Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Uruguay
Uruguay: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 1.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.3%
Change on year
up 127.4%
World rank
135th
of 198 countries
All-time high
12.4%
in 2022
All-time low
-6.6%
in 2023
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Uruguay, 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
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Uruguay stood at 1.3%.
The figure is up 127.4% on the previous year and down 71.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Uruguay peaked at 12.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -6.6%, in 2023.
Uruguay ranks 135th of 198 countries on this measure, 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1% | — |
| 1971 | -0.0% | -129.7% |
| 1972 | -0.1% | +76.1% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | -167.3% |
| 1974 | -0.0% | -105.6% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | -32814.5% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -86.6% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | +1767.4% |
| 1978 | 2.6% | +63.5% |
| 1979 | 3.0% | +14.4% |
| 1980 | 2.8% | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | -84.6% |
| 1982 | -0.1% | -133.9% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -173.5% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -36.1% |
| 1985 | -0.2% | -338.2% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -476.9% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +8.1% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -16.2% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -21.6% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -35.4% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -69.6% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +671.1% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | +30.7% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | -8.2% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -17.8% |
| 1997 | 0.5% | -29.2% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +36.9% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +51.8% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | +17.4% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +29.0% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | -11.0% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | +152.9% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | -22.9% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | +84.7% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +60.5% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -25.3% |
| 2008 | 6.9% | +20.6% |
| 2009 | 4.9% | -28.8% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 5.3% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 11.8% | +120.6% |
| 2013 | 1.6% | -86.4% |
| 2014 | 6.6% | +312.9% |
| 2015 | 4.6% | -30.2% |
| 2016 | -0.9% | -119.4% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | -560.7% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -36.1% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | -10.8% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | -22.9% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | +367.9% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | +45.4% |
| 2023 | -6.6% | -153.6% |
| 2024 | -4.8% | -27.8% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | -127.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8% | -0.1% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5% | -0.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.1% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 1.2% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.3% | -0.9% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | -6.6% | 12.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 132 New Zealand 1.4% compare
- 133 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.4% compare
- 134 Slovakia 1.3% compare
- 136 United States of America 1.3% compare
- 137 Bermuda 1.3% compare
- 138 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Uruguay
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 61,301 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.1689 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 4,258 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 4.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 6.96 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 175,391 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.5 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Uruguay?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Uruguay was 1.3% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.6% in 2023.
- How does Uruguay rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Uruguay ranks 135th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 71.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.