Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Zimbabwe, 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 Zimbabwe stood at 1.1%.
That represents a change of down 33.4% on the previous year and down 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Zimbabwe peaked at 6.9% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -0.5%, in 1987.
Zimbabwe ranks 141st of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.0% | — |
| 1971 | 1.0% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 0.9% | -12.5% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | +5.0% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -9.1% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -21.1% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +2.0% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -113.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -166.2% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | -95.1% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | +717.5% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | +90.8% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -122.3% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | +171.2% |
| 1984 | -0.0% | +46.6% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -229.0% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +137.0% |
| 1987 | -0.5% | -477.9% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | -49.0% |
| 1989 | -0.1% | -46.8% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | +13.1% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -123.2% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +585.7% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +92.3% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | +18.1% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | +229.2% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | -42.9% |
| 1997 | 1.6% | +67.5% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | +338.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -87.6% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -59.7% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -83.8% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +628.4% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -83.8% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | +125.9% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +1091.9% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | -58.9% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | +77.2% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -10.2% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -7.0% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | +139.8% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | -16.3% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | +24.1% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | -17.5% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | -16.5% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -63.9% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | +101.4% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -38.3% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | -37.1% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | +22.3% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +43.7% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | +103.9% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -33.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | -0.1% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1% | -0.5% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | -0.1% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 0.6% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More economy & growth data for Zimbabwe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.02 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 648.14 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 30.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3707 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 1,120 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 109.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 11.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 35,609 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 7.78 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Zimbabwe?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Zimbabwe was 1.1% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 1998.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5% in 1987.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Zimbabwe ranks 141st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.