Foreign direct investment, net inflows in High income
High income: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in High income, 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 High income stood at 1.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.0% on the previous year and down 68.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in High income peaked at 5.8% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1976.
High income ranks 28th of 47 groups 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 in High income, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.4% | — |
| 1971 | 0.4% | -4.4% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +7.5% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -6.9% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -26.9% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | +25.0% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +9.6% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | +18.9% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +22.7% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | -4.0% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -23.2% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +9.4% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -37.0% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +80.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +52.6% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | +16.2% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +8.2% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -37.1% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | -9.2% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | +17.6% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +6.8% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +25.4% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +29.3% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | +68.8% |
| 1999 | 3.8% | +56.2% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +32.7% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -47.5% |
| 2002 | 2.1% | -21.8% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -14.2% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | +22.1% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +53.3% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | +35.9% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | +28.6% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | -33.6% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -36.8% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +24.9% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -17.2% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 4.3% | +73.8% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -25.6% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | -73.5% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | +182.8% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -53.3% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +148.7% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -28.6% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -61.6% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | +92.4% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | -7.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.3% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.7% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 1.8% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 0.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 0.8% | 2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near High income
- 25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 26 New Caledonia 8.5% compare
- 27 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 28 Montenegro 7.3% compare
- 29 Saint Lucia 7.3% compare
- 30 Lebanon 7.1% compare
- 31 Nicaragua 6.9% compare
More economy & growth data for High income
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 5.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate 4.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 24,947 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.49 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 2.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 29,826 current US$ per person (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.5859 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7606 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 7,438 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in High income?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in High income was 1.4% 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 High income?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in High income?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1976.
- How does High income rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- High income ranks 28th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in High income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this High income 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.