Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 180.24 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean, 1970–2025
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$.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 180.24 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 27.6% on the previous year and down 44.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 342.57 billion BoP, current US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, 918.61 million BoP, current US$, in 1972.
That places Latin America & Caribbean 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.43 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 1.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.9% |
| 1972 | 918.61 million BoP, current US$ | -48.2% |
| 1973 | 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +144.4% |
| 1974 | 2.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.0% |
| 1975 | 3.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.5% |
| 1976 | 2.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.4% |
| 1977 | 2.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +40.9% |
| 1978 | 3.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +34.0% |
| 1979 | 5.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.4% |
| 1980 | 6.45 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.1% |
| 1981 | 8.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +35.3% |
| 1982 | 7.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.8% |
| 1983 | 5.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.7% |
| 1984 | 5.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.5% |
| 1985 | 6.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.9% |
| 1986 | 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 1987 | 5.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.8% |
| 1988 | 8.58 billion BoP, current US$ | +59.1% |
| 1989 | 8.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 8.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 13.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +55.3% |
| 1992 | 14.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.2% |
| 1993 | 14.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 29.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +98.9% |
| 1995 | 30.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 48.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +59.3% |
| 1997 | 73.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +53.5% |
| 1998 | 85.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.0% |
| 1999 | 104.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 97.38 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.0% |
| 2001 | 78.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.3% |
| 2002 | 60.88 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.6% |
| 2003 | 57.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2004 | 99.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +73.0% |
| 2005 | 79.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.2% |
| 2006 | 113.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +43.4% |
| 2007 | 192.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +69.6% |
| 2008 | 222.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2009 | 155.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.1% |
| 2010 | 234.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +50.5% |
| 2011 | 293.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.5% |
| 2012 | 297.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 342.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 2014 | 280.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.2% |
| 2015 | 322.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 2016 | 220.35 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.7% |
| 2017 | 203.48 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 209.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 200.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 153.40 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.6% |
| 2021 | 186.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2022 | 241.07 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.5% |
| 2023 | 223.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2024 | 248.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2025 | 180.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ | 918.61 million BoP, current US$ | 5.28 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.63 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.34 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 104.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 115.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 57.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 222.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 260.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 200.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 342.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 205.60 billion BoP, current US$ | 153.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 248.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 11 Japan 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 12 United Arab Emirates 45.64 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 13 Mexico 43.09 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 14 Malta 42.59 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 15 India 39.10 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 16 Australia 36.52 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 17 Saudi Arabia 32.63 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Latin America & Caribbean
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 4.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 6.0% (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 26.4% (2025)
- External balance on goods and services -0.3% (2025)
- Trade 49.1% (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 8,438 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 363.36 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 7.1% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 30.3% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 1.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean was 180.24 billion 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 Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 342.57 billion BoP, current US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 918.61 million BoP, current US$ in 1972.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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 — 56 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.