Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries, 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$.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 24.2% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries peaked at 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, -46.33 million BoP, current US$, in 1983.
Least developed countries ranks 32nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 137.63 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 27.81 million BoP, current US$ | -79.8% |
| 1972 | 129.96 million BoP, current US$ | +367.3% |
| 1973 | 223.01 million BoP, current US$ | +71.6% |
| 1974 | 216.95 million BoP, current US$ | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 263.84 million BoP, current US$ | +21.6% |
| 1976 | 489.73 million BoP, current US$ | +85.6% |
| 1977 | 375.36 million BoP, current US$ | -23.4% |
| 1978 | 537.22 million BoP, current US$ | +43.1% |
| 1979 | 475.13 million BoP, current US$ | -11.6% |
| 1980 | 498.66 million BoP, current US$ | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 528.05 million BoP, current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 340.88 million BoP, current US$ | -35.4% |
| 1983 | -46.33 million BoP, current US$ | -113.6% |
| 1984 | 160.18 million BoP, current US$ | -445.8% |
| 1985 | 451.42 million BoP, current US$ | +181.8% |
| 1986 | 190.78 million BoP, current US$ | -57.7% |
| 1987 | 356.86 million BoP, current US$ | +87.1% |
| 1988 | 579.97 million BoP, current US$ | +62.5% |
| 1989 | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +105.2% |
| 1990 | 406.58 million BoP, current US$ | -65.8% |
| 1991 | 1.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +236.2% |
| 1992 | 1.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 1.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +28.9% |
| 1994 | 1.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -44.4% |
| 1995 | 1.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.7% |
| 1996 | 1.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.8% |
| 1997 | 2.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +81.3% |
| 1998 | 3.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.7% |
| 1999 | 5.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.6% |
| 2000 | 3.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.0% |
| 2001 | 6.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +61.3% |
| 2002 | 5.89 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 9.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +58.1% |
| 2004 | 9.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 5.84 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.9% |
| 2006 | 9.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +54.5% |
| 2007 | 12.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.2% |
| 2008 | 18.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.3% |
| 2009 | 15.20 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.8% |
| 2010 | 17.79 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.1% |
| 2011 | 23.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.2% |
| 2012 | 29.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.5% |
| 2013 | 25.17 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.4% |
| 2014 | 29.45 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2015 | 38.35 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.2% |
| 2016 | 25.95 billion BoP, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 2017 | 21.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.7% |
| 2018 | 17.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.1% |
| 2019 | 19.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.9% |
| 2020 | 21.92 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 26.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.7% |
| 2022 | 22.27 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 33.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.2% |
| 2024 | 36.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 2025 | 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Least developed countries changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +445.8% | -46.33 million BoP, current US$ | 160.18 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1972 | +367.3% | 27.81 million BoP, current US$ | 129.96 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 287.66 million BoP, current US$ | 27.81 million BoP, current US$ | 537.22 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 425.03 million BoP, current US$ | -46.33 million BoP, current US$ | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 406.58 million BoP, current US$ | 5.26 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 18.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 17.28 billion BoP, current US$ | 38.35 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.92 billion BoP, current US$ | 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 29 Egypt 15.45 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 30 Chile 14.51 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 31 Malta 14.36 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 32 Greece 13.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 33 Turkey 12.97 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 34 Portugal 11.97 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 35 Colombia 11.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Least developed countries
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 141.86 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 977.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.7176 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 277.65 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 5.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 116.01 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.0852 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0002 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 5.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 10.25 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries was 44.93 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 44.93 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was -46.33 million BoP, current US$ in 1983.
- How does Least developed countries rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Least developed countries ranks 32nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.