Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 8.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in United Arab Emirates, 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 United Arab Emirates stood at 8.3%. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 40.7% on the previous year and up 217.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in United Arab Emirates peaked at 8.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, -1.2%, in 1999.
United Arab Emirates ranks 25th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1% | — |
| 1971 | 0.7% | -34.9% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -89.1% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -82.6% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | +674.5% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +137.4% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | +75.4% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | -63.5% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | +25.7% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +8.3% |
| 1981 | -0.0% | -115.3% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | -693.8% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -47.8% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +282.7% |
| 1985 | -0.5% | -233.6% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -159.7% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -60.5% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +305.5% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -82.0% |
| 1990 | -0.2% | -344.2% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -122.0% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +375.3% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +201.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -85.4% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | +477.5% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -32.8% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | -27.8% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +15.5% |
| 1999 | -1.2% | -442.7% |
| 2000 | -0.5% | -58.4% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | -336.1% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -92.4% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +3844.0% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | +97.7% |
| 2005 | 6.0% | -10.8% |
| 2006 | 5.8% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 5.5% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -70.8% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -72.1% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +539.0% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -32.2% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | +25.6% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | +9.3% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -14.1% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | +12.4% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -8.2% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | +74.7% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +35.2% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -12.1% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 5.9% | +32.1% |
| 2024 | 8.3% | +40.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | -0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -1.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | -0.5% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 1.9% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 4.4% | 8.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 22 Zambia 9.3% compare
- 23 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 24 New Caledonia 8.5% compare
- 26 Montenegro 7.3% compare
- 27 Saint Lucia 7.3% compare
- 28 Lebanon 7.1% compare
More economy & growth data for United Arab Emirates
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.85 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.54 Percent per annum (2029)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 10.63 % change on previous year (2023)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 1.65 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 82,149 current LCU per person (2023)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 14.11 % change on previous year (2023)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.4595 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 22,906 constant 2015 US$ per person (2023)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 8.27 % change on previous year (2023)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5709 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in United Arab Emirates?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in United Arab Emirates was 8.3% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2% in 1999.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 25th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 217.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.