Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was -0.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -0.9% for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 198.0% on the previous year and down 159.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in South Africa peaked at 2.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, -2.6%, in 2001.
That places South Africa 179th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1% | — |
| 1971 | 0.1% | +58.4% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -36.5% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +95.9% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | +77.8% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -73.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +91.3% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | +208.2% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | -96.3% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | +4880.1% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -18.1% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -100.9% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -2635.9% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +40.1% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -67.7% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +31.7% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | -46.5% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +142.5% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -85.3% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +588.0% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | +764.2% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -85.0% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +314.0% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +76.9% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -55.8% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +114.2% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | -22.3% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -82.5% |
| 2001 | -2.6% | -1520.9% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | -88.0% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -190.0% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | +82.0% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -38.3% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | +519.8% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -54.1% |
| 2008 | -0.7% | -174.9% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -159.3% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | -109.7% |
| 2011 | -0.0% | -13.4% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -2093.3% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | +143.7% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | +24.1% |
| 2015 | 1.6% | -21.2% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -12.8% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +40.7% |
| 2018 | 1.0% | -49.1% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | -18.8% |
| 2020 | -0.6% | -171.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -104.2% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | +2308.8% |
| 2023 | -0.7% | -225.7% |
| 2024 | -0.3% | -57.0% |
| 2025 | -0.9% | +198.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -2.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | -0.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3% | -0.9% | 0.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 5,013 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 7.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.986 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 6,505 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP 17.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per capita 116,367 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.43 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in South Africa was -0.9% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.0% in 2014.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.6% in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- South Africa ranks 179th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 159.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.