Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Australia
Australia: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was -0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.3%
Change on year
down 131.9%
World rank
173rd
of 189 countries
All-time high
7.5%
in 2022
All-time low
-4.7%
in 2005
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Australia, 1970–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Australia recorded -0.3% for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in 2025.
The figure is down 131.9% on the previous year and down 141.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Australia peaked at 7.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -4.7%, in 2005.
Australia ranks 173rd of 189 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.3% | — |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -14.2% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +7.1% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +62.0% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -32.4% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | -38.9% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +53.9% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -5.3% |
| 1978 | 0.2% | -17.5% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +27.8% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | +20.6% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +35.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -13.9% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -18.2% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | +148.2% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +44.0% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | +79.4% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | +43.7% |
| 1988 | 2.9% | +7.7% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -65.2% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -79.8% |
| 1991 | -0.4% | -276.9% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -427.7% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | -30.8% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -30.6% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | +94.1% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | +13.5% |
| 1997 | 1.4% | +11.9% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -16.4% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -93.2% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | +1131.4% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +258.2% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | -50.0% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | +125.6% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | -60.0% |
| 2005 | -4.7% | -395.4% |
| 2006 | 3.2% | -168.4% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -47.6% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +79.0% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | -59.2% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | +27.4% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -62.5% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -36.9% |
| 2013 | -0.0% | -113.1% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -3248.6% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -60.2% |
| 2016 | -0.3% | -142.2% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -393.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -90.4% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +783.9% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -12.8% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | +1167.3% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | -89.8% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | +3.3% |
| 2025 | -0.3% | -131.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | -0.4% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | -4.7% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | -0.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | -0.3% | 7.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 170 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.2% compare
- 171 Mozambique -0.2% compare
- 172 Gabon -0.2% compare
- 174 Grenada -0.3% compare
- 175 Antigua and Barbuda -0.4% compare
- 176 Netherlands -0.5% compare
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 5,104 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual -4.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.2389 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 15,557 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual -2.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 0.3691 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 24,037 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) -0.5842 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Australia?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Australia was -0.3% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.7% in 2005.
- How does Australia rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Australia ranks 173rd out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 141.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.