Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Sweden
Sweden: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 2.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sweden, 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 Sweden is 2.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 48.9% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sweden peaked at 22.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, -1.0%, in 2014.
Sweden ranks 81st 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.3% | — |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -28.8% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -34.1% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -17.9% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -16.6% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -94.4% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +1484.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -22.6% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | +36.6% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +93.7% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -20.9% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +122.2% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -30.8% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +23.6% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +29.7% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +108.9% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -51.4% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +131.5% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | -8.9% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | +205.9% |
| 1992 | -0.0% | -100.1% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -91387.3% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +57.3% |
| 1995 | 5.6% | +104.1% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -66.4% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | +103.5% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | +125.0% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | +166.2% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -62.2% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | -13.4% |
| 2002 | 6.9% | -8.5% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -73.8% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | +143.7% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | +21.1% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | +80.4% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | -14.5% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | -74.4% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -93.9% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +864.3% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | -36.5% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -67.2% |
| 2014 | -1.0% | -510.5% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -286.5% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | +54.7% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | +50.6% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | -102.9% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -2375.0% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | +13.8% |
| 2021 | 9.2% | +172.9% |
| 2022 | 9.4% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | -65.5% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +56.5% |
| 2025 | 2.6% | -48.9% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 2.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.1%, 1.2× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 2.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.9%, 1.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +91387.3% | -0.0% | 1.7% |
| 2019 | +2375.0% | -0.1% | 3.0% |
| 1977 | +1484.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2011 | +864.3% | 0.1% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.0% | -0.0% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 1.8% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | -1.0% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 2.6% | 9.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 78 Czechia 2.7% compare
- 79 Tonga 2.6% compare
- 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.6% compare
- 82 Saudi Arabia 2.6% compare
- 83 Colombia 2.5% compare
- 84 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.5% compare
More economy & growth data for Sweden
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.62 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0143 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 903.41 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 1.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0104 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 659.66 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0067 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sweden?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Sweden was 2.6% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 1999.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.0% in 2014.
- How does Sweden rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Sweden ranks 81st out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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
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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.