Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Qatar
Qatar: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.4%
Change on year
up 561.4%
World rank
127th
of 198 countries
All-time high
8.3%
in 2009
All-time low
-1.7%
in 2020
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Qatar, 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
Qatar recorded 1.4% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 561.4% on the previous year and up 112.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Qatar peaked at 8.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, -1.7%, in 2020.
That places Qatar 127th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, 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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.9% | — |
| 1971 | 7.1% | +274.0% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +8384.2% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +224.8% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -32.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -98.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +816.9% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +293.8% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -63.1% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +70.5% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -68.5% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | +11.8% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -69.9% |
| 1984 | -0.2% | -1584.4% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -159.6% |
| 1986 | -0.0% | -122.5% |
| 1987 | -0.1% | +87.4% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | +526.5% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | -93.2% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -386.8% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +832.1% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -16.2% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +94.5% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +77.6% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -35.7% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +225.4% |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -73.0% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | +55.0% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | +91.2% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -17.6% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +42.3% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | +48.6% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -44.4% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +153.4% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -55.1% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -85.0% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -62.1% |
| 2013 | -0.4% | -299.6% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | -219.3% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +31.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -23.0% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +20.0% |
| 2018 | -1.2% | -294.8% |
| 2019 | -1.6% | +33.7% |
| 2020 | -1.7% | +5.7% |
| 2021 | -0.6% | -63.9% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -105.3% |
| 2023 | -0.2% | -789.5% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -195.6% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +561.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.0% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 0.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 1.4% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | -1.6% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1% | -1.7% | 1.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
- 124 Spain 1.5% compare
- 125 Central African Republic 1.5% compare
- 126 Equatorial Guinea 1.4% compare
- 128 Kyrgyzstan 1.4% compare
- 129 Jamaica 1.4% compare
- 130 Nigeria 1.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Qatar
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.9074 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.61 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 18,430 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual -3.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.5704 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 41,370 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual -3.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 2.08 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 150,588 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 1.99 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Qatar?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Qatar was 1.4% 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.7% in 2020.
- How does Qatar rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Qatar ranks 127th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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.