Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita was -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa, 1970–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in BoP, current US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa stood at -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person.
The figure is down 213.7% on the previous year and down 163.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa peaked at 138.36 BoP, current US$ per person in 2014 and was at its lowest, -73.89 BoP, current US$ per person, in 2001.
South Africa ranks 178th of 192 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 outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.754 BoP, current US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 1.28 BoP, current US$ per person | +69.7% |
| 1972 | 0.8265 BoP, current US$ per person | -35.4% |
| 1973 | 2.14 BoP, current US$ per person | +158.4% |
| 1974 | 4.59 BoP, current US$ per person | +115.1% |
| 1975 | 4.9 BoP, current US$ per person | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 1.22 BoP, current US$ per person | -75.1% |
| 1977 | 2.5 BoP, current US$ per person | +105.1% |
| 1978 | 8.54 BoP, current US$ per person | +241.4% |
| 1979 | 0.3733 BoP, current US$ per person | -95.6% |
| 1980 | 25.58 BoP, current US$ per person | +6752.0% |
| 1981 | 21.08 BoP, current US$ per person | -17.6% |
| 1982 | -0.174 BoP, current US$ per person | -100.8% |
| 1983 | 4.77 BoP, current US$ per person | -2842.5% |
| 1984 | 5.7 BoP, current US$ per person | +19.4% |
| 1985 | 1.35 BoP, current US$ per person | -76.3% |
| 1986 | 1.96 BoP, current US$ per person | +45.2% |
| 1987 | 3 BoP, current US$ per person | +53.1% |
| 1988 | 1.68 BoP, current US$ per person | -44.1% |
| 1989 | 4.11 BoP, current US$ per person | +144.7% |
| 1990 | 0.6865 BoP, current US$ per person | -83.3% |
| 1991 | 4.95 BoP, current US$ per person | +621.3% |
| 1992 | 45.69 BoP, current US$ per person | +822.6% |
| 1993 | 6.74 BoP, current US$ per person | -85.2% |
| 1994 | 28.65 BoP, current US$ per person | +324.9% |
| 1995 | 55.99 BoP, current US$ per person | +95.5% |
| 1996 | 23.22 BoP, current US$ per person | -58.5% |
| 1997 | 50.88 BoP, current US$ per person | +119.1% |
| 1998 | 35.35 BoP, current US$ per person | -30.5% |
| 1999 | 33.9 BoP, current US$ per person | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 5.88 BoP, current US$ per person | -82.7% |
| 2001 | -73.89 BoP, current US$ per person | -1357.2% |
| 2002 | -8.38 BoP, current US$ per person | -88.7% |
| 2003 | 11.39 BoP, current US$ per person | -236.0% |
| 2004 | 26.65 BoP, current US$ per person | +133.9% |
| 2005 | 18.38 BoP, current US$ per person | -31.0% |
| 2006 | 118.58 BoP, current US$ per person | +545.3% |
| 2007 | 59.02 BoP, current US$ per person | -50.2% |
| 2008 | -41.47 BoP, current US$ per person | -170.3% |
| 2009 | 25.35 BoP, current US$ per person | -161.1% |
| 2010 | -3.08 BoP, current US$ per person | -112.2% |
| 2011 | -2.89 BoP, current US$ per person | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 53.9 BoP, current US$ per person | -1962.1% |
| 2013 | 119.24 BoP, current US$ per person | +121.2% |
| 2014 | 138.36 BoP, current US$ per person | +16.0% |
| 2015 | 97.22 BoP, current US$ per person | -29.7% |
| 2016 | 78.42 BoP, current US$ per person | -19.3% |
| 2017 | 129.25 BoP, current US$ per person | +64.8% |
| 2018 | 68.7 BoP, current US$ per person | -46.8% |
| 2019 | 52.71 BoP, current US$ per person | -23.3% |
| 2020 | -31.96 BoP, current US$ per person | -160.6% |
| 2021 | 1.65 BoP, current US$ per person | -105.2% |
| 2022 | 38.07 BoP, current US$ per person | +2204.9% |
| 2023 | -44.19 BoP, current US$ per person | -216.1% |
| 2024 | -19.75 BoP, current US$ per person | -55.3% |
| 2025 | -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person | +213.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27.54 BoP, current US$ per person. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.81 BoP, current US$ per person. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +6752.0% | 0.3733 BoP, current US$ per person | 25.58 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 1983 | +2842.5% | -0.174 BoP, current US$ per person | 4.77 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2022 | +2204.9% | 1.65 BoP, current US$ per person | 38.07 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2012 | +1962.1% | -2.89 BoP, current US$ per person | 53.9 BoP, current US$ per person |
| 2001 | -1357.2% | 5.88 BoP, current US$ per person | -73.89 BoP, current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.71 BoP, current US$ per person | 0.3733 BoP, current US$ per person | 8.54 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.91 BoP, current US$ per person | -0.174 BoP, current US$ per person | 25.58 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.61 BoP, current US$ per person | 0.6865 BoP, current US$ per person | 55.99 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.15 BoP, current US$ per person | -73.89 BoP, current US$ per person | 118.58 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.18 BoP, current US$ per person | -3.08 BoP, current US$ per person | 138.36 BoP, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | -19.69 BoP, current US$ per person | -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person | 38.07 BoP, current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 175 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -20.86 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 176 Oman -27.03 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 177 Grenada -30.86 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 179 Tuvalu -89.78 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 180 Antigua and Barbuda -99.14 BoP, current US$ per person compare
- 181 Nauru -111.87 BoP, current US$ per person compare
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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0145 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 95.75 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0106 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 69.91 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -28.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0077 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita in South Africa was -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 138.36 BoP, current US$ per person in 2014.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -73.89 BoP, current US$ per person in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita?
- South Africa ranks 178th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 163.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.