Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Iraq
Iraq: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was -2.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Iraq, 1970–2024
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 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Iraq stood at -2.7%.
That represents a change of down 37.1% on the previous year and up 38.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Iraq peaked at 4.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, -4.5%, in 2015.
That places Iraq 192nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, 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 Iraq, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -0.0% | — |
| 1971 | -0.0% | -83.2% |
| 1972 | -0.0% | -53.0% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | +5731.2% |
| 1974 | -0.1% | -39.9% |
| 1975 | -0.3% | +335.3% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -102.3% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | +191.0% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -94.3% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +237.2% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -31.6% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | +274.3% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -47.6% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | -110.1% |
| 1984 | -0.0% | +919.0% |
| 1985 | -0.0% | -59.1% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -181.1% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -489.1% |
| 1988 | -0.0% | -28.6% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -111.0% |
| 1990 | -0.0% | -737.2% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | -50030.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -99.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | +363.3% |
| 1994 | -0.0% | -101.0% |
| 1996 | -0.0% | +2442.6% |
| 1997 | 0.0% | -129.1% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +545.3% |
| 2000 | -0.0% | -100.2% |
| 2001 | -0.0% | +27707.5% |
| 2002 | -0.0% | -94.6% |
| 2003 | 4.6% | -460868.2% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | -82.0% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +25.7% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -42.9% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | +86.1% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | +28.9% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -29.6% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +11.2% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | +39.1% |
| 2013 | -1.0% | -163.8% |
| 2014 | -4.5% | +347.6% |
| 2015 | -4.5% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | -3.8% | -17.4% |
| 2017 | -2.7% | -28.4% |
| 2018 | -2.1% | -20.1% |
| 2019 | -1.3% | -38.7% |
| 2020 | -1.6% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | -1.3% | -20.4% |
| 2022 | -0.7% | -42.2% |
| 2023 | -2.0% | +174.5% |
| 2024 | -2.7% | +37.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.1% | -0.3% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 1.9% | 8 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | -0.0% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.6% | -4.5% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.7% | -2.7% | -0.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More economy & growth data for Iraq
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.44 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.56 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.04 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 216.2 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 51.96 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 281,061 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0439 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 237.26 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 112,723 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual -19.94 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Iraq?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Iraq was -2.7% in 2024, 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2003.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.5% in 2015.
- How does Iraq rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Iraq ranks 192nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.