Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Pakistan
Pakistan: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Pakistan, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 0.5% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 36.6% on the previous year and down 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Pakistan peaked at 3.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 1973.
Pakistan ranks 163rd of 200 countries 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.2% | — |
| 1971 | 0.0% | -95.9% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +1825.9% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | -134.7% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -171.7% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | +395.3% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -72.0% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +61.2% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +80.0% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +63.3% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | -9.1% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +43.0% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | -46.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -50.6% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +73.6% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +136.7% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -21.4% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | +17.0% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +25.0% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +8.2% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +16.9% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -7.6% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +21.5% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +19.7% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +48.0% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | +22.2% |
| 1997 | 1.1% | -21.2% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | -29.1% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -63.4% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +25.7% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | +116.8% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -43.7% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | +77.9% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | +79.3% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | +74.2% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | +15.0% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -11.4% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | -53.6% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -17.6% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -44.1% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -40.3% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | +50.1% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +34.9% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -19.8% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +47.3% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | -10.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | -33.7% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +42.7% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -36.7% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | +56.0% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | +17.9% |
| 2025 | 0.5% | -36.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.3% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More economy & growth data for Pakistan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.11 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,712 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 10.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.07 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 1,711 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 8.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 299.6 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 478,129 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Pakistan?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Pakistan was 0.5% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 1973.
- How does Pakistan rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Pakistan ranks 163rd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.