Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states
Small states: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states, 1970–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Small states recorded 1.7% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 59.4% on the previous year and down 94.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states peaked at 69.4% in 2018 and was at its lowest, -17.2%, in 2020.
Small states ranks 22nd 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 Small states, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.2% | — |
| 1971 | 4.7% | -43.2% |
| 1972 | 4.5% | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 3.6% | -18.7% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | -10.9% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | -34.3% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | -21.1% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -17.4% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 1.3% | -15.2% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | +17.8% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +45.5% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -34.6% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | -17.6% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | -32.9% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | -12.7% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -40.0% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | +84.7% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +26.9% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | +32.4% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | +15.6% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | +19.6% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +23.2% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +43.8% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 5.2% | +47.2% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -15.8% |
| 2002 | 4.1% | -21.8% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +30.4% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | +121.3% |
| 2005 | 25.7% | +115.6% |
| 2006 | 26.2% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 31.9% | +21.4% |
| 2008 | 21.0% | -34.1% |
| 2009 | 47.0% | +124.2% |
| 2010 | 29.3% | -37.7% |
| 2011 | 29.9% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 43.1% | +44.0% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | -63.5% |
| 2014 | 30.1% | +91.0% |
| 2015 | 18.6% | -38.1% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | -73.1% |
| 2017 | 39.4% | +686.3% |
| 2018 | 69.4% | +76.2% |
| 2019 | 67.8% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | -17.2% | -125.3% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | -353.0% |
| 2022 | 10.2% | -76.4% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -60.0% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -59.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2% | 1.3% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.3% | 1.2% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.5% | 4.1% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.8% | 5.0% | 69.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | -17.2% | 43.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Small states
More economy & growth data for Small states
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9351 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 13,255 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 2.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2233 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 3,701 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 8.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI (current US$), annual growth rate 8.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per capita 15,854 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9564 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.7996 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Small states was 1.7% in 2024, 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 Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 69.4% in 2018.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was -17.2% in 2020.
- How does Small states rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Small states ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is down 94.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Small states 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.