Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was -3.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Trinidad and Tobago, 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
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Trinidad and Tobago stood at -3.1%.
That represents a change of down 73.2% on the previous year and down 564.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Trinidad and Tobago peaked at 17.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, -7.0%, in 2012.
Trinidad and Tobago ranks 193rd 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 Trinidad and Tobago, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.1% | — |
| 1971 | 11.5% | +13.8% |
| 1972 | 7.9% | -31.0% |
| 1973 | 5.0% | -36.9% |
| 1974 | 5.9% | +17.4% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | -35.3% |
| 1976 | 5.3% | +38.9% |
| 1977 | 2.7% | -49.6% |
| 1978 | 3.6% | +35.9% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | -43.6% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | +45.2% |
| 1981 | 3.7% | +24.7% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | -32.3% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -39.4% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | -3.7% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -98.9% |
| 1986 | -0.3% | -1988.2% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | -327.9% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +102.5% |
| 1989 | 3.4% | +146.2% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | -37.3% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | +47.8% |
| 1992 | 3.3% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | +148.3% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | +28.5% |
| 1995 | 5.6% | -46.2% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | +10.0% |
| 1997 | 17.4% | +182.3% |
| 1998 | 12.1% | -30.7% |
| 1999 | 9.4% | -21.8% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 9.5% | +13.5% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | +18.3% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | -36.1% |
| 2004 | 7.5% | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 5.9% | -21.8% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -18.3% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -20.2% |
| 2008 | 10.0% | +162.0% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | -63.2% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -33.0% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -93.5% |
| 2012 | -7.0% | -4446.4% |
| 2013 | -4.0% | -43.6% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -156.7% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | -70.6% |
| 2016 | -0.1% | -115.2% |
| 2017 | -2.0% | +1878.1% |
| 2018 | -2.9% | +48.4% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | -126.7% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | +545.1% |
| 2021 | -3.9% | -176.3% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | -207.2% |
| 2023 | -6.0% | -244.7% |
| 2024 | -1.8% | -70.5% |
| 2025 | -3.1% | +73.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.8% | 2.0% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | -0.3% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.8% | 2.2% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 3.7% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.0% | -7.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.9% | -6.0% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Trinidad and Tobago
More economy & growth data for Trinidad and Tobago
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.73 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.79 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -390.11 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.015 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -285.22 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -794.39 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -75.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0306 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -580.8 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -10.46 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Trinidad and Tobago was -3.1% 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
- The highest recorded value was 17.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Trinidad and Tobago?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.0% in 2012.
- How does Trinidad and Tobago rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Trinidad and Tobago ranks 193rd out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Over the last ten years it is down 564.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Trinidad and Tobago 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 — 56 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.