Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) vs Saudi Arabia: Foreign direct investment, net outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 2.1% against 0.5% in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), a difference of 1.6%.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 4.1 times Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)'s.
The two have swapped places 10 times across 47 shared years of data; in 1974 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 29th and Saudi Arabia ranks 30th of 47 groups.
Across the 6 decades both report, Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) averaged higher in 3 and Saudi Arabia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.3% | 1.0% | Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 0.4% | Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 1.8% | 1.2% | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 2.1% against 0.5% in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) and Saudi Arabia?
- 1.6%, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) and Saudi Arabia?
- 47 years are reported by both, from 1974 to 2025.
- How do Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) and Saudi Arabia rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 29th and Saudi Arabia ranks 30th of 47 groups.
- 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.
Individual pages
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.