Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) in World
World: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) was 1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in World, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
World recorded 1.4% for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
The figure is up 18.1% on the previous year and down 60.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in World peaked at 5.3% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1976.
World ranks 26th 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 (% of GDP) in World, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.5% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -5.5% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | -9.3% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | +11.2% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -27.2% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | +16.3% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | +12.8% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +25.6% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | -5.9% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -20.7% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +7.3% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -28.3% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +55.7% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | +49.4% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +15.1% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | -30.2% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | +22.5% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +17.0% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +12.0% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | +27.3% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +49.2% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | +47.3% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | +25.9% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -42.3% |
| 2002 | 2.1% | -19.6% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -13.1% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | +19.7% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +46.7% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | +29.5% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +25.2% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -29.5% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -34.8% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +16.7% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -15.8% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -9.0% |
| 2015 | 3.6% | +49.8% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | -23.1% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -57.1% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | +85.6% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -38.1% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | +88.1% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -25.6% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -53.4% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | +38.8% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +18.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.5% | 0.7% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 1.9% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 1.2% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 0.9% | 2.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
- 23 Namibia 9.6% compare
- 24 Liberia 9.5% compare
- 25 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8.9% compare
- 26 United Arab Emirates 8.3% compare
- 27 Laos 7.7% compare
- 28 Montenegro 7.3% compare
- 29 Saint Lucia 7.3% compare
More economy & growth data for World
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.23 Percent per annum (2028)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.11 Percent per annum (2028)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0076 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 110.14 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.0002 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0056 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 80.42 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0052 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in World?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in World 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1976.
- How does World rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- World ranks 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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.