Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was -2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe, 1974–2024
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 Sao Tome and Principe stood at -2.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 45.9% on the previous year and down 122.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 42.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -3.7%, in 2023.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 191st out of 198 countries 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 share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.2% | — |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | -0.1% | -125.1% |
| 1993 | -0.4% | +652.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -107.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +718.2% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +83.8% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | +1235.2% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | -33.2% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +28.5% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -20.8% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +7.0% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -21.2% |
| 2004 | 3.1% | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | +275.7% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | +131.9% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | -9.3% |
| 2008 | 42.1% | +74.3% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | -81.6% |
| 2010 | 26.6% | +244.7% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -46.7% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | -31.0% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -53.5% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +98.4% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | +18.8% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | -25.7% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | +33.1% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | -41.9% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 10.0% | +70.7% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | +12.5% |
| 2022 | 10.3% | -8.6% |
| 2023 | -3.7% | -136.3% |
| 2024 | -2.0% | -45.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | -0.4% | 5.8% | 6 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 3.1% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 4.6% | 26.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | -3.7% | 11.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More economy & growth data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 3.83 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0046 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 16.27 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -16.68 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 35.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0202 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -70.83 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe was -2.0% 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 Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 42.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.7% in 2023.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 191st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 122.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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.