Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iceland
Iceland: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was -0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iceland, 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 Iceland is -0.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 106.1% on the previous year and down 108.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iceland peaked at 31.3% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -27.9%, in 2017.
That places Iceland 183rd out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.8% | — |
| 1971 | 2.9% | +245.8% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -88.7% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | -139.0% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -770.5% |
| 1975 | 2.9% | +245.9% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -91.1% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -29.4% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +69.6% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -66.3% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | +507.0% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | +130.1% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | -26.4% |
| 1983 | -0.8% | -175.8% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -156.5% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | +65.4% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -73.1% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -79.6% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | -657.5% |
| 1989 | -0.5% | +99.3% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -84.6% |
| 1991 | -0.3% | +259.3% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -145.8% |
| 1993 | -0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0% | -198417.8% |
| 1995 | -0.1% | -448.7% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -959.1% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | +76.8% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -59.0% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | +132.0% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | +15.7% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | -50.3% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | +197.1% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | +86.5% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | +233.6% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | +21.6% |
| 2007 | 31.3% | +42.7% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | -78.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -92.7% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | +283.5% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | +289.6% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -57.5% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | +46.0% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | +52.4% |
| 2016 | -5.1% | -178.1% |
| 2017 | -27.9% | +452.3% |
| 2018 | -2.3% | -91.6% |
| 2019 | -2.2% | -4.6% |
| 2020 | -4.0% | +79.0% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -138.3% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | +210.0% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | +25.8% |
| 2024 | 8.5% | +43.2% |
| 2025 | -0.5% | -106.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8% | -0.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.8% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -0.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.1% | 0.5% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.8% | -27.9% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7% | -4.0% | 8.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 180 Lesotho -0.2% compare
- 181 Kazakhstan -0.3% compare
- 182 South Africa -0.5% compare
- 184 Papua New Guinea -0.6% compare
- 185 Burkina Faso -0.9% compare
- 186 Switzerland -1.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Iceland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 17.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2657 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 26,128 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 9.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 34.13 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 3.36 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1585 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iceland?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iceland was -0.5% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -27.9% in 2017.
- How does Iceland rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Iceland ranks 183rd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 108.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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.