.2% |
| 2017 | 7.3% | -20.3% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | -48.4% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | -30.8% |
| 2020 | -3.0% | -213.4% |
| 2021 | -1.1% | -62.2% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -376.6% |
| 2023 | 7.1% | +130.0% |
| 2024 | 9.9% | +38.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.0% | -9.9% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.4% | -0.0% | 83.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.0% | -82.9% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.3% | 0.3% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.2% | 2.6% | 103.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | -3.0% | 9.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
More economy & growth data for Liberia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.15 Percent per annum (2029)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.3265 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 298.89 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.2899 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 265.33 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) 2.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU), per 0.292 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Liberia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Liberia was 9.9% 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 Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 103.3% in 2010.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was -82.9% in 1996.
- How does Liberia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Liberia ranks 20th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Liberia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.