Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Botswana
Botswana: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was -649.00 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Botswana, 1974–2025
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$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Botswana stood at -649.00 million BoP, current US$. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 212.3% on the previous year and down 271.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Botswana peaked at 741.53 million BoP, current US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, -649.00 million BoP, current US$, in 2025.
Botswana ranks 191st of 204 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 70,000 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1975 | -38.27 million BoP, current US$ | -54769.6% |
| 1976 | 11.27 million BoP, current US$ | -129.4% |
| 1977 | 12.23 million BoP, current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1978 | 40.81 million BoP, current US$ | +233.6% |
| 1979 | 127.85 million BoP, current US$ | +213.3% |
| 1980 | 111.55 million BoP, current US$ | -12.7% |
| 1981 | 88.44 million BoP, current US$ | -20.7% |
| 1982 | 21.07 million BoP, current US$ | -76.2% |
| 1983 | 23.79 million BoP, current US$ | +12.9% |
| 1984 | 62.15 million BoP, current US$ | +161.2% |
| 1985 | 53.61 million BoP, current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1986 | 70.40 million BoP, current US$ | +31.3% |
| 1987 | 113.58 million BoP, current US$ | +61.3% |
| 1988 | 39.92 million BoP, current US$ | -64.9% |
| 1989 | 42.19 million BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 95.89 million BoP, current US$ | +127.3% |
| 1991 | -8.21 million BoP, current US$ | -108.6% |
| 1992 | -1.56 million BoP, current US$ | -81.0% |
| 1993 | -286.95 million BoP, current US$ | +18245.0% |
| 1994 | -14.15 million BoP, current US$ | -95.1% |
| 1995 | 70.41 million BoP, current US$ | -597.5% |
| 1996 | 71.18 million BoP, current US$ | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 100.11 million BoP, current US$ | +40.6% |
| 1998 | 95.32 million BoP, current US$ | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 36.68 million BoP, current US$ | -61.5% |
| 2000 | 57.17 million BoP, current US$ | +55.9% |
| 2001 | 30.68 million BoP, current US$ | -46.3% |
| 2002 | 408.00 million BoP, current US$ | +1229.8% |
| 2003 | 418.04 million BoP, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 390.89 million BoP, current US$ | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 420.85 million BoP, current US$ | +7.7% |
| 2006 | 486.91 million BoP, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2007 | 494.63 million BoP, current US$ | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 520.92 million BoP, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 208.70 million BoP, current US$ | -59.9% |
| 2010 | 218.38 million BoP, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 293.21 million BoP, current US$ | +34.3% |
| 2012 | 146.08 million BoP, current US$ | -50.2% |
| 2013 | 67.14 million BoP, current US$ | -54.0% |
| 2014 | 515.18 million BoP, current US$ | +667.4% |
| 2015 | 378.55 million BoP, current US$ | -26.5% |
| 2016 | 142.52 million BoP, current US$ | -62.4% |
| 2017 | 260.57 million BoP, current US$ | +82.8% |
| 2018 | 285.95 million BoP, current US$ | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 93.61 million BoP, current US$ | -67.3% |
| 2020 | 31.79 million BoP, current US$ | -66.0% |
| 2021 | -319.06 million BoP, current US$ | -1103.6% |
| 2022 | 709.62 million BoP, current US$ | -322.4% |
| 2023 | 741.53 million BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 577.95 million BoP, current US$ | -22.1% |
| 2025 | -649.00 million BoP, current US$ | -212.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's -649.00 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 854.27 million BoP, current US$. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's -649.00 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 490.83 million BoP, current US$. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | -54769.6% | 70,000 BoP, current US$ | -38.27 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1993 | -18245.0% | -1.56 million BoP, current US$ | -286.95 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | +1229.8% | 30.68 million BoP, current US$ | 408.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2021 | -1103.6% | 31.79 million BoP, current US$ | -319.06 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2014 | +667.4% | 67.14 million BoP, current US$ | 515.18 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1995 | +597.5% | -14.15 million BoP, current US$ | 70.41 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.66 million BoP, current US$ | -38.27 million BoP, current US$ | 127.85 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
| 1980s | 62.67 million BoP, current US$ | 21.07 million BoP, current US$ | 113.58 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.87 million BoP, current US$ | -286.95 million BoP, current US$ | 100.11 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 343.68 million BoP, current US$ | 30.68 million BoP, current US$ | 520.92 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 240.12 million BoP, current US$ | 67.14 million BoP, current US$ | 515.18 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 182.14 million BoP, current US$ | -649.00 million BoP, current US$ | 741.53 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 188 Yemen -5.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 189 Bermuda -179.73 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 190 Venezuela -522.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 192 Trinidad and Tobago -794.39 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 193 Iceland -834.95 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 194 Kazakhstan -916.40 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Botswana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0175 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 136.3 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.6918 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0128 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 99.52 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0101 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Botswana?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Botswana was -649.00 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 741.53 million BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -649.00 million BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- How does Botswana rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Botswana ranks 191st out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 271.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.