Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita was -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in BoP, current US$ per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 191.7% on the previous year and down 224.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa peaked at 661.09 BoP, current US$ per person in 2021 and was at its lowest, -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 184th of 202 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 (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.02 BoP, current US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 11.34 BoP, current US$ per person | -24.5% |
| 1972 | 4.85 BoP, current US$ per person | -57.2% |
| 1973 | 1.13 BoP, current US$ per person | -76.8% |
| 1974 | 27.86 BoP, current US$ per person | +2371.8% |
| 1975 | 7.32 BoP, current US$ per person | -73.7% |
| 1976 | 0.6971 BoP, current US$ per person | -90.5% |
| 1977 | -4.5 BoP, current US$ per person | -744.8% |
| 1978 | -3.92 BoP, current US$ per person | -12.8% |
| 1979 | -16.92 BoP, current US$ per person | +331.7% |
| 1980 | -0.3489 BoP, current US$ per person | -97.9% |
| 1981 | 2.13 BoP, current US$ per person | -709.9% |
| 1982 | 10.43 BoP, current US$ per person | +390.0% |
| 1983 | 2.17 BoP, current US$ per person | -79.2% |
| 1984 | 12.38 BoP, current US$ per person | +471.5% |
| 1985 | -12.92 BoP, current US$ per person | -204.4% |
| 1986 | -1.4 BoP, current US$ per person | -89.2% |
| 1987 | -5.13 BoP, current US$ per person | +268.0% |
| 1988 | 4.12 BoP, current US$ per person | -180.2% |
| 1989 | -5.08 BoP, current US$ per person | -223.3% |
| 1990 | -1.86 BoP, current US$ per person | -63.4% |
| 1991 | 6.1 BoP, current US$ per person | -428.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0791 BoP, current US$ per person | -98.7% |
| 1993 | 0.2608 BoP, current US$ per person | +229.6% |
| 1994 | 8.51 BoP, current US$ per person | +3162.9% |
| 1995 | 28.03 BoP, current US$ per person | +229.4% |
| 1996 | 18.09 BoP, current US$ per person | -35.4% |
| 1997 | 83.44 BoP, current US$ per person | +361.2% |
| 1998 | 11.91 BoP, current US$ per person | -85.7% |
| 1999 | 32.17 BoP, current US$ per person | +170.2% |
| 2000 | 20.54 BoP, current US$ per person | -36.1% |
| 2001 | 152.84 BoP, current US$ per person | +644.0% |
| 2002 | 30.82 BoP, current US$ per person | -79.8% |
| 2003 | 16.15 BoP, current US$ per person | -47.6% |
| 2004 | 14.32 BoP, current US$ per person | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 131.79 BoP, current US$ per person | +820.5% |
| 2006 | 12.47 BoP, current US$ per person | -90.5% |
| 2007 | 130.36 BoP, current US$ per person | +945.7% |
| 2008 | 193.39 BoP, current US$ per person | +48.4% |
| 2009 | 147.39 BoP, current US$ per person | -23.8% |
| 2010 | 70.56 BoP, current US$ per person | -52.1% |
| 2011 | 78.11 BoP, current US$ per person | +10.7% |
| 2012 | 86.01 BoP, current US$ per person | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 150.56 BoP, current US$ per person | +75.0% |
| 2014 | 104.18 BoP, current US$ per person | -30.8% |
| 2015 | 26.82 BoP, current US$ per person | -74.3% |
| 2016 | 38.69 BoP, current US$ per person | +44.3% |
| 2017 | 35.72 BoP, current US$ per person | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 95.02 BoP, current US$ per person | +166.0% |
| 2019 | 85.86 BoP, current US$ per person | -9.6% |
| 2020 | 52.07 BoP, current US$ per person | -39.4% |
| 2021 | 661.09 BoP, current US$ per person | +1169.6% |
| 2022 | 148.11 BoP, current US$ per person | -77.6% |
| 2023 | 61.11 BoP, current US$ per person | -58.7% |
| 2024 | 36.41 BoP, current US$ per person | -40.4% |
| 2025 | -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person | -191.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 196.04 BoP, current US$ per person. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.02 BoP, current US$ per person. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +3162.9% | 0.2608 BoP, current US$ per person | 8.51 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 1974 | +2371.8% | 1.13 BoP, current US$ per person | 27.86 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2021 | +1169.6% | 52.07 BoP, current US$ per person | 661.09 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2007 | +945.7% | 12.47 BoP, current US$ per person | 130.36 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2005 | +820.5% | 14.32 BoP, current US$ per person | 131.79 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 1977 | -744.8% | 0.6971 BoP, current US$ per person | -4.5 BoP, current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.29 BoP, current US$ per person | -16.92 BoP, current US$ per person | 27.86 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6343 BoP, current US$ per person | -12.92 BoP, current US$ per person | 12.38 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.67 BoP, current US$ per person | -1.86 BoP, current US$ per person | 83.44 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.01 BoP, current US$ per person | 12.47 BoP, current US$ per person | 193.39 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.15 BoP, current US$ per person | 26.82 BoP, current US$ per person | 150.56 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 154.24 BoP, current US$ per person | -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person | 661.09 BoP, current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 181 Burkina Faso -8.59 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 182 Yemen -10.57 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 183 Papua New Guinea -18.75 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 185 Kazakhstan -43.97 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 186 French Polynesia -49.21 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 187 Finland -50.63 BoP, current US$ per person 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0145 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 95.75 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0106 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 69.91 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -28.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa was -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 661.09 BoP, current US$ per person in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 184th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 224.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.