Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income, 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 Low & middle income stood at 1.1%.
That represents a change of down 9.8% on the previous year and down 54.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income peaked at 3.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.
Low & middle income ranks 36th of 47 groups 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 in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.8% | — |
| 1971 | 0.8% | -4.1% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -36.2% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +48.7% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | -13.9% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | +8.9% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -28.4% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -11.9% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | +15.3% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | -11.4% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -14.3% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +45.3% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -14.9% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +20.2% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +14.9% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | +53.2% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +6.4% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -13.4% |
| 1991 | 1.0% | +44.5% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | +26.0% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | +35.2% |
| 1994 | 2.0% | +19.6% |
| 1995 | 1.9% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 2.1% | +12.8% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +22.8% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +10.5% |
| 2000 | 2.5% | -15.4% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +10.5% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -8.9% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +9.7% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +20.3% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -27.6% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +24.2% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -12.9% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -11.9% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -14.4% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | +8.6% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -13.0% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -22.3% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -32.9% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | +10.1% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | -9.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 0.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 1.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More economy & growth data for Low & middle income
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.9385 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5412 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 3,305 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 5.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 6,107 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7748 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 1,894 current US$ per person (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3225 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.02 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income was 1.1% 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 Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
- How does Low & middle income rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Low & middle income ranks 36th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Low & middle 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.