Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Belgium
Belgium: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was -4.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium is -4.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 35.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium peaked at 46.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, -7.7%, in 2018.
Belgium ranks 198th of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.2% | — |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +22.1% |
| 1972 | 1.0% | -27.7% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | +45.2% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | +34.7% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -28.4% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | -15.7% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | +25.5% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | -7.9% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | -31.5% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +25.4% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +8.7% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | +20.8% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -68.4% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +160.9% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -50.1% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +159.2% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +103.7% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +33.1% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | -8.3% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | +13.5% |
| 1992 | 4.8% | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | -27.3% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | +35.7% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 8.8% | +84.9% |
| 1999 | 46.3% | +428.1% |
| 2000 | 37.5% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 37.3% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | -81.2% |
| 2003 | 10.9% | +54.9% |
| 2004 | 12.1% | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -27.6% |
| 2006 | 14.4% | +65.1% |
| 2007 | 20.5% | +42.3% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | +79.5% |
| 2009 | 15.9% | -56.7% |
| 2010 | 26.1% | +63.4% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | +19.1% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -92.4% |
| 2013 | -5.7% | -338.7% |
| 2014 | -2.8% | -50.0% |
| 2015 | -4.2% | +49.8% |
| 2016 | 12.1% | -386.6% |
| 2017 | -7.4% | -161.4% |
| 2018 | -7.7% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | -2.0% | -74.3% |
| 2020 | -5.7% | +188.5% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -199.8% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -60.9% |
| 2023 | -0.7% | -129.4% |
| 2024 | -6.2% | +844.3% |
| 2025 | -4.0% | -35.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's -4.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%. (72 countries reporting)
- Belgium's -4.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.9%. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -844.3% | -0.7% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | +428.1% | 8.8% | 46.3% |
| 2016 | +386.6% | -4.2% | 12.1% |
| 2013 | -338.7% | 2.4% | -5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 0.5% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.0% | 3.5% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 7.0% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | -7.7% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.4% | -6.2% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 195 Trinidad and Tobago -3.1% compare
- 196 Botswana -3.3% compare
- 197 Papua New Guinea -3.6% compare
- 199 Hungary -28.4% compare
- 200 Luxembourg -32.7% compare
- 201 Liechtenstein -1,303.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Belgium
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0205 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1,248 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 911.55 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0089 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium was -4.0% 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 46.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.7% in 2018.
- How does Belgium rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Belgium ranks 198th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium 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.
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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.