Belgium vs Iceland: Foreign direct investment, net outflows

Belgium
-2.7%
in 2025
Iceland
-2.2%
in 2025
Belgium rank
188th
Iceland rank
187th

Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time

  • Belgium
  • Iceland
-2002040197019972025

How they compare

Iceland currently reports -2.2% against -2.7% in Belgium, a difference of 0.5%.

The two have swapped places 13 times across 50 shared years of data; in 1976 it was Belgium ahead.

Belgium ranks 188th and Iceland ranks 187th of 191 countries.

Belgium has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Belgium Iceland Difference Ahead
1970s 0.7% 0.0% 0.7% Belgium
1980s 1.1% 0.0% 1.1% Belgium
1990s 8.2% 0.5% 7.7% Belgium
2000s 19.3% 14.9% 4.3% Belgium
2010s 4.2% -7.0% 11.3% Belgium
2020s 1.5% -0.2% 1.7% Belgium

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, Belgium or Iceland?
Iceland, at -2.2% against -2.7% in Belgium as of 2025.
What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between Belgium and Iceland?
0.5%, with Iceland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Iceland?
50 years are reported by both, from 1976 to 2025.
How do Belgium and Iceland rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
Belgium ranks 188th and Iceland ranks 187th of 191 countries.
Where does this data 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 Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Belgium vs Iceland: Foreign direct investment, net outflows. Statizoid, drawing on 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. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/foreign-direct-investment-net-outflows-percent-of-gdp/belgium/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
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
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
238 places, 9,462 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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.