Other small states vs Saudi Arabia: Foreign direct investment, net outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time
- Other small states
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 2.1% against 0.5% in Other small states, a difference of 1.6%.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 4.7 times Other small states's.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 40 shared years of data; in 1986 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Other small states ranks 30th and Saudi Arabia ranks 30th of 47 groups.
Across the 5 decades both report, Other small states averaged higher in 3 and Saudi Arabia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Other small states | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.7% | 0.5% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.6% | Other small states |
| 2000s | 21.1% | 0.3% | 20.8% | Other small states |
| 2010s | 56.8% | 1.0% | 55.7% | Other small states |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.8% | 0.7% | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, Other small states or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 2.1% against 0.5% in Other small states as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between Other small states and Saudi Arabia?
- 1.6%, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Other small states and Saudi Arabia?
- 40 years are reported by both, from 1986 to 2025.
- How do Other small states and Saudi Arabia rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Other small states ranks 30th 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.