Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in France
France: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 2.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in France, 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
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in France stood at 2.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 80.6% on the previous year and down 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in France peaked at 12.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1971.
That places France 20th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 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 France, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.2% | — |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -15.0% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | +30.7% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +29.7% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -22.7% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | +35.7% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | +18.8% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -44.5% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | +53.6% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | -13.8% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | +36.4% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | +67.5% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -34.0% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -37.2% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +30.4% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +72.3% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +40.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +44.2% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | +33.7% |
| 1990 | 2.8% | +44.4% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | -31.3% |
| 1992 | 2.3% | +18.4% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | -30.3% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +12.5% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -43.8% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | +91.5% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +28.9% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | +24.7% |
| 1999 | 8.4% | +176.3% |
| 2000 | 12.8% | +51.2% |
| 2001 | 6.4% | -50.0% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -44.3% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -19.3% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | +87.1% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | -11.5% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | -29.3% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -16.5% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -18.1% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -13.7% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -40.7% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +87.3% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +50.7% |
| 2016 | 2.9% | -9.2% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -36.2% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +167.3% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -38.2% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -65.1% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | +267.2% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -37.8% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -42.4% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | +80.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 1.0% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.2% | 2.9% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 1.1% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More economy & growth data for France
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.34 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0949 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 4,647 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.084 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 4,112 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0802 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 3,927 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 3,445 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 3.83 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in France?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in France was 2.4% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 12.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1971.
- How does France rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- France ranks 20th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France 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.