Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Canada
Canada: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 2.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Canada, 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
Canada recorded 2.5% for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in 2025.
That represents a change of down 37.4% on the previous year and down 54.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Canada peaked at 6.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1972.
That places Canada 16th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Canada, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -56.4% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -84.6% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | +1152.2% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -4.7% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -15.0% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -32.5% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +58.8% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | +35.1% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | +51.2% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 1.8% | +21.2% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -58.2% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +103.7% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | -16.3% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -13.6% |
| 1987 | 1.8% | +97.7% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -17.8% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -21.6% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -8.8% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +106.3% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | +42.6% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -25.4% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | +109.4% |
| 1998 | 5.7% | +40.5% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -48.8% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | +113.2% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -20.4% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | -22.9% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | -31.9% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | +66.9% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | -46.7% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | +64.1% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | +16.2% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | +28.8% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -51.9% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | -18.2% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +24.3% |
| 2012 | 3.4% | +21.9% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -13.4% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +22.0% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +49.8% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | -17.9% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | -23.3% |
| 2019 | 4.4% | +19.7% |
| 2020 | 2.9% | -34.2% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | +80.8% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -22.0% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 2.5% | -37.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 0.9% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 2.3% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 2.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.5% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More economy & growth data for Canada
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.8812 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1832 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 10,203 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 0.2408 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 13,411 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 5.51 % change on previous year (2022)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Canada?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Canada was 2.5% 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1972.
- How does Canada rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Canada ranks 16th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada 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.