Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Qatar
Qatar: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Qatar, 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 Qatar stood at 1.4%.
The figure is up 561.4% on the previous year and up 112.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Qatar peaked at 8.3% in 2009 and was at its lowest, -1.7%, in 2020.
That places Qatar 129th 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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.9% | — |
| 1971 | 7.1% | +274.0% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +8384.2% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +224.8% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -32.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -98.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +816.9% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | +293.8% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -63.1% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +70.5% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -68.5% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | +11.8% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -69.9% |
| 1984 | -0.2% | -1584.4% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -159.6% |
| 1986 | -0.0% | -122.5% |
| 1987 | -0.1% | +87.4% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | +526.5% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | -93.2% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -386.8% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +832.1% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -16.2% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +94.5% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +77.6% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -35.7% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +225.4% |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -73.0% |
| 2000 | 1.4% | +55.0% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | +91.2% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -17.6% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +42.3% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | +48.6% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -44.4% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +153.4% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -55.1% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -85.0% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -62.1% |
| 2013 | -0.4% | -299.6% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | -219.3% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +31.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -23.0% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +20.0% |
| 2018 | -1.2% | -294.8% |
| 2019 | -1.6% | +33.7% |
| 2020 | -1.7% | +5.7% |
| 2021 | -0.6% | -63.9% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -105.3% |
| 2023 | -0.2% | -789.5% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -195.6% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +561.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.0% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 0.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 1.4% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | -1.6% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1% | -1.7% | 1.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
- 126 Spain 1.5% compare
- 127 Central African Republic 1.5% compare
- 128 Equatorial Guinea 1.4% compare
- 130 Kyrgyzstan 1.4% compare
- 131 Jamaica 1.4% compare
- 132 Nigeria 1.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Qatar
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.9074 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.61 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -10.39 % change on previous year (2020)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.4586 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 23,703 constant 2015 US$ per person (2020)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 21.76 % change on previous year (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3162 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 28,043 current US$ per person (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 21.76 % change on previous year (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.15 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Qatar?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Qatar 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3% in 2009.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.7% in 2020.
- How does Qatar rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Qatar ranks 129th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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.