Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Bahrain
Bahrain: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Bahrain, 1973–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Bahrain stood at 1.7%.
The figure is down 70.7% on the previous year and up 740.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Bahrain peaked at 29.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, -12.0%, in 1980.
Bahrain ranks 117th of 201 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 (% of GDP) in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 0.4% | — |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -97.6% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | +1037.8% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | +69.0% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -83.9% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | +2993.8% |
| 1979 | 5.4% | +429.8% |
| 1980 | -12.0% | -323.4% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -100.9% |
| 1982 | 0.7% | +552.3% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +119.8% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +109.9% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | -23.0% |
| 1986 | -0.9% | -137.7% |
| 1987 | -0.9% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 5.3% | -666.7% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | -22.0% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -53.7% |
| 1991 | 11.8% | +518.6% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | +36.3% |
| 1993 | -4.7% | -128.9% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -170.7% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | +96.8% |
| 1996 | 29.5% | +356.0% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | -84.5% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | -44.0% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | +136.1% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -33.4% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | -77.7% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | +152.6% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | +106.3% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | +41.0% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 15.8% | +139.9% |
| 2007 | 8.1% | -48.7% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -13.7% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -83.9% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | -48.2% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | +349.2% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | +85.1% |
| 2013 | 11.0% | +128.1% |
| 2014 | 4.4% | -60.4% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -95.4% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | +259.9% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | +433.7% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -44.3% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | +22.4% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | +52.9% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 14.8% | +252.5% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -61.3% |
| 2025 | 1.7% | -70.7% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's 1.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 79% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's 1.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.8%, 92% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Bahrain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +2993.8% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| 1975 | +1037.8% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.0% | 5.4% | 7 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | -12.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.8% | -4.7% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 0.9% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 0.2% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 1.7% | 14.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
More economy & growth data for Bahrain
- 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 2.81 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0127 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 389.14 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.5659 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0093 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 284.15 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0072 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Bahrain?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Bahrain was 1.7% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was 29.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.0% in 1980.
- How does Bahrain rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Bahrain ranks 117th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Bahrain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 740.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bahrain data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.