Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 4.70 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Zimbabwe, 1977–2025
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$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Zimbabwe stood at 4.70 million BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 96.4% on the previous year and down 78.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Zimbabwe peaked at 131.30 million BoP, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, -22.13 million BoP, current US$, in 1988.
That places Zimbabwe 137th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 6.70 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1984 | 1.90 million BoP, current US$ | -71.6% |
| 1985 | 1.40 million BoP, current US$ | -26.3% |
| 1986 | 100,000 BoP, current US$ | -92.9% |
| 1987 | 29.80 million BoP, current US$ | +29700.0% |
| 1988 | -22.13 million BoP, current US$ | -174.3% |
| 1989 | 1,000 BoP, current US$ | -100.0% |
| 1990 | 17.30 million BoP, current US$ | +1729900.0% |
| 1991 | 11.80 million BoP, current US$ | -31.8% |
| 1992 | 4.40 million BoP, current US$ | -62.7% |
| 1993 | 6.70 million BoP, current US$ | +52.3% |
| 1994 | 4.73 million BoP, current US$ | -29.5% |
| 1995 | 13.40 million BoP, current US$ | +183.5% |
| 1996 | 51.00 million BoP, current US$ | +280.6% |
| 1997 | 28.20 million BoP, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 1998 | 8.60 million BoP, current US$ | -69.5% |
| 1999 | 9.00 million BoP, current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 7.50 million BoP, current US$ | -16.7% |
| 2001 | 4.10 million BoP, current US$ | -45.3% |
| 2002 | 3.20 million BoP, current US$ | -22.0% |
| 2003 | 200,000 BoP, current US$ | -93.8% |
| 2004 | 1,000 BoP, current US$ | -99.5% |
| 2005 | 1.10 million BoP, current US$ | +109900.0% |
| 2006 | 10,000 BoP, current US$ | -99.1% |
| 2007 | 3.10 million BoP, current US$ | +30900.0% |
| 2008 | 8.00 million BoP, current US$ | +158.1% |
| 2010 | 43.30 million BoP, current US$ | +441.2% |
| 2011 | 42.70 million BoP, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 49.00 million BoP, current US$ | +14.8% |
| 2013 | 27.00 million BoP, current US$ | -44.9% |
| 2014 | 72.00 million BoP, current US$ | +166.7% |
| 2015 | 22.00 million BoP, current US$ | -69.4% |
| 2016 | 32.00 million BoP, current US$ | +45.5% |
| 2017 | 934,677 BoP, current US$ | -97.1% |
| 2018 | -9.31 million BoP, current US$ | -1095.7% |
| 2019 | -11.31 million BoP, current US$ | +21.5% |
| 2020 | -3.50 million BoP, current US$ | -69.0% |
| 2021 | 2.50 million BoP, current US$ | -171.4% |
| 2022 | 58.30 million BoP, current US$ | +2232.0% |
| 2023 | 30.50 million BoP, current US$ | -47.7% |
| 2024 | 131.30 million BoP, current US$ | +330.5% |
| 2025 | 4.70 million BoP, current US$ | -96.4% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 4.70 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.34 million BoP, current US$, 12% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 4.70 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.73 million BoP, current US$, 34% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +1729900.0% | 1,000 BoP, current US$ | 17.30 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2005 | +109900.0% | 1,000 BoP, current US$ | 1.10 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2007 | +30900.0% | 10,000 BoP, current US$ | 3.10 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1987 | +29700.0% | 100,000 BoP, current US$ | 29.80 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2022 | +2232.0% | 2.50 million BoP, current US$ | 58.30 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2018 | -1095.7% | 934,677 BoP, current US$ | -9.31 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$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 1.78 million BoP, current US$ | -22.13 million BoP, current US$ | 29.80 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.51 million BoP, current US$ | 4.40 million BoP, current US$ | 51.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.02 million BoP, current US$ | 1,000 BoP, current US$ | 8.00 million BoP, current US$ | 9 |
| 2010s | 26.83 million BoP, current US$ | -11.31 million BoP, current US$ | 72.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.30 million BoP, current US$ | -3.50 million BoP, current US$ | 131.30 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 134 Cameroon 6.89 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 135 Niger 6.51 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 136 Mongolia 5.53 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 138 East Timor 4.50 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 139 Nauru 4.20 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 140 Burundi 3.90 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Zimbabwe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.02 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 139.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.1973 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 128.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.1441 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 0.0189 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Zimbabwe?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Zimbabwe was 4.70 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 131.30 million BoP, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.13 million BoP, current US$ in 1988.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Zimbabwe ranks 137th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 78.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.