Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Germany
Germany: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Germany, 1971–2025
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 Germany stood at 1.9%.
The figure is up 41.0% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Germany peaked at 12.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -0.7%, in 2004.
That places Germany 110th out of 200 countries 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 in Germany, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.4% | — |
| 1972 | 0.6% | +43.4% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -16.6% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -7.4% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -71.2% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +80.6% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -37.8% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +36.9% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -9.2% |
| 1980 | -0.0% | -110.0% |
| 1981 | -0.1% | +164.6% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -216.1% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | +114.7% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -37.1% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -11.0% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +57.1% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | +9.5% |
| 1988 | -0.1% | -186.3% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -443.5% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -61.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +75.3% |
| 1992 | -0.1% | -138.7% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -118.2% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +1718.3% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | +44.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -43.5% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +110.5% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | +98.3% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | +255.2% |
| 2000 | 12.6% | +224.4% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -77.0% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | -15.8% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | -0.7% | -127.7% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | -389.0% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +38.8% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -49.2% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | -44.3% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | +100.5% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | +52.2% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 1.8% | -28.7% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -75.2% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +316.3% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | +75.8% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | +38.5% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -52.4% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | +135.4% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | -34.7% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -37.8% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | +9.3% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -32.9% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | +41.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.6% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | -0.1% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | -0.7% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 0.4% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 4.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More economy & growth data for Germany
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7761 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.6565 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3072 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 18,584 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -32.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -35.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual -1.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0077 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 466.54 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Germany?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Germany was 1.9% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7% in 2004.
- How does Germany rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Germany ranks 110th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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 — 55 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.