Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 6.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Nicaragua, 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 Nicaragua stood at 6.9%.
The figure is up 9.7% on the previous year and down 24.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Nicaragua peaked at 9.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1988.
That places Nicaragua 29th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.9% | — |
| 1971 | 1.6% | -16.7% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | -29.1% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | -24.9% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -24.0% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -36.1% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | -26.7% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -45.7% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | +227.2% |
| 1981 | -0.0% | -100.2% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -33595.6% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -99.1% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +6474.1% |
| 1985 | -0.0% | -100.2% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -658.0% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | +2909.8% |
| 1988 | -0.0% | -105.5% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -8178.5% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -76.0% |
| 1991 | 2.8% | +4150.4% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | -70.3% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | +164.0% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | -45.3% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | +77.6% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | +29.7% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | +66.3% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 6.9% | +47.6% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | -24.9% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | -46.2% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +39.1% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | +14.1% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | +11.2% |
| 2007 | 5.1% | +21.3% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | +43.6% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -29.2% |
| 2010 | 5.6% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | +71.3% |
| 2012 | 7.4% | -23.1% |
| 2013 | 8.8% | +19.3% |
| 2014 | 9.1% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 7.6% | -16.4% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -14.4% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -38.4% |
| 2020 | 5.9% | +48.1% |
| 2021 | 7.4% | +25.6% |
| 2022 | 8.2% | +11.7% |
| 2023 | 6.3% | -24.0% |
| 2024 | 6.9% | +9.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.2% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 0.1% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 2.8% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.3% | 4.0% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 8.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 14.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 15.23 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 48,340 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.33 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,047 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 20.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2461 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Nicaragua?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Nicaragua was 6.9% 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 Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 9.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1988.
- How does Nicaragua rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Nicaragua ranks 29th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua 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.