Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Belgium
Belgium: Foreign direct investment, net inflows 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 197th of 200 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 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% |
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
- 194 Iraq -2.7% compare
- 195 Trinidad and Tobago -3.1% compare
- 196 Naoero -3.5% compare
- 198 Hungary -28.4% compare
- 199 Luxembourg -92.8% compare
- 200 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)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.6677 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 40,564 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -0.2874 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5859 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 35,593 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 6.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2389 current US$ 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 197th out of 200 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.