Foreign direct investment, net inflows in North America
North America: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in North America, 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 North America is 1.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 24.4% on the previous year and down 50.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in North America peaked at 3.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1985.
That places North America 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.3% | — |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -8.3% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 0.3% | +35.3% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | +29.6% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -28.0% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -15.9% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +31.0% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +29.4% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | +54.8% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | -22.3% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | -30.4% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | +73.5% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | -67.1% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +193.3% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | +100.1% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -17.9% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | +19.7% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -9.1% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -53.7% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +39.4% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +13.8% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +20.6% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | +21.9% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | +21.6% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | +63.7% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | +35.4% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | +15.1% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -53.3% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | -34.7% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | -13.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +62.2% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | -27.5% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | +102.8% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | +22.4% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -54.5% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | +53.7% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | +14.4% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | -14.2% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | +76.8% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -13.1% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -23.7% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -39.8% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +36.3% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -53.8% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | +188.8% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -20.8% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | -18.3% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -15.7% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +24.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.5% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 0.7% | 2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 24 Zambia 9.3% compare
- 25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 26 New Caledonia 8.5% compare
- 27 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 28 Montenegro 7.3% compare
- 29 Saint Lucia 7.3% compare
- 30 Lebanon 7.1% compare
More economy & growth data for North America
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 4.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7546 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 52,472 current US$ per person (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 11.31 % change on previous year (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9466 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 65,820 current US$ per person (2021)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 65,508 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.759 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 10.37 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in North America?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in North America was 1.4% 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1985.
- How does North America rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- North America ranks 27th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North America 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.