Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Malta
Malta: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 51.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malta, 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 Malta is 51.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 69.6% on the previous year and up 61.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malta peaked at 452.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, -11.2%, in 2002.
That places Malta 1st out of 201 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Malta, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.6% | — |
| 1971 | 4.4% | -5.7% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | -65.4% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 2.8% | +89.7% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | +18.1% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | -20.0% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | +10.4% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | -8.1% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | -40.5% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | +31.8% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | +47.4% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | -46.2% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +24.4% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | +13.3% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | -28.8% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | -10.1% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | -27.4% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +82.5% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | +20.7% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -51.7% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +177.8% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -14.4% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -25.7% |
| 1994 | 5.1% | +142.8% |
| 1995 | 10.6% | +109.0% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | -22.6% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | -55.8% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | +122.9% |
| 1999 | 16.2% | +101.2% |
| 2000 | 18.4% | +13.5% |
| 2001 | 10.2% | -44.4% |
| 2002 | -11.2% | -209.1% |
| 2003 | 16.8% | -250.6% |
| 2004 | 122.4% | +627.4% |
| 2005 | 341.0% | +178.7% |
| 2006 | 370.9% | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 450.0% | +21.3% |
| 2008 | 161.8% | -64.1% |
| 2009 | 16.5% | -89.8% |
| 2010 | 101.6% | +516.8% |
| 2011 | 79.7% | -21.5% |
| 2012 | 34.6% | -56.6% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -86.3% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -72.2% |
| 2015 | 32.1% | +2348.3% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | -28.1% |
| 2017 | 299.8% | +1198.8% |
| 2018 | 452.2% | +50.8% |
| 2019 | 198.2% | -56.2% |
| 2020 | 191.9% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 433.6% | +125.9% |
| 2022 | 115.0% | -73.5% |
| 2023 | 108.7% | -5.4% |
| 2024 | 170.1% | +56.4% |
| 2025 | 51.7% | -69.6% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 51.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 24.2× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Malta's 51.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.8%, 28.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Malta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +2348.3% | 1.3% | 32.1% |
| 2017 | +1198.8% | 23.1% | 299.8% |
| 2004 | +627.4% | 16.8% | 122.4% |
| 2010 | +516.8% | 16.5% | 101.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.8% | 1.5% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.0% | 1.1% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.1% | 1.2% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 149.7% | -11.2% | 450.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.7% | 1.3% | 452.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 178.5% | 51.7% | 433.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More economy & growth data for Malta
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.51 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0128 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 611.63 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.5772 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0093 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 446.61 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0062 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malta?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malta was 51.7% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 452.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was -11.2% in 2002.
- How does Malta rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Malta ranks 1st out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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.