Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lower middle income, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lower middle income is 1.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 11.6% on the previous year and down 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lower middle income peaked at 3.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 1976.
Lower middle income ranks 24th of 47 groups 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 (% of GDP) in Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.5% | — |
| 1971 | 0.6% | +22.7% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | -66.2% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +101.7% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -77.9% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | +426.6% |
| 1976 | -0.0% | -106.2% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -1068.9% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +17.6% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | +72.7% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -62.9% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +91.3% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -16.1% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -11.2% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -11.4% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +82.1% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -24.7% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +21.5% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -7.8% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +78.9% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -43.2% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | +83.5% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | -13.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | +28.6% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +16.2% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | +8.5% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | +70.1% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | -14.1% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | +15.5% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | -19.2% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -12.1% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | +31.2% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | +45.9% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +17.7% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -24.2% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -28.1% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | -18.4% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | +11.1% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | +28.9% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | -18.3% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -21.1% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +10.2% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | -22.4% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -16.1% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | +49.9% |
| 2025 | 1.5% | -11.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Lower middle income 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +1068.9% | -0.0% | 0.3% |
| 1975 | +426.6% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.4% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
- 21 Seychelles 10.0% compare
- 22 Cambodia 9.9% compare
- 23 Namibia 9.6% compare
- 24 Liberia 9.5% compare
- 25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 26 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 27 Laos 7.7% compare
More economy & growth data for Lower middle income
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,817 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 5.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1054 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 261.65 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 6.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.7321 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.7194 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 6.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 1,785 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 298.08 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lower middle income?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Lower middle income was 1.5% 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 Lower middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 3.2% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 1976.
- How does Lower middle income rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Lower middle income ranks 24th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Lower middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lower 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 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.