Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 60.29 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean, 1970–2025
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$.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 60.29 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
The figure is down 46.8% on the previous year and down 65.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 174.24 billion BoP, current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -345.20 million BoP, current US$, in 1990.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 19th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23.22 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 3.87 million BoP, current US$ | -83.3% |
| 1972 | 23.53 million BoP, current US$ | +508.0% |
| 1973 | 33.11 million BoP, current US$ | +40.7% |
| 1974 | 69.34 million BoP, current US$ | +109.4% |
| 1975 | 147.53 million BoP, current US$ | +112.8% |
| 1976 | 221.01 million BoP, current US$ | +49.8% |
| 1977 | 214.79 million BoP, current US$ | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 152.91 million BoP, current US$ | -28.8% |
| 1979 | 173.08 million BoP, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1980 | 584.78 million BoP, current US$ | +237.9% |
| 1981 | 133.65 million BoP, current US$ | -77.1% |
| 1982 | 483.61 million BoP, current US$ | +261.8% |
| 1983 | 306.69 million BoP, current US$ | -36.6% |
| 1984 | 409.61 million BoP, current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1985 | 469.27 million BoP, current US$ | +14.6% |
| 1986 | 1.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +163.0% |
| 1987 | 409.91 million BoP, current US$ | -66.8% |
| 1988 | 579.36 million BoP, current US$ | +41.3% |
| 1989 | 4.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +628.5% |
| 1990 | -345.20 million BoP, current US$ | -108.2% |
| 1991 | 3.41 billion BoP, current US$ | -1087.7% |
| 1992 | 2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.2% |
| 1993 | 7.96 billion BoP, current US$ | +192.8% |
| 1994 | 6.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.0% |
| 1995 | 7.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1996 | 7.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 16.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +103.6% |
| 1998 | 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 22.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.4% |
| 2000 | 52.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +130.5% |
| 2001 | 40.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.5% |
| 2002 | 8.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -78.7% |
| 2003 | 27.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +221.1% |
| 2004 | 34.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.9% |
| 2005 | 43.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.2% |
| 2006 | 81.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +88.1% |
| 2007 | 91.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.8% |
| 2008 | 99.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2009 | 62.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -37.3% |
| 2010 | 137.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +121.3% |
| 2011 | 142.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 130.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 141.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.5% |
| 2014 | 150.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 174.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2016 | 74.31 billion BoP, current US$ | -57.4% |
| 2017 | 91.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.9% |
| 2018 | 71.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.1% |
| 2019 | 89.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.0% |
| 2020 | 52.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.4% |
| 2021 | 86.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +64.6% |
| 2022 | 123.74 billion BoP, current US$ | +43.2% |
| 2023 | 82.69 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.2% |
| 2024 | 113.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.2% |
| 2025 | 60.29 billion BoP, current US$ | -46.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 106.24 million BoP, current US$ | 3.87 million BoP, current US$ | 221.01 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 883.17 million BoP, current US$ | 133.65 million BoP, current US$ | 4.22 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -345.20 million BoP, current US$ | 22.83 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.03 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.58 billion BoP, current US$ | 99.37 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 120.28 billion BoP, current US$ | 71.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 174.24 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 52.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 123.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 16 Malta 36.46 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 17 India 35.69 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 18 Denmark 30.70 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 19 Brazil 30.18 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 27.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 21 Switzerland 25.32 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 22 Italy 22.90 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Latin America & Caribbean
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 4.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 6.0% (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 26.4% (2025)
- External balance on goods and services -0.3% (2025)
- Trade 49.1% (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 8,438 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 363.36 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 7.1% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 30.3% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 1.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Latin America & Caribbean was 60.29 billion 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 Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 174.24 billion BoP, current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was -345.20 million BoP, current US$ in 1990.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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.