Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia, 1970–2025
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 Europe & Central Asia stood at 0.6%.
That represents a change of down 7.3% on the previous year and down 88.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 8.9% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -1.2%, in 2023.
Europe & Central Asia ranks 42nd of 47 groups 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 Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.7% | — |
| 1971 | 0.6% | -11.5% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | -8.3% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +17.5% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | +15.1% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -31.2% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -22.5% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | +34.6% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -10.2% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 0.5% | -12.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -7.8% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +6.9% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -34.4% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +64.1% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +14.1% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +20.9% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | +44.5% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | +23.6% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | +12.7% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | -22.3% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -15.7% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | +15.4% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +29.7% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | +31.4% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | +86.1% |
| 1999 | 5.7% | +76.3% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | +48.5% |
| 2001 | 4.5% | -47.2% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -17.1% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -22.8% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 6.1% | +117.1% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | +16.3% |
| 2007 | 8.9% | +25.1% |
| 2008 | 5.3% | -40.0% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | -30.1% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -12.1% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | +43.4% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -21.8% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | -12.5% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -18.7% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | +114.5% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | +17.4% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | -35.4% |
| 2018 | -0.8% | -118.0% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | -483.8% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -85.0% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +505.6% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -56.8% |
| 2023 | -1.2% | -201.9% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -158.1% |
| 2025 | 0.6% | -7.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +505.6% | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| 2019 | +483.8% | -0.8% | 2.9% |
| 2023 | -201.9% | 1.1% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 0.9% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 2.8% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | -0.8% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | -1.2% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
More economy & growth data for Europe & Central Asia
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2059 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 2.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 18,580 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.5369 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 10.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 5,268 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1522 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 7,127 current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0105 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Europe & Central Asia was 0.6% 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 Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.9% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2% in 2023.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia 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
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.