Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per was 54.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
54.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
down 23.5%
Rank
37th
of 47 groups
All-time high
233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
in 2010
All-time low
-55.77 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
in 1998
Years of data
53
1971–2023

Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries, 1971–2023

-1000100200197119972023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in BoP, current US$ per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per in Least developed countries stood at 54.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre.

The figure is down 23.5% on the previous year and down 68.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per in Least developed countries peaked at 233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre in 2010 and was at its lowest, -55.77 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre, in 1998.

That places Least developed countries 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, 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 (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per square kilometre in Least developed countries, 1971 to 2023.
Year BoP, current US$ per square kilometre Change
1971 0 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1972 0 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1973 0 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1974 0.2367 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1975 0.1048 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -55.7%
1976 0.366 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +249.3%
1977 0.4641 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +26.8%
1978 0.0592 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -87.3%
1979 0.8603 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +1354.0%
1980 14.08 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +1537.0%
1981 3.39 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -76.0%
1982 11.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +226.5%
1983 3.75 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -66.1%
1984 3.69 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -1.5%
1985 15.63 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +323.4%
1986 -16.12 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -203.1%
1987 4.98 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -130.9%
1988 12.64 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +153.5%
1989 1.85 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -85.3%
1990 -4.16 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -324.7%
1991 13.62 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -427.2%
1992 6 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -55.9%
1993 3.1 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -48.4%
1994 5.9 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +90.4%
1995 -3.31 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -156.2%
1996 -1.8 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -45.8%
1997 30.31 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -1787.6%
1998 -55.77 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -284.0%
1999 5.65 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -110.1%
2000 37.03 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +555.1%
2001 -9.02 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -124.4%
2002 16.3 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -280.7%
2003 17.58 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +7.9%
2004 59.33 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +237.4%
2005 42.44 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -28.5%
2006 48.43 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +14.1%
2007 75.53 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +55.9%
2008 177.2 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +134.6%
2009 18.22 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -89.7%
2010 233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +1180.8%
2011 216.46 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -7.2%
2012 147.39 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -31.9%
2013 171.2 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +16.2%
2014 54.95 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -67.9%
2015 22.24 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -59.5%
2016 94.62 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +325.5%
2017 108.61 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre +14.8%
2018 0.6127 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -99.4%
2019 -47.86 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -7910.9%
2020 29.72 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -162.1%
2021 -21.44 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -172.2%
2022 70.69 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -429.7%
2023 54.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -23.5%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries 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.

YearChange FromTo
2019 -7910.9% 0.6127 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -47.86 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1997 +1787.6% -1.8 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 30.31 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1980 +1537.0% 0.8603 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 14.08 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
1979 +1354.0% 0.0592 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 0.8603 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
2010 +1180.8% 18.22 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.2324 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 0 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 0.8603 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 9
1980s 5.5 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -16.12 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 15.63 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 10
1990s -0.0449 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -55.77 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 30.31 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 10
2000s 48.3 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -9.02 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 177.2 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 10
2010s 100.16 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -47.86 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 10
2020s 33.26 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre -21.44 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 70.69 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 34 Lithuania 38,442 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  2. 35 United States of America 38,381 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  3. 36 Greece 31,425 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  4. 37 Norway 29,917 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  5. 38 Thailand 26,782 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  6. 39 Croatia 24,432 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare
  7. 40 Malaysia 24,244 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More economy & growth data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per in Least developed countries?
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per in Least developed countries was 54.06 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per recorded in Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 233.34 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre in 2010.
What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was -55.77 BoP, current US$ per square kilometre in 1998.
How does Least developed countries rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per?
Least developed countries ranks 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
Is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), per rising or falling in Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is down 68.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-outflows-bop-current-us-per-square-kilometre/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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<a href="https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-outflows-bop-current-us-per-square-kilometre/least-developed-countries-un-classification/">Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per in Least developed countries</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), 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$) ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

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

Indicator
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per square kilometre
Unit
BoP, current US$ per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
235 places, 9,589 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.