Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income, 1976–2025
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income is 0.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 33.5% on the previous year and up 93.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Lower middle income peaked at 1.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1982.
That places Lower middle income 28th 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 in Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | +371.1% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -12.4% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | -33.2% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -24.7% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -19.0% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -51.8% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | +450.4% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | -44.2% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -58.7% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +1545.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -71.6% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | +19.5% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +480.3% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -31.4% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -18.2% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -16.1% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | +177.2% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -49.8% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -36.4% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +117.5% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -34.0% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +23.2% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +11.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +58.1% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | +18.1% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | +208.8% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -6.8% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | +12.0% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -20.7% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -8.0% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -28.8% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -18.0% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -43.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +116.6% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -33.7% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -19.5% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +46.3% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -16.6% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +25.9% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -12.6% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -16.6% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | +71.0% |
| 2025 | 0.6% | +33.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
- 25 Republic of Korea 2.2% compare
- 26 Portugal 2.2% compare
- 27 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.2% compare
- 28 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.2% compare
- 29 Germany 2.1% compare
- 30 Saudi Arabia 2.1% compare
- 31 Finland 2.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Lower middle income
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 576.45 current US$ per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2323 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 6.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 2,593 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.04 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 6.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per capita 2,779 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.12 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross national expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 6.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,919 constant 2015 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 0.6% 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 1.0% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1982.
- How does Lower middle income rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Lower middle income ranks 28th 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 93.8%. 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 (% of GDP). 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, and is divided by GDP.