Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income): Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 2.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income), 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) recorded 2.6% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.7% on the previous year and down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) peaked at 4.2% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1972.
Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 9th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.8% | — |
| 1971 | 1.0% | +20.0% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | -61.5% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | +118.2% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -36.1% |
| 1975 | 0.8% | +49.1% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -39.2% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | +31.9% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | +6.8% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | +19.2% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | +20.6% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -14.5% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | -22.7% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | +40.8% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -25.6% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | +52.1% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | -24.7% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +51.2% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -24.9% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +78.9% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 2.1% | +37.4% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +34.8% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | +35.7% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | -17.0% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | -19.7% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -20.5% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +33.3% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 2.1% | -17.8% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +45.2% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -5.9% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | -34.0% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +59.1% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | -12.1% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | +10.5% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -12.0% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -19.1% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | +13.3% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | +24.2% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -21.4% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +6.8% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 0.7% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.9% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- 6 Cyprus 27.1% compare
- 7 Singapore 26.3% compare
- 8 Palau 21.5% compare
- 9 Mozambique 15.4% compare
- 10 Namibia 14.2% compare
- 11 East Timor 13.3% compare
- 12 Mauritania 13.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7,260 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 2.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.138 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,436 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.6975 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5838 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 4.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 6,076 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,706 current US$ per person (2025)
All data for Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) was 2.6% 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 Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 4.2% in 1999.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1972.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) ranks 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 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.