Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Malta
Malta: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 170.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
170.1%
Change on year
up 56.4%
World rank
1st
of 198 countries
All-time high
452.2%
in 2018
All-time low
-11.2%
in 2002
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Malta, 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 Malta stood at 170.1%.
The figure is up 56.4% on the previous year and up 12,869.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malta peaked at 452.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, -11.2%, in 2002.
Malta ranks 1st of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Malta, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.6% | — |
| 1971 | 4.4% | -5.7% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | -65.4% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 2.8% | +89.7% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | +18.1% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | -20.0% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | +10.4% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | -8.1% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | -40.5% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | +31.8% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | +47.4% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | -46.2% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +24.4% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | +13.3% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | -28.8% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | -10.1% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | -27.4% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +82.5% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | +20.7% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -51.7% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +177.8% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -14.4% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -25.7% |
| 1994 | 5.1% | +142.8% |
| 1995 | 10.6% | +109.0% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | -22.6% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | -55.8% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | +122.9% |
| 1999 | 16.2% | +101.2% |
| 2000 | 18.4% | +13.5% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | -44.4% |
| 2002 | -11.2% | -209.1% |
| 2003 | 16.8% | -250.6% |
| 2004 | 122.4% | +627.4% |
| 2005 | 341.0% | +178.7% |
| 2006 | 370.9% | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 450.0% | +21.3% |
| 2008 | 161.8% | -64.1% |
| 2009 | 16.5% | -89.8% |
| 2010 | 101.6% | +516.8% |
| 2011 | 79.7% | -21.5% |
| 2012 | 34.6% | -56.6% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -86.3% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -72.2% |
| 2015 | 32.1% | +2348.3% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | -28.1% |
| 2017 | 299.8% | +1198.8% |
| 2018 | 452.2% | +50.8% |
| 2019 | 198.2% | -56.2% |
| 2020 | 191.9% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 433.6% | +125.9% |
| 2022 | 115.0% | -73.5% |
| 2023 | 108.7% | -5.4% |
| 2024 | 170.1% | +56.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.8% | 1.5% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.0% | 1.1% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.1% | 1.2% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 149.7% | -11.2% | 450.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.7% | 1.3% | 452.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 203.9% | 108.7% | 433.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More economy & growth data for Malta
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.51 Percent per annum (2029)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.5072 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.0701 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 3,360 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 0.507 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 0.0754 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 3,611 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 10.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8133 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malta?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malta was 170.1% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 452.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was -11.2% in 2002.
- How does Malta rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Malta ranks 1st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12,869.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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.