Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 1.12 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sao Tome and Principe, 1974–2025
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$.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 1.12 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 8.7% on the previous year and down 57.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 14.55 million BoP, current US$ in 2005 and was at its lowest, -200,363 BoP, current US$, in 1988.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1975 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1977 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1979 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1980 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1981 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1982 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1983 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1984 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1985 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1986 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1987 | 0 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1988 | -200,363 BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1989 | 0 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 2005 | 14.55 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 2006 | 3.07 million BoP, current US$ | -78.9% |
| 2007 | 3.12 million BoP, current US$ | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 94,589 BoP, current US$ | -97.0% |
| 2009 | 150,292 BoP, current US$ | +58.9% |
| 2010 | 55,224 BoP, current US$ | -63.3% |
| 2011 | 297,256 BoP, current US$ | +438.3% |
| 2012 | 402,788 BoP, current US$ | +35.5% |
| 2013 | 910,219 BoP, current US$ | +126.0% |
| 2014 | 3.93 million BoP, current US$ | +331.9% |
| 2015 | 2.65 million BoP, current US$ | -32.5% |
| 2016 | 1.01 million BoP, current US$ | -62.1% |
| 2017 | 322,067 BoP, current US$ | -68.0% |
| 2018 | 2.39 million BoP, current US$ | +643.3% |
| 2019 | 938,906 BoP, current US$ | -60.8% |
| 2020 | 853,447 BoP, current US$ | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 113,172 BoP, current US$ | -86.7% |
| 2022 | 155,967 BoP, current US$ | +37.8% |
| 2023 | 1.23 million BoP, current US$ | +689.4% |
| 2024 | 1.23 million BoP, current US$ | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 1.12 million BoP, current US$ | -8.7% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 1.12 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.34 million BoP, current US$, 3% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 1.12 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.73 million BoP, current US$, 8% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Sao Tome and Principe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +689.4% | 155,967 BoP, current US$ | 1.23 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2018 | +643.3% | 322,067 BoP, current US$ | 2.39 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 6 |
| 1980s | -20,036 BoP, current US$ | -200,363 BoP, current US$ | 0 BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.20 million BoP, current US$ | 94,589 BoP, current US$ | 14.55 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 2010s | 1.29 million BoP, current US$ | 55,224 BoP, current US$ | 3.93 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 784,473 BoP, current US$ | 113,172 BoP, current US$ | 1.23 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More economy & growth data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 94.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0073 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 29.83 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 85.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0053 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 21.78 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 0.0207 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sao Tome and Principe was 1.12 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 Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 14.55 million BoP, current US$ in 2005.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -200,363 BoP, current US$ in 1988.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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.