Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Small states
Small states: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 40.34 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states stood at 40.34 billion BoP, current US$.
The figure is up 635.3% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states peaked at 158.26 billion BoP, current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, -35.53 billion BoP, current US$, in 2020.
That places Small states 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Small states, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 317.53 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 220.57 million BoP, current US$ | -30.5% |
| 1972 | 253.18 million BoP, current US$ | +14.8% |
| 1973 | 263.36 million BoP, current US$ | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 358.71 million BoP, current US$ | +36.2% |
| 1975 | 244.49 million BoP, current US$ | -31.8% |
| 1976 | 222.22 million BoP, current US$ | -9.1% |
| 1977 | 228.21 million BoP, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 293.16 million BoP, current US$ | +28.5% |
| 1979 | 316.41 million BoP, current US$ | +7.9% |
| 1980 | 484.40 million BoP, current US$ | +53.1% |
| 1981 | 705.31 million BoP, current US$ | +45.6% |
| 1982 | 464.77 million BoP, current US$ | -34.1% |
| 1983 | 363.01 million BoP, current US$ | -21.9% |
| 1984 | 249.07 million BoP, current US$ | -31.4% |
| 1985 | 216.67 million BoP, current US$ | -13.0% |
| 1986 | 121.77 million BoP, current US$ | -43.8% |
| 1987 | 259.22 million BoP, current US$ | +112.9% |
| 1988 | 306.27 million BoP, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 1989 | 338.57 million BoP, current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1990 | 498.82 million BoP, current US$ | +47.3% |
| 1991 | 689.06 million BoP, current US$ | +38.1% |
| 1992 | 925.61 million BoP, current US$ | +34.3% |
| 1993 | 1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 1994 | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.4% |
| 1995 | 2.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +66.5% |
| 1996 | 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 3.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +54.5% |
| 1998 | 3.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 3.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2000 | 4.61 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.2% |
| 2001 | 3.92 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.0% |
| 2002 | 3.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.3% |
| 2003 | 5.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.3% |
| 2004 | 13.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +155.2% |
| 2005 | 32.31 billion BoP, current US$ | +144.1% |
| 2006 | 37.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2007 | 53.84 billion BoP, current US$ | +45.5% |
| 2008 | 39.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.3% |
| 2009 | 74.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +91.6% |
| 2010 | 49.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.6% |
| 2011 | 57.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.9% |
| 2012 | 82.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +44.8% |
| 2013 | 31.41 billion BoP, current US$ | -62.1% |
| 2014 | 62.27 billion BoP, current US$ | +98.2% |
| 2015 | 35.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -42.9% |
| 2016 | 9.71 billion BoP, current US$ | -72.7% |
| 2017 | 83.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +757.5% |
| 2018 | 158.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +90.1% |
| 2019 | 155.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.7% |
| 2020 | -35.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -122.8% |
| 2021 | 105.91 billion BoP, current US$ | -398.1% |
| 2022 | 27.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -73.9% |
| 2023 | 12.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -56.3% |
| 2024 | 5.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -54.6% |
| 2025 | 40.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +635.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Small states changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +757.5% | 9.71 billion BoP, current US$ | 83.25 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2025 | +635.3% | 5.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 40.34 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2021 | +398.1% | -35.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 105.91 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 271.78 million BoP, current US$ | 220.57 million BoP, current US$ | 358.71 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 350.91 million BoP, current US$ | 121.77 million BoP, current US$ | 705.31 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 498.82 million BoP, current US$ | 3.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.76 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.32 billion BoP, current US$ | 74.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.59 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.71 billion BoP, current US$ | 158.26 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.99 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 105.91 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Small states
- 32 Greece 13.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 33 Turkey 12.97 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 34 Portugal 11.97 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 35 Colombia 11.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 36 Cyprus 11.16 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 37 Russia 11.14 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 38 Czechia 10.50 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Small states
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 3,407 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 2.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1426 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 2,363 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.5711 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 2.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9,468 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2055 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 8.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states was 40.34 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 158.26 billion BoP, current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was -35.53 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020.
- How does Small states rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Small states ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Small states data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.