Gross capital formation in North America
North America: Gross capital formation was 21.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Gross capital formation in North America, 1970–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, gross capital formation in North America stood at 21.6%.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross capital formation in North America peaked at 25.1% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 18.1%, in 2009.
That places North America 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Gross capital formation in North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 21.5% | — |
| 1971 | 22.0% | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 22.6% | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 23.4% | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 23.0% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 20.7% | -9.9% |
| 1976 | 22.3% | +7.9% |
| 1977 | 23.6% | +5.6% |
| 1978 | 24.7% | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 25.1% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 23.4% | -7.0% |
| 1981 | 24.4% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 21.9% | -10.2% |
| 1983 | 22.1% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 24.8% | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 24.0% | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 23.5% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 22.9% | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 22.6% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 21.5% | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 20.0% | -6.8% |
| 1992 | 19.9% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.2% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 21.1% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 21.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 22.3% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 22.8% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 23.2% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 23.5% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 22.0% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 21.6% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 21.7% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 22.6% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 23.3% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 22.7% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 21.3% | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 18.1% | -15.0% |
| 2010 | 19.1% | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 20.4% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 20.8% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 21.3% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 21.0% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 21.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 21.7% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 21.8% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 21.5% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 21.6% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 22.3% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 21.7% | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 21.6% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.9% | 20.7% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.3% | 21.9% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.4% | 19.9% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.0% | 18.1% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.9% | 19.1% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 21.5% | 22.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
More economy & growth data for North America
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 7.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 65,508 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 3.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.188 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 15,566 current US$ per person (2024)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per capita 85,298 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9945 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI (current US$), annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.759 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9883 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross capital formation in North America?
- Gross capital formation in North America was 21.6% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gross capital formation recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 1979.
- What is the lowest gross capital formation recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.1% in 2009.
- How does North America rank for gross capital formation?
- North America ranks 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross capital formation rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Gross capital formation (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross capital formation includes acquisitions less disposals of produced assets for purposes of fixed capital formation, inventories or valuables. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.