Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 2.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries, 1972–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 2.8% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
The figure is up 15.6% on the previous year and down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Least developed countries peaked at 4.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1983.
Least developed countries ranks 8th 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 (% of GDP) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 0.3% | — |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +30.4% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -27.6% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 0.8% | +129.8% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | -37.7% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | +21.0% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | -18.1% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -13.8% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +7.2% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -36.6% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | -114.6% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -424.3% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +152.8% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -51.9% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | +74.3% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | +50.3% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +91.5% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -72.9% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | +212.2% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +31.5% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | +24.7% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -43.2% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | +39.8% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 1.6% | +74.1% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +23.7% |
| 1999 | 2.8% | +43.4% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -38.4% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +67.3% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -11.2% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | +39.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -15.1% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -46.1% |
| 2006 | 2.1% | +33.0% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +15.1% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +20.7% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -17.1% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | +13.8% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | +19.7% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -22.3% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +8.8% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | +36.9% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -32.8% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -25.8% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | -23.7% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +12.7% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -24.7% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | +53.6% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 2.8% | +15.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) 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 | +424.3% | -0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 8 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 1.6% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 1.5% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 1.5% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
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 2.8% 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 Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1983.
- How does Least developed countries rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Least developed countries ranks 8th 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 down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.