Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Libya
Libya: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Libya, 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 Libya stood at 1.7%.
That represents a change of up 19.6% on the previous year and up 84.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Libya peaked at 6.9% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -3.9%, in 1975.
Libya ranks 116th of 201 countries 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 (% of GDP) in Libya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.9% | — |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -80.5% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | +48.6% |
| 1973 | -2.3% | -216.7% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -101.8% |
| 1975 | -3.9% | -9648.9% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -135.1% |
| 1977 | -2.0% | -246.2% |
| 1978 | -3.2% | +57.7% |
| 1979 | -1.9% | -39.4% |
| 1980 | -2.7% | +38.2% |
| 1981 | -2.0% | -23.1% |
| 1982 | -1.2% | -43.3% |
| 1983 | -1.0% | -15.2% |
| 1984 | -0.1% | -94.2% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -760.0% |
| 1986 | -0.7% | -293.5% |
| 1987 | -0.4% | -50.0% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -210.2% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +23.4% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -47.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -35.1% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | -233.8% |
| 1995 | -0.3% | +36.5% |
| 1996 | -0.4% | +15.6% |
| 1997 | -0.2% | -44.8% |
| 1998 | -0.5% | +112.2% |
| 1999 | -0.4% | -24.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -203.5% |
| 2001 | -0.4% | -205.8% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -281.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -23.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +98.0% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | +103.5% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | +56.6% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | +100.7% |
| 2008 | 4.7% | -31.2% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | -52.4% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -34.9% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -39.5% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | +83.8% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +11.2% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | -20.3% |
| 2025 | 1.7% | +19.6% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 1.7% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.3%, 73% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Libya's 1.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.8%, 95% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Libya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | -9648.9% | 0.0% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | +760.0% | -0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.2% | -3.9% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.7% | -2.7% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.2% | -0.4% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More economy & growth data for Libya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.094 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 605.92 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0686 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 442.44 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0332 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Libya?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Libya was 1.7% 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 1970.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.9% in 1975.
- How does Libya rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Libya ranks 116th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 84.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya 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.