Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Papua New Guinea, 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$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Papua New Guinea stood at -1.18 billion BoP, current US$. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of down 495.5% on the previous year and down 4,032.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Papua New Guinea peaked at 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, -1.18 billion BoP, current US$, in 2025.
Papua New Guinea ranks 196th of 204 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 129.65 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 47.49 million BoP, current US$ | -63.4% |
| 1972 | 85.88 million BoP, current US$ | +80.8% |
| 1973 | 111.90 million BoP, current US$ | +30.3% |
| 1974 | 72.69 million BoP, current US$ | -35.0% |
| 1975 | -2.23 million BoP, current US$ | -103.1% |
| 1976 | 20.83 million BoP, current US$ | -1034.1% |
| 1977 | 19.80 million BoP, current US$ | -4.9% |
| 1978 | 38.91 million BoP, current US$ | +96.5% |
| 1979 | 44.20 million BoP, current US$ | +13.6% |
| 1980 | 75.52 million BoP, current US$ | +70.9% |
| 1981 | 86.18 million BoP, current US$ | +14.1% |
| 1982 | 85.89 million BoP, current US$ | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 138.87 million BoP, current US$ | +61.7% |
| 1984 | 115.69 million BoP, current US$ | -16.7% |
| 1985 | 83.35 million BoP, current US$ | -28.0% |
| 1986 | 90.80 million BoP, current US$ | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 93.18 million BoP, current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 153.49 million BoP, current US$ | +64.7% |
| 1989 | 203.39 million BoP, current US$ | +32.5% |
| 1990 | 155.41 million BoP, current US$ | -23.6% |
| 1991 | 120.60 million BoP, current US$ | -22.4% |
| 1992 | 106.34 million BoP, current US$ | -11.8% |
| 1993 | 62.05 million BoP, current US$ | -41.6% |
| 1994 | 59.71 million BoP, current US$ | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 454.57 million BoP, current US$ | +661.2% |
| 1996 | 109.83 million BoP, current US$ | -75.8% |
| 1997 | 28.31 million BoP, current US$ | -74.2% |
| 1998 | 109.44 million BoP, current US$ | +286.5% |
| 1999 | 298.02 million BoP, current US$ | +172.3% |
| 2000 | 96.50 million BoP, current US$ | -67.6% |
| 2001 | 63.18 million BoP, current US$ | -34.5% |
| 2002 | 20.16 million BoP, current US$ | -68.1% |
| 2003 | 168.60 million BoP, current US$ | +736.3% |
| 2004 | 32.54 million BoP, current US$ | -80.7% |
| 2005 | 39.98 million BoP, current US$ | +22.8% |
| 2006 | 128.55 million BoP, current US$ | +221.6% |
| 2007 | 130.63 million BoP, current US$ | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 47.86 million BoP, current US$ | -63.4% |
| 2009 | 420.04 million BoP, current US$ | +777.7% |
| 2010 | 35.59 million BoP, current US$ | -91.5% |
| 2011 | 36.42 million BoP, current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 28.80 million BoP, current US$ | -20.9% |
| 2013 | 26.80 million BoP, current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 29.44 million BoP, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 2015 | 30.03 million BoP, current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2016 | -39.11 million BoP, current US$ | -230.3% |
| 2017 | -179.27 million BoP, current US$ | +358.3% |
| 2018 | 306.64 million BoP, current US$ | -271.1% |
| 2019 | 335.57 million BoP, current US$ | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 112.99 million BoP, current US$ | -66.3% |
| 2021 | -34.42 million BoP, current US$ | -130.5% |
| 2022 | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -3567.0% |
| 2023 | 43.30 million BoP, current US$ | -96.4% |
| 2024 | -198.32 million BoP, current US$ | -558.0% |
| 2025 | -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +495.5% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 642.40 million BoP, current US$. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.07 billion BoP, current US$. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Papua New Guinea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +3567.0% | -34.42 million BoP, current US$ | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1976 | +1034.1% | -2.23 million BoP, current US$ | 20.83 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2009 | +777.7% | 47.86 million BoP, current US$ | 420.04 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2003 | +736.3% | 20.16 million BoP, current US$ | 168.60 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1995 | +661.2% | 59.71 million BoP, current US$ | 454.57 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.91 million BoP, current US$ | -2.23 million BoP, current US$ | 129.65 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 112.64 million BoP, current US$ | 75.52 million BoP, current US$ | 203.39 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 150.43 million BoP, current US$ | 28.31 million BoP, current US$ | 454.57 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 114.80 million BoP, current US$ | 20.16 million BoP, current US$ | 420.04 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.09 million BoP, current US$ | -179.27 million BoP, current US$ | 335.57 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -10.68 million BoP, current US$ | -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 193 Iceland -834.95 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 194 Kazakhstan -916.40 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 195 Estonia -1.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 197 South Africa -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 198 Norway -7.08 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 199 Iraq -7.62 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Papua New Guinea
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.47 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.11 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -52.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1.09 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -51.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.7945 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 40.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0269 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Papua New Guinea?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Papua New Guinea was -1.18 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 196th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4,032.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.