Foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America
North America: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America, 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$.
Analysis
North America recorded 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.5% on the previous year and up 24.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America peaked at 589.14 billion BoP, current US$ in 2007 and was at its lowest, -67.99 billion BoP, current US$, in 2018.
North America ranks 6th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7.42 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 6.08 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.1% |
| 1972 | 7.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.9% |
| 1973 | 10.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.8% |
| 1974 | 6.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.0% |
| 1975 | 14.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +129.9% |
| 1976 | 12.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.7% |
| 1977 | 12.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 16.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +28.9% |
| 1979 | 28.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +71.5% |
| 1980 | 23.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.0% |
| 1981 | 15.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 1982 | 10.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.2% |
| 1983 | 14.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.2% |
| 1984 | 17.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.2% |
| 1985 | 7.44 billion BoP, current US$ | -57.2% |
| 1986 | 22.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +207.5% |
| 1987 | 47.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +107.1% |
| 1988 | 29.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.7% |
| 1989 | 57.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +97.6% |
| 1990 | 65.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.0% |
| 1991 | 55.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.5% |
| 1992 | 64.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.8% |
| 1993 | 87.94 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.2% |
| 1994 | 100.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.4% |
| 1995 | 125.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 1996 | 115.31 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 1997 | 148.13 billion BoP, current US$ | +28.5% |
| 1998 | 211.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.6% |
| 1999 | 267.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 2000 | 233.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 182.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.5% |
| 2002 | 208.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.9% |
| 2003 | 218.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 418.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +91.5% |
| 2005 | 79.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -80.9% |
| 2006 | 334.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +318.3% |
| 2007 | 589.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +76.2% |
| 2008 | 432.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -26.6% |
| 2009 | 350.35 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.0% |
| 2010 | 386.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 486.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.0% |
| 2012 | 439.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 447.31 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 452.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 385.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.7% |
| 2016 | 367.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 487.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.7% |
| 2018 | -67.99 billion BoP, current US$ | -113.9% |
| 2019 | 190.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -380.6% |
| 2020 | 329.75 billion BoP, current US$ | +72.8% |
| 2021 | 446.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +35.5% |
| 2022 | 477.74 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 442.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 411.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.0% |
| 2025 | 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.33 billion BoP, current US$ | 6.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 28.55 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.45 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.44 billion BoP, current US$ | 57.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 124.28 billion BoP, current US$ | 55.75 billion BoP, current US$ | 267.44 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 304.79 billion BoP, current US$ | 79.90 billion BoP, current US$ | 589.14 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 357.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -67.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 487.56 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 431.37 billion BoP, current US$ | 329.75 billion BoP, current US$ | 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 3 China 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 4 Luxembourg 108.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 5 Germany 108.13 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 6 Singapore 94.20 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 7 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 86.93 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 8 Hong Kong, China 80.54 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 9 France 80.27 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for North America
- Imports of goods and services 4.34 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Gross fixed capital formation 21.5% (2024)
- Gross capital formation 6.84 trillion current US$ (2024)
- Gross capital formation 5.52 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Gross capital formation 3.2% (2024)
- Trade in services 7.5% (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 4.86 trillion current US$ (2024)
- External balance on goods and services -2.8% (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added 2.69 trillion current US$ (2021)
- Trade 28.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in North America was 479.40 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 589.14 billion BoP, current US$ in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was -67.99 billion BoP, current US$ in 2018.
- How does North America rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- North America ranks 6th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North America 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.