Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Panama
Panama: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama, 1977–2025
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 Panama is 1.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 57.0% on the previous year and down 88.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama peaked at 15.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -7.8%, in 1988.
That places Panama 141st out of 201 countries 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 (% of GDP) in Panama, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.4% | — |
| 1978 | -0.1% | -119.4% |
| 1979 | 1.3% | -1844.7% |
| 1980 | 5.5% | +306.8% |
| 1981 | 5.8% | +6.2% |
| 1982 | 6.4% | +9.4% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | -78.9% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -73.2% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +186.6% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | +80.3% |
| 1987 | -6.6% | -453.6% |
| 1988 | -7.8% | +18.9% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | -111.2% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | +142.0% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -16.3% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +7.7% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | +112.7% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | -31.5% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | +58.5% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +180.1% |
| 1998 | 11.9% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -25.0% |
| 2000 | 6.9% | -22.7% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -28.4% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | -61.0% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +300.1% |
| 2004 | 8.5% | +9.6% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | -21.5% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | +137.5% |
| 2007 | 10.2% | -35.1% |
| 2008 | 9.3% | -9.3% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | -58.0% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | +115.9% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | +46.1% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -34.0% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 9.7% | +19.8% |
| 2015 | 9.2% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 8.8% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -27.7% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +5.0% |
| 2020 | -2.9% | -142.6% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | -195.1% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | -26.1% |
| 2025 | 1.0% | -57.0% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 1.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 49% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Panama's 1.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.5%, 42% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Panama 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +1844.7% | -0.1% | 1.3% |
| 1987 | -453.6% | 1.9% | -6.6% |
| 1980 | +306.8% | 1.3% | 5.5% |
| 2003 | +300.1% | 1.9% | 7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | -0.1% | 1.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | -7.8% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.4% | 1.8% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 1.9% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.4% | 6.3% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | -2.9% | 3.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More economy & growth data for Panama
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.82 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 114.24 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0042 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 83.42 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0049 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama was 1.0% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 15.8% in 2006.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.8% in 1988.
- How does Panama rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Panama ranks 141st out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Panama 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
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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.