Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 44.42 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income, 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$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income is 44.42 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 50.4% on the previous year and up 200.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income peaked at 44.42 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, -3.50 million BoP, current US$, in 1975.
That places Lower middle income 24th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1972 | 1.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1973 | 5.00 million BoP, current US$ | +400.0% |
| 1974 | 9.24 million BoP, current US$ | +84.8% |
| 1975 | -3.50 million BoP, current US$ | -137.8% |
| 1976 | 10.04 million BoP, current US$ | -387.1% |
| 1977 | 67.98 million BoP, current US$ | +577.0% |
| 1978 | 67.56 million BoP, current US$ | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 52.53 million BoP, current US$ | -22.3% |
| 1980 | 50.35 million BoP, current US$ | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 45.00 million BoP, current US$ | -10.6% |
| 1982 | 22.71 million BoP, current US$ | -49.5% |
| 1983 | 123.55 million BoP, current US$ | +444.0% |
| 1984 | 89.18 million BoP, current US$ | -27.8% |
| 1985 | 44.95 million BoP, current US$ | -49.6% |
| 1986 | 495.97 million BoP, current US$ | +1003.4% |
| 1987 | 147.50 million BoP, current US$ | -70.3% |
| 1988 | 184.56 million BoP, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 1989 | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +465.8% |
| 1990 | 756.82 million BoP, current US$ | -27.5% |
| 1991 | 576.33 million BoP, current US$ | -23.8% |
| 1992 | 514.27 million BoP, current US$ | -10.8% |
| 1993 | 1.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +179.0% |
| 1994 | 815.79 million BoP, current US$ | -43.1% |
| 1995 | 621.20 million BoP, current US$ | -23.9% |
| 1996 | 1.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +148.9% |
| 1997 | 1.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -29.7% |
| 1998 | 1.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 1.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 1.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.1% |
| 2001 | 1.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.9% |
| 2002 | 2.69 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.6% |
| 2003 | 3.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.5% |
| 2004 | 4.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +37.3% |
| 2005 | 5.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.2% |
| 2006 | 19.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +262.5% |
| 2007 | 21.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2008 | 27.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.9% |
| 2009 | 22.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.0% |
| 2010 | 25.05 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 19.44 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.4% |
| 2012 | 16.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 2013 | 9.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.0% |
| 2014 | 22.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +126.7% |
| 2015 | 14.76 billion BoP, current US$ | -34.4% |
| 2016 | 12.55 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.9% |
| 2017 | 19.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.1% |
| 2018 | 17.36 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 16.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 15.48 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2021 | 22.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +43.2% |
| 2022 | 19.85 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2023 | 17.64 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.1% |
| 2024 | 29.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +67.5% |
| 2025 | 44.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +50.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Lower middle income changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +1003.4% | 44.95 million BoP, current US$ | 495.97 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1977 | +577.0% | 10.04 million BoP, current US$ | 67.98 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1989 | +465.8% | 184.56 million BoP, current US$ | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1983 | +444.0% | 22.71 million BoP, current US$ | 123.55 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1973 | +400.0% | 1.00 million BoP, current US$ | 5.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1976 | +387.1% | -3.50 million BoP, current US$ | 10.04 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20.99 million BoP, current US$ | -3.50 million BoP, current US$ | 67.98 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 224.81 million BoP, current US$ | 22.71 million BoP, current US$ | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 961.53 million BoP, current US$ | 514.27 million BoP, current US$ | 1.55 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.95 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 27.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 25.05 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.85 billion BoP, current US$ | 15.48 billion BoP, current US$ | 44.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
- 21 Cayman Islands 25.25 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 22 Italy 22.90 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 23 Israel 14.72 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 24 Mexico 12.98 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 25 Malta 11.40 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 26 Turkey 9.83 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 27 Thailand 9.58 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Lower middle income
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 6.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 6.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 80.81 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.7321 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1,817 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.7194 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 6.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 1,785 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 261.65 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 13.57 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income was 44.42 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 Lower middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 44.42 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.50 million BoP, current US$ in 1975.
- How does Lower middle income rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Lower middle income ranks 24th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Lower middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 200.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lower middle income 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.