Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador
Ecuador: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador stood at 1.0%.
That represents a change of up 176.7% on the previous year and down 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador peaked at 5.9% in 1971 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 1976.
Ecuador ranks 147th of 200 countries 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 in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.1% | — |
| 1971 | 5.9% | +90.2% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | -56.9% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | -47.0% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | -13.4% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | +5.9% |
| 1976 | -0.2% | -117.8% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -243.0% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +30.3% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +9.7% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -12.5% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -29.7% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | -27.0% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | +45.2% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +22.3% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +46.3% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +66.8% |
| 1988 | 1.2% | +34.6% |
| 1989 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | -28.2% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | +13.9% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 2.5% | +154.3% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 1.9% | -27.0% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +29.8% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | +20.9% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | +6.2% |
| 2000 | -0.1% | -104.0% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | -1842.6% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +24.3% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -15.5% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | -48.5% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -51.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -34.5% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | +344.7% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -70.3% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -52.6% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | +236.0% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | -20.9% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +16.4% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | +81.0% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -42.3% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -22.9% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +113.7% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -29.3% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +27.6% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -48.0% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +25.0% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | -47.6% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -9.5% |
| 2025 | 1.0% | +176.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.6% | -0.2% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 0.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | -0.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More economy & growth data for Ecuador
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.54 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.51 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2234 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,592 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth 4.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth 4.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 10.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.097 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 691.36 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ecuador was 1.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 1971.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 1976.
- How does Ecuador rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Ecuador ranks 147th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ecuador data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.