Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Singapore
Singapore: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 26.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Singapore, 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 Singapore is 26.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Singapore peaked at 32.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 1976.
That places Singapore 7th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Singapore, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.8% | — |
| 1971 | 5.1% | +5.8% |
| 1972 | 5.9% | +15.5% |
| 1973 | 9.5% | +61.3% |
| 1974 | 6.5% | -31.7% |
| 1975 | 5.2% | -20.5% |
| 1976 | 3.6% | -29.6% |
| 1977 | 4.4% | +20.8% |
| 1978 | 4.0% | -9.4% |
| 1979 | 9.0% | +125.4% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | +15.5% |
| 1981 | 11.7% | +12.7% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | -15.0% |
| 1983 | 6.4% | -36.0% |
| 1984 | 6.6% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 5.5% | -17.1% |
| 1986 | 9.2% | +68.4% |
| 1987 | 13.6% | +47.3% |
| 1988 | 14.4% | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | -34.2% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | +62.8% |
| 1991 | 10.7% | -30.3% |
| 1992 | 4.2% | -60.7% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | +82.9% |
| 1994 | 11.6% | +50.1% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +17.2% |
| 1996 | 11.9% | -12.7% |
| 1997 | 15.7% | +32.1% |
| 1998 | 7.0% | -55.7% |
| 1999 | 21.8% | +214.3% |
| 2000 | 16.1% | -26.1% |
| 2001 | 18.9% | +17.3% |
| 2002 | 6.7% | -64.9% |
| 2003 | 17.5% | +162.4% |
| 2004 | 21.2% | +21.4% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | -28.7% |
| 2006 | 26.3% | +74.2% |
| 2007 | 26.2% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -73.2% |
| 2009 | 12.1% | +71.9% |
| 2010 | 23.1% | +91.1% |
| 2011 | 17.6% | -23.7% |
| 2012 | 18.7% | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 20.9% | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 21.8% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 22.7% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 20.3% | -10.4% |
| 2017 | 29.6% | +45.6% |
| 2018 | 22.8% | -23.0% |
| 2019 | 28.2% | +23.7% |
| 2020 | 22.6% | -19.8% |
| 2021 | 32.3% | +42.9% |
| 2022 | 28.0% | -13.1% |
| 2023 | 24.6% | -12.2% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | -4.2% |
| 2025 | 26.3% | +11.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.8% | 3.6% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.7% | 5.5% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.0% | 4.2% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 6.7% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.6% | 17.6% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.2% | 22.6% | 32.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More economy & growth data for Singapore
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 11.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 1.27 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 125,022 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth 3.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth 1.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual -3.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0003 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 31.81 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Singapore?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Singapore was 26.3% 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 1976.
- How does Singapore rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Singapore ranks 7th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Singapore 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.