Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe, 1974–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe stood at -2.0%.
That represents a change of up 45.9% on the previous year and down 122.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 42.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -3.7%, in 2023.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 193rd 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 Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.2% | — |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | -0.1% | -125.1% |
| 1993 | -0.4% | +652.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -107.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +718.2% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +83.8% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | +1235.2% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | -33.2% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +28.5% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -20.8% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +7.0% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -21.2% |
| 2004 | 3.1% | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | +275.7% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | +131.9% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | -9.3% |
| 2008 | 42.1% | +74.3% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | -81.6% |
| 2010 | 26.6% | +244.7% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -46.7% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | -31.0% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -53.5% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +98.4% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | +18.8% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | -25.7% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | +33.1% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | -41.9% |
| 2019 | 5.9% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 10.0% | +70.7% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | +12.5% |
| 2022 | 10.3% | -8.6% |
| 2023 | -3.7% | -136.3% |
| 2024 | -2.0% | -45.9% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's -2.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.6%. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's -2.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +1235.2% | 0.4% | 5.8% |
| 1996 | +718.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 1993 | -652.4% | -0.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | -0.4% | 5.8% | 6 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 3.1% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 4.6% | 26.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | -3.7% | 11.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More economy & growth data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 3.83 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0046 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 16.27 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -16.68 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 35.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0202 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -70.83 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sao Tome and Principe was -2.0% in 2024, 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 Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 42.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.7% in 2023.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 193rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 122.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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 — 47 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.