Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Laos
Laos: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 38.34 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Laos, 1983–2025
Source: 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. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Laos recorded 38.34 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Laos peaked at 39.70 million BoP, current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -28.57 million BoP, current US$, in 2013.
Laos ranks 116th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Laos, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | -1.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1984 | -1.00 million BoP, current US$ | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -212,000 BoP, current US$ | -78.8% |
| 1986 | -506,000 BoP, current US$ | +138.7% |
| 1987 | 498,000 BoP, current US$ | -198.4% |
| 1988 | 383,000 BoP, current US$ | -23.1% |
| 1989 | 2.67 million BoP, current US$ | +596.9% |
| 1990 | 168,000 BoP, current US$ | -93.7% |
| 1991 | 136,000 BoP, current US$ | -19.0% |
| 1992 | 1.52 million BoP, current US$ | +1014.7% |
| 1993 | 55,000 BoP, current US$ | -96.4% |
| 1994 | 1.02 million BoP, current US$ | +1758.2% |
| 1995 | 4.18 million BoP, current US$ | +308.8% |
| 1996 | 3.40 million BoP, current US$ | -18.5% |
| 1997 | 1.28 million BoP, current US$ | -62.4% |
| 1998 | 3.01 million BoP, current US$ | +135.0% |
| 1999 | 557,000 BoP, current US$ | -81.5% |
| 2000 | 9.91 million BoP, current US$ | +1679.0% |
| 2001 | 320,501 BoP, current US$ | -96.8% |
| 2002 | 200,000 BoP, current US$ | -37.6% |
| 2003 | -26,479 BoP, current US$ | -113.2% |
| 2004 | 1.11 million BoP, current US$ | -4276.1% |
| 2005 | -86,915 BoP, current US$ | -107.9% |
| 2006 | 587 BoP, current US$ | -100.7% |
| 2007 | 21.47 million BoP, current US$ | +3657838.7% |
| 2008 | -16.93 million BoP, current US$ | -178.9% |
| 2009 | 2.51 million BoP, current US$ | -114.8% |
| 2010 | 33.45 million BoP, current US$ | +1231.7% |
| 2011 | 358,747 BoP, current US$ | -98.9% |
| 2012 | -16.86 million BoP, current US$ | -4799.4% |
| 2013 | -28.57 million BoP, current US$ | +69.5% |
| 2014 | 7.06 million BoP, current US$ | -124.7% |
| 2015 | 39.70 million BoP, current US$ | +462.5% |
| 2016 | 15.18 million BoP, current US$ | -61.7% |
| 2017 | 9.70 million BoP, current US$ | -36.1% |
| 2018 | 10 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 2019 | 10 BoP, current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 6,670 BoP, current US$ | +66600.0% |
| 2025 | 38.34 million BoP, current US$ | +574670.6% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 38.34 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.34 million BoP, current US$, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Laos's 38.34 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 43.49 million BoP, current US$, 88% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Laos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +3657838.7% | 587 BoP, current US$ | 21.47 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2025 | +574670.6% | 6,670 BoP, current US$ | 38.34 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2022 | +66600.0% | 10 BoP, current US$ | 6,670 BoP, current US$ |
| 2012 | -4799.4% | 358,747 BoP, current US$ | -16.86 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2004 | +4276.1% | -26,479 BoP, current US$ | 1.11 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1994 | +1758.2% | 55,000 BoP, current US$ | 1.02 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 118,857 BoP, current US$ | -1.00 million BoP, current US$ | 2.67 million BoP, current US$ | 7 |
| 1990s | 1.53 million BoP, current US$ | 55,000 BoP, current US$ | 4.18 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.85 million BoP, current US$ | -16.93 million BoP, current US$ | 21.47 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.00 million BoP, current US$ | -28.57 million BoP, current US$ | 39.70 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.17 million BoP, current US$ | 6,670 BoP, current US$ | 38.34 million BoP, current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 113 Fiji 43.06 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 114 Namibia 42.76 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 115 Ghana 38.84 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 117 Bangladesh 34.41 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 118 Kyrgyzstan 33.04 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 119 Afghanistan 30.79 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Laos
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.39 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 60.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0083 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 19.21 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 52.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 14.03 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0069 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Laos?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Laos was 38.34 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 39.70 million BoP, current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was -28.57 million BoP, current US$ in 2013.
- How does Laos rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Laos ranks 116th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from 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, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.