Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Libya
Libya: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Libya, 1970–2023
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
Libya recorded 1.8% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.2% on the previous year and up 93.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Libya peaked at 6.9% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -3.9%, in 1975.
That places Libya 111th out of 198 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Libya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.9% | — |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -80.5% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | +48.6% |
| 1973 | -2.3% | -216.7% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -101.8% |
| 1975 | -3.9% | -9648.9% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -135.1% |
| 1977 | -2.0% | -246.2% |
| 1978 | -3.2% | +57.7% |
| 1979 | -1.9% | -39.4% |
| 1980 | -2.7% | +38.2% |
| 1981 | -2.0% | -23.1% |
| 1982 | -1.2% | -43.3% |
| 1983 | -1.0% | -15.2% |
| 1984 | -0.1% | -94.2% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -760.0% |
| 1986 | -0.7% | -293.5% |
| 1987 | -0.4% | -50.0% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -210.2% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +23.4% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -47.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -35.1% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | -233.8% |
| 1995 | -0.3% | +36.5% |
| 1996 | -0.4% | +15.6% |
| 1997 | -0.2% | -44.8% |
| 1998 | -0.5% | +112.2% |
| 1999 | -0.4% | -24.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -203.5% |
| 2001 | -0.4% | -205.8% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -281.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -23.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +98.0% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | +103.5% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | +56.6% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | +100.7% |
| 2008 | 4.7% | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -52.4% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -34.9% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -39.5% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +83.8% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.2% | -3.9% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.7% | -2.7% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.2% | -0.4% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More economy & growth data for Libya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth -3.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.02 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 6,556 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 5.39 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 34,780 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 13.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 1.38 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Libya?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Libya was 1.8% in 2023, 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 1970.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.9% in 1975.
- How does Libya rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Libya ranks 111th out of 198 countries with data for 2023.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 93.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya 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.