Total FDI outflows — Value US$ in Southern Africa

Southern Africa: Total FDI outflows — Value US$ was -3,181 million USD in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
-3,181 million USD
Change on year
down 246.8%
Rank
30th
of 30 groups
All-time high
7,803 million USD
in 2014
All-time low
-3,181 million USD
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Total FDI outflows — Value US$ in Southern Africa, 1990–2023

-2.5k02.5k5.0k7.5k1990200620231990: 39.2 million USD1991: 235.9 million USD1992: 1.9k million USD1993: 317.7 million USD1994: 1.3k million USD1995: 2.6k million USD1996: 1.0k million USD1997: 2.3k million USD1998: 1.8k million USD1999: 1.6k million USD2000: 271.2 million USD2001: -2.8k million USD2002: -350.2 million USD2003: 798 million USD2004: 1.4k million USD2005: 863.6 million USD2006: 6.0k million USD2007: 3.0k million USD2008: -3.1k million USD2009: 1.2k million USD2010: -79.7 million USD2011: -250.3 million USD2012: 3.0k million USD2013: 6.7k million USD2014: 7.8k million USD2015: 6.0k million USD2016: 4.6k million USD2017: 7.4k million USD2018: 4.2k million USD2019: 3.2k million USD2020: -2.0k million USD2021: 184.7 million USD2022: 2.2k million USD2023: -3.2k million USD

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in million USD.

Analysis

In 2023, total fdi outflows — value us$ in Southern Africa stood at -3,181 million USD. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.

The figure is down 246.8% on the previous year and down 147.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total fdi outflows — value us$ in Southern Africa peaked at 7,803 million USD in 2014 and was at its lowest, -3,181 million USD, in 2023.

Southern Africa ranks 30th of 30 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Total FDI outflows — Value US$ in Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Total FDI outflows — Value US$ in Southern Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year million USD Change
1990 39.25 million USD
1991 235.87 million USD +501.0%
1992 1,950 million USD +726.6%
1993 317.66 million USD -83.7%
1994 1,299 million USD +308.9%
1995 2,568 million USD +97.7%
1996 1,034 million USD -59.7%
1997 2,343 million USD +126.7%
1998 1,808 million USD -22.9%
1999 1,596 million USD -11.7%
2000 271.25 million USD -83.0%
2001 -2,815 million USD -1137.9%
2002 -350.25 million USD -87.6%
2003 797.98 million USD -327.8%
2004 1,410 million USD +76.6%
2005 863.58 million USD -38.7%
2006 6,025 million USD +597.6%
2007 2,955 million USD -51.0%
2008 -3,055 million USD -203.4%
2009 1,213 million USD -139.7%
2010 -79.73 million USD -106.6%
2011 -250.29 million USD +213.9%
2012 2,999 million USD -1298.1%
2013 6,735 million USD +124.6%
2014 7,803 million USD +15.9%
2015 6,028 million USD -22.7%
2016 4,632 million USD -23.2%
2017 7,370 million USD +59.1%
2018 4,246 million USD -42.4%
2019 3,158 million USD -25.6%
2020 -1,980 million USD -162.7%
2021 184.65 million USD -109.3%
2022 2,166 million USD +1073.2%
2023 -3,181 million USD -246.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1,319 million USD 39.25 million USD 2,568 million USD 10
2000s 731.34 million USD -3,055 million USD 6,025 million USD 10
2010s 4,264 million USD -250.29 million USD 7,803 million USD 10
2020s -702.54 million USD -3,181 million USD 2,166 million USD 4

Countries ranked near Southern Africa

  1. 27 Israel 9,970 million USD compare
  2. 28 Australia 9,823 million USD compare
  3. 29 Austria 9,594 million USD compare
  4. 30 Australia and New Zealand 9,015 million USD compare
  5. 31 Norway 8,153 million USD compare
  6. 32 Malaysia 7,643 million USD compare
  7. 33 Indonesia 7,070 million USD compare

See the full ranking of 214 places →

More economy & growth data for Southern Africa

All data for Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is total fdi outflows — value us$ in Southern Africa?
Total fdi outflows — value us$ in Southern Africa was -3,181 million USD in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest total fdi outflows — value us$ recorded in Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 7,803 million USD in 2014.
What is the lowest total fdi outflows — value us$ recorded in Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was -3,181 million USD in 2023.
How does Southern Africa rank for total fdi outflows — value us$?
Southern Africa ranks 30th out of 30 groups with data for 2023.
Is total fdi outflows — value us$ rising or falling in Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 147.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Total FDI outflows — Value US$. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total FDI outflows — Value US$ in Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/total-fdi-outflows-value-us/southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Total FDI outflows — Value US$
Unit
million USD
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
214 places, 6,077 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

FDI is an investment which aims to acquire a lasting management influence (10 percent or more of the voting stock) in an enterprise operating in a foreign economy. FDI may be undertaken by individuals, as well as business entities. The foreign direct investor most often is aiming to gain access to natural resources, to markets, to labour supply, to technology, to ensure security of supplies or to control the quality of a certain product. FDI can be decomposed into two types of investments: mergers and acquisitions (MA) and greenfield investments. The latter type results in the creation of new entities and the setting up of offices, buildings, plants or factories from scratch in a foreign economy. FDI is the sum of equity capital, reinvested earnings and other FDI capital. Equity capital comprises equity in branches, all shares in subsidiaries and associates (except non-participating, preferred shares that are treated as debt securities and are included under other FDI capital) and other contributions such as the provision of machinery. Reinvested earnings consist of the direct investor's share (in proportion to equity participation) of earnings not distributed by the direct investment enterprise. Other FDI capital (loans) includes the borrowing and lending of funds, including debt securities and trade credits between direct investors and direct investment enterprises. FDI inflows and outflows are important for tracking the direct investment conditions each year. Outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows record the value of cross-border direct investment transactions from the reporting economy during a year. It represents transactions affecting the investment in enterprises resident abroad. Whereas, Inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows record the value of cross-border direct investment transactions received by the reporting economy during a year. It represents transactions affecting the investment in enterprises of a specific industry resident in the reporting economy.