Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was -0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.5%
Change on year
down 187.1%
World rank
180th
of 198 countries
All-time high
9.7%
in 2021
All-time low
-0.8%
in 1979
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in South Africa, 1970–2025
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
South Africa recorded -0.5% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 187.1% on the previous year and down 215.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in South Africa peaked at 9.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.8%, in 1979.
South Africa ranks 180th of 198 countries on this measure, 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.6% | — |
| 1971 | 1.1% | -29.6% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -58.0% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -82.4% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +1943.3% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -74.0% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -89.8% |
| 1977 | -0.3% | -701.4% |
| 1978 | -0.2% | -21.3% |
| 1979 | -0.8% | +263.1% |
| 1980 | -0.0% | -98.5% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -705.8% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +450.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -80.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +570.7% |
| 1985 | -0.7% | -242.1% |
| 1986 | -0.1% | -90.2% |
| 1987 | -0.2% | +188.5% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -176.7% |
| 1989 | -0.2% | -222.2% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -67.7% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | -412.9% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -98.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | +235.7% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | +3079.7% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +198.1% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | -31.2% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +350.9% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | -84.0% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +175.8% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -35.7% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | +740.9% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -78.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -65.3% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -31.0% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | +723.4% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -90.9% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +864.1% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | +58.1% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -26.1% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -61.7% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +17.9% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | +92.8% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -26.0% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -71.1% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +56.0% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -21.2% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +154.7% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -29.0% |
| 2021 | 9.7% | +937.5% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -76.6% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -55.3% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | -42.6% |
| 2025 | -0.5% | -187.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | -0.8% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.7% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -0.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 0.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | -0.5% | 9.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 177 French Polynesia -0.2% compare
- 178 Lesotho -0.2% compare
- 179 Kazakhstan -0.3% compare
- 181 Iceland -0.5% compare
- 182 Papua New Guinea -0.6% compare
- 183 Burkina Faso -0.9% compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 5,013 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 7.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.986 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 6,505 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 17.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 116,367 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.43 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in South Africa was -0.5% in 2025, 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.8% in 1979.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 180th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 215.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.