Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 2.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 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
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia is 2.6%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 50.2% on the previous year and up 346.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 7.3% in 1982 and was at its lowest, -8.2%, in 1974.
That places Saudi Arabia 80th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1% | — |
| 1971 | -1.6% | -1233.2% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -122.5% |
| 1973 | -4.2% | -1298.1% |
| 1974 | -8.2% | +96.3% |
| 1975 | 4.0% | -148.5% |
| 1976 | -0.6% | -115.5% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | -270.3% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | -34.4% |
| 1979 | -1.1% | -264.0% |
| 1980 | -1.9% | +70.8% |
| 1981 | 3.5% | -281.7% |
| 1982 | 7.3% | +106.0% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -47.3% |
| 1984 | 4.1% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | -88.3% |
| 1986 | 1.1% | +134.8% |
| 1987 | -1.4% | -223.3% |
| 1988 | -0.4% | -72.9% |
| 1989 | -0.7% | +84.4% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | -330.9% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -92.4% |
| 1992 | -0.1% | -147.6% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | -1885.8% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -74.9% |
| 1995 | -1.3% | -606.1% |
| 1996 | -0.7% | -45.7% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | -357.7% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | +59.4% |
| 1999 | -0.5% | -116.5% |
| 2000 | -1.0% | +106.1% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -101.1% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | -3136.8% |
| 2003 | -0.3% | -16.1% |
| 2004 | -0.1% | -52.5% |
| 2005 | 1.3% | -1133.3% |
| 2006 | 1.6% | +18.8% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -28.6% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -90.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +808.3% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -25.5% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -34.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -56.2% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | +198.7% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | +456.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -95.7% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +901.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -74.7% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -39.1% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | +1266.6% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -25.3% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -13.2% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -9.1% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | +50.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.9% | -8.2% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | -1.9% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -1.3% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | -1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 0.2% | 2.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More economy & growth data for Saudi Arabia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2241 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 7,740 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 6.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2817 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 9,730 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 6.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.06 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia was 2.6% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 1982.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.2% in 1974.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 80th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 346.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.