Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 20.60 million BoP, current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Afghanistan, 1970–2021
Source: 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. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Afghanistan is 20.60 million BoP, current US$, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 58.8% on the previous year and down 60.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Afghanistan peaked at 271.00 million BoP, current US$ in 2005 and was at its lowest, -1.46 million BoP, current US$, in 1997.
That places Afghanistan 172nd out of 204 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 230,000 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 450,000 BoP, current US$ | +95.7% |
| 1972 | 150,000 BoP, current US$ | -66.7% |
| 1973 | 270,000 BoP, current US$ | +80.0% |
| 1976 | 40,000 BoP, current US$ | -85.2% |
| 1977 | -240,000 BoP, current US$ | -700.0% |
| 1979 | 1.20 million BoP, current US$ | -600.0% |
| 1980 | 9.00 million BoP, current US$ | +650.0% |
| 1981 | 180,000 BoP, current US$ | -98.0% |
| 1982 | 100,000 BoP, current US$ | -44.4% |
| 1983 | 0 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 1984 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1985 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1986 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1987 | 400,000 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1988 | 0 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 1989 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1990 | 10 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1991 | -280,000 BoP, current US$ | -2800100.0% |
| 1992 | 360,000 BoP, current US$ | -228.6% |
| 1993 | -20,000 BoP, current US$ | -105.6% |
| 1994 | 20,000 BoP, current US$ | -200.0% |
| 1995 | -93,327 BoP, current US$ | -566.6% |
| 1996 | 690,000 BoP, current US$ | -839.3% |
| 1997 | -1.46 million BoP, current US$ | -311.6% |
| 1998 | -10,000 BoP, current US$ | -99.3% |
| 1999 | 6.04 million BoP, current US$ | -60500.0% |
| 2000 | 170,000 BoP, current US$ | -97.2% |
| 2001 | 680,000 BoP, current US$ | +300.0% |
| 2002 | 50.00 million BoP, current US$ | +7252.9% |
| 2003 | 57.80 million BoP, current US$ | +15.6% |
| 2004 | 186.90 million BoP, current US$ | +223.4% |
| 2005 | 271.00 million BoP, current US$ | +45.0% |
| 2006 | 238.00 million BoP, current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2007 | 188.69 million BoP, current US$ | -20.7% |
| 2008 | 46.03 million BoP, current US$ | -75.6% |
| 2009 | 56.11 million BoP, current US$ | +21.9% |
| 2010 | 190.77 million BoP, current US$ | +240.0% |
| 2011 | 52.17 million BoP, current US$ | -72.7% |
| 2012 | 56.82 million BoP, current US$ | +8.9% |
| 2013 | 48.31 million BoP, current US$ | -15.0% |
| 2014 | 42.98 million BoP, current US$ | -11.0% |
| 2015 | 169.15 million BoP, current US$ | +293.6% |
| 2016 | 93.59 million BoP, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 2017 | 51.53 million BoP, current US$ | -44.9% |
| 2018 | 119.44 million BoP, current US$ | +131.8% |
| 2019 | 23.40 million BoP, current US$ | -80.4% |
| 2020 | 12.97 million BoP, current US$ | -44.6% |
| 2021 | 20.60 million BoP, current US$ | +58.8% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 20.60 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 273.72 million BoP, current US$, 8% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 20.60 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.65 billion BoP, current US$, 1% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Afghanistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -2800100.0% | 10 BoP, current US$ | -280,000 BoP, current US$ |
| 1999 | +60500.0% | -10,000 BoP, current US$ | 6.04 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | +7252.9% | 680,000 BoP, current US$ | 50.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1996 | +839.3% | -93,327 BoP, current US$ | 690,000 BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 300,000 BoP, current US$ | -240,000 BoP, current US$ | 1.20 million BoP, current US$ | 7 |
| 1980s | 968,000 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 9.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 524,668 BoP, current US$ | -1.46 million BoP, current US$ | 6.04 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 109.54 million BoP, current US$ | 170,000 BoP, current US$ | 271.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.82 million BoP, current US$ | 23.40 million BoP, current US$ | 190.77 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.79 million BoP, current US$ | 12.97 million BoP, current US$ | 20.60 million BoP, current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 169 Lesotho 33.48 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 170 Vanuatu 32.92 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 171 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28.35 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 173 Tonga 17.90 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 174 Switzerland 15.90 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 175 Haiti 12.18 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Afghanistan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -8.59 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -6.24 Percent per annum (2022)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -3.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0237 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 9.26 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -8.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0182 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 6.76 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0237 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Afghanistan?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Afghanistan was 20.60 million BoP, current US$ in 2021, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 271.00 million BoP, current US$ in 2005.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.46 million BoP, current US$ in 1997.
- How does Afghanistan rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Afghanistan ranks 172nd out of 204 countries with data for 2021.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from 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, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.