Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Belgium
Belgium: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was -4.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-4.0%
Change on year
up 35.6%
World rank
195th
of 198 countries
All-time high
46.3%
in 1999
All-time low
-7.7%
in 2018
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Belgium, 1970–2025
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Belgium stood at -4.0%.
That represents a change of up 35.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Belgium peaked at 46.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, -7.7%, in 2018.
That places Belgium 195th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.2% | — |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +22.1% |
| 1972 | 1.0% | -27.7% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | +45.2% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | +34.7% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -28.4% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | -15.7% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | +25.5% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | -7.9% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | -31.5% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +25.4% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +8.7% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | +20.8% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -68.4% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +160.9% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -50.1% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +159.2% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +103.7% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +33.1% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | -8.3% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | +13.5% |
| 1992 | 4.8% | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | -27.3% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | +35.7% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 8.8% | +84.9% |
| 1999 | 46.3% | +428.1% |
| 2000 | 37.5% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 37.3% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | -81.2% |
| 2003 | 10.9% | +54.9% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -27.6% |
| 2006 | 14.4% | +65.1% |
| 2007 | 20.5% | +42.3% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | +79.5% |
| 2009 | 15.9% | -56.7% |
| 2010 | 26.1% | +63.4% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | +19.1% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -92.4% |
| 2013 | -5.7% | -338.7% |
| 2014 | -2.8% | -50.0% |
| 2015 | -4.2% | +49.8% |
| 2016 | 12.1% | -386.6% |
| 2017 | -7.4% | -161.4% |
| 2018 | -7.7% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | -2.0% | -74.3% |
| 2020 | -5.7% | +188.5% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -199.8% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -60.9% |
| 2023 | -0.7% | -129.4% |
| 2024 | -6.2% | +844.3% |
| 2025 | -4.0% | -35.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 0.5% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.0% | 3.5% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 7.0% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | -7.7% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.4% | -6.2% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 192 Iraq -2.7% compare
- 193 Trinidad and Tobago -3.1% compare
- 194 Naoero -3.5% compare
- 196 Hungary -28.4% compare
- 197 Luxembourg -92.8% compare
- 198 Liechtenstein -1,303.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Belgium
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1117 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 6,787 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.0989 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 6,006 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0829 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 5,036 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 4,957 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 7.32 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Belgium?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Belgium was -4.0% in 2025, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 46.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.7% in 2018.
- How does Belgium rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Belgium ranks 195th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.