How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit?

South Africa ranks 182nd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.

Is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit 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.

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit in South Africa

Name: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit in South Africa
Creator: Statizoid (derived)
License: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page

South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit was -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

-0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP

Change on year

down 187.1%

World rank

182nd

of 200 countries

All-time high

0.0968 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP

in 2021

All-time low

-0.0077 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP

in 1979

Years of data

1970–2025

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit in South Africa, 1970–2025

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit in South Africa is -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 187.1% on the previous year and down 215.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit in South Africa peaked at 0.0968 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.0077 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP, in 1979.

South Africa ranks 182nd of 200 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 unit in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit of GDP in South Africa, 1970 to 2025.
Year	BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	Change
1970	0.0158 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	—
1971	0.0111 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-29.6%
1972	0.0047 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-58.0%
1973	0.0008 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-82.4%
1974	0.0168 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+1943.3%
1975	0.0044 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-74.0%
1976	0.0004 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-89.8%
1977	-0.0027 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-701.4%
1978	-0.0021 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-21.3%
1979	-0.0077 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+263.1%
1980	-0.0001 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-98.5%
1981	0.0007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-705.8%
1982	0.0038 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+450.0%
1983	0.0007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-80.8%
1984	0.0049 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+570.7%
1985	-0.007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-242.1%
1986	-0.0007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-90.2%
1987	-0.002 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+188.5%
1988	0.0015 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-176.7%
1989	-0.0019 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-222.2%
1990	-0.0006 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-67.7%
1991	0.0019 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-412.9%
1992	0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-98.8%
1993	0.0001 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+235.7%
1994	0.0024 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+3079.7%
1995	0.0073 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+198.1%
1996	0.005 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-31.2%
1997	0.0226 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+350.9%
1998	0.0036 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-84.0%
1999	0.0099 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+175.8%
2000	0.0064 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-35.7%
2001	0.0537 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+740.9%
2002	0.0115 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-78.6%
2003	0.004 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-65.3%
2004	0.0027 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-31.0%
2005	0.0226 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+723.4%
2006	0.0021 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-90.9%
2007	0.0198 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+864.1%
2008	0.0313 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+58.1%
2009	0.0231 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-26.1%
2010	0.0088 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-61.7%
2011	0.009 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+2.1%
2012	0.0106 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+17.9%
2013	0.0205 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+92.8%
2014	0.0152 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-26.0%
2015	0.0044 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-71.1%
2016	0.0068 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+56.0%
2017	0.0054 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-21.2%
2018	0.0137 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+154.7%
2019	0.0131 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-4.4%
2020	0.0093 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-29.0%
2021	0.0968 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	+937.5%
2022	0.0227 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-76.6%
2023	0.0101 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-55.3%
2024	0.0058 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-42.6%
2025	-0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-187.1%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	0.0042 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-0.0077 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0168 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	10
1980s	0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-0.007 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0049 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	10
1990s	0.0052 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-0.0006 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0226 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	10
2000s	0.0177 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0021 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0537 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	10
2010s	0.0108 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0044 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0205 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	10
2020s	0.0233 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	-0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	0.0968 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

179 French Polynesia -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
180 Lesotho -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
181 Kazakhstan -0.003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
183 Iceland -0.0052 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
184 Papua New Guinea -0.0064 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare
185 Burkina Faso -0.0087 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 247 places →

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)
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.178 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit in South Africa?: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit in South Africa was -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.0968 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP in 2021.
What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was -0.0077 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP in 1979.
How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit?: South Africa ranks 182nd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
Is foreign direct investment, net inflows (bop, current us$), per unit 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-inflows-bop-current-us-per-unit-of-gdp/south-africa/

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How this figure is calculated

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), 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$) ÷ GDP (current US$)

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
GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks

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

Indicator: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit of GDP
Unit: BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP
Source: Statizoid (derived)
Licence: Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage: 247 places, 11,888 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 11 September 2026

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.