Country profile
Timor-Leste
East Asia & Pacific · Lower-middle income · Capital: Dili
Key figures, 2025
FDI inflows 2025
$253 m
Inflows % of GDP
13.3%
FDI outflows
$5 m
Net FDI
—
FDI % of investment
44.7%
In 2025, Timor-Leste recorded FDI net inflows of $253 m, up 12% from $226 m in 2024. Its 2020–2024 average was −$38 m. By value, that ranks 71st of 97 economies with data for 2025. This is the highest annual inflow in a series that begins in 2003. Inflows were equivalent to 13.3% of GDP in 2025 — above the East Asia & Pacific aggregate (1.3%) and above the world as a whole (1.3%).
About this summary
Generated automatically from World Bank data. Figures are balance-of-payments net flows in current US$; 2025 is the latest year with broad coverage across economies.Trends
FDI flows over time
Net flows, current US$ (balance-of-payments basis)
- Inflows
- Outflows
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD and BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD.
Timor-Leste compared with its region and the world
- Timor-Leste
- East Asia & Pacific (aggregate)
- World
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicator BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS.
FDI vs remittances, aid and portfolio equity, current US$
- FDI inflows
- Remittances
- Aid (ODA)
FDI is only one of the ways foreign money reaches an economy. For many developing economies, remittances from workers abroad or official aid are larger and more stable; portfolio equity is typically the most volatile.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD, BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT, DT.ODA.ODAT.CD, BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD.
Economy at a glance
The economy behind the investment
The macroeconomic, trade and workforce indicators investors and trade officials look at alongside FDI — latest year, 15-year trend and regional and world benchmarks.
| IMF World Economic Outlook | 2024 | 2025 | 2026forecast | 2027forecast | 2028forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | 4.3% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| Inflation | 2.1% | 0.5% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| Current account, % GDP | −32.4% | −34.0% | −32.0% | −33.1% | −33.9% |
| Fiscal balance, % GDP | −47.0% | −48.0% | −51.6% | −50.6% | −51.0% |
| Government gross debt, % GDP | 14.4% | 14.3% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.8% |
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).
Size & growth
GDP
$1.9 bn2025
169th of 186
GDP per capita
$1,3412025
163rd of 186Region $14,077World $14,406
GNI per capita (PPP)
$5,1202025
149th of 181Region $29,315World $25,517
Population
1.4 m2025
154th of 217
Population growth
1.3%2025
82nd of 217Region 0.1%World 0.9%
Trade & structure
Exports of goods & services
$197 m2024
163rd of 171
Imports of goods & services
$1.6 bn2024
155th of 171
Trade openness (% of GDP)
95.4%2024
65th of 172Region 58.4%World 56.7%
Manufacturing, % of GDP
1.9%2024
165th of 178Region 22.2%World 14.9%
Services, % of GDP
71.6%2024
23rd of 189Region 59.3%World 63.3%
High-tech exports, % of manufactured exports
1.5%2023
131st of 160Region 33.7%World 23.0%
Workforce & innovation
Labour force
635 k2025
151st of 182
Internet users, % of population
35.0%2021
151st of 180Region 78.8%World 63.8%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Latest available year shown for each indicator; ranks are among economies reporting that year (highest = 1st). Region = World Bank regional aggregate. Growth, inflation, unemployment, the current account and government debt are shown in the IMF table above where the IMF covers the economy.
Who invests
Source and destination economies
Direct investment positions (stocks) by immediate counterpart economy, as reported to the OECD.
No bilateral positions for this economy
Structure & policy
Sectors and FDI openness
Inward FDI positions by sector
No sector breakdown
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness
IndexNot covered by the index
Peers
Similar-sized economies in East Asia & Pacific
The six economies in the same World Bank region with the closest GDP, ranked by FDI inflows as a share of GDP (2024).
- 🇹🇱Timor-Leste12.1%
- 🇻🇺Vanuatu2.2%
- 🇸🇧Solomon Islands2.1%
- 🇼🇸Samoa0.3%
- 🇹🇴Tonga−1.9%
Sources & notes
World Bank, World Development Indicators
- FDI net inflows —
BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD - FDI net outflows —
BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD - FDI net inflows, % of GDP —
BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS - Gross fixed capital formation —
NE.GDI.FTOT.CD - Personal remittances received —
BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT - Net official development assistance received —
DT.ODA.ODAT.CD - Portfolio equity net inflows —
BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD - Real GDP growth —
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG - Inflation (annual average) —
FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG - Unemployment rate —
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS - Current account balance, % of GDP —
BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS - Exports of goods & services —
NE.EXP.GNFS.CD - Central government debt, % of GDP —
GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS
OECD: FDI statistics by partner economy and by industry (Benchmark Definition, 4th edition) and the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index.
Flows vs positions. Charts on this page show annual balance-of-payments flows. Bilateral and sector figures are positions (accumulated stocks) and are not directly comparable.
Negative values. Net flows can be negative when foreign investors withdraw capital or intra-company loans are repaid faster than new investment arrives.
Timing. Headline figures use 2025, the latest year with broad coverage across economies; charts also show any newer early estimates. Rankings cover economies only, not aggregates.
Counterparts. Bilateral data record the immediate counterpart, so financial centres and conduit economies can appear larger than the ultimate investors behind them.