Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 7.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia, 1980–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Saint Lucia recorded 7.3% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia peaked at 22.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2018.
That places Saint Lucia 29th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 18.1% | — |
| 1981 | 19.6% | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 14.5% | -26.4% |
| 1983 | 5.1% | -64.9% |
| 1984 | 4.8% | -6.0% |
| 1985 | 6.0% | +25.2% |
| 1986 | 4.3% | -28.6% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | -6.5% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | +43.0% |
| 1990 | 7.7% | +41.2% |
| 1991 | 9.4% | +21.8% |
| 1992 | 6.1% | -35.4% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | -17.9% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | -8.7% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | -5.8% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | -45.6% |
| 1997 | 5.9% | +154.2% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | +60.2% |
| 1999 | 9.0% | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 10.3% | +14.2% |
| 2001 | 11.7% | +14.0% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | +49.5% |
| 2004 | 11.4% | -31.3% |
| 2005 | 10.2% | -10.8% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | +124.0% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | -33.3% |
| 2008 | 13.6% | -10.4% |
| 2009 | 9.6% | -29.2% |
| 2010 | 11.8% | +22.0% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -47.3% |
| 2012 | 7.4% | +19.1% |
| 2013 | 7.6% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 3.8% | -49.2% |
| 2015 | 8.4% | +119.0% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -48.0% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -50.9% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | +63.6% |
| 2020 | 6.5% | +80.3% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | -42.4% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -33.3% |
| 2023 | 8.3% | +232.5% |
| 2024 | 7.2% | -13.9% |
| 2025 | 7.3% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.6% | 3.8% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 2.3% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 9.6% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.4% | 2.2% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.9% | 2.5% | 8.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saint Lucia
- 26 New Caledonia 8.5% compare
- 27 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 28 Montenegro 7.3% compare
- 30 Lebanon 7.1% compare
- 31 Nicaragua 6.9% compare
- 32 Dominica 6.8% compare
More economy & growth data for Saint Lucia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 16.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0448 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 660.01 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 7.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.0188 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 276.57 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) 7.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU), per 0.0392 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Saint Lucia was 7.3% 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 Saint Lucia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.8% in 2006.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Saint Lucia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2018.
- How does Saint Lucia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Saint Lucia ranks 29th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Saint Lucia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saint Lucia 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.