Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Germany
Germany: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Germany, 1971–2025
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
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Germany is 2.1%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 15.2% on the previous year and down 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Germany peaked at 6.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2004.
That places Germany 27th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.5% | — |
| 1972 | 0.6% | +25.4% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -18.1% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -6.7% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | +12.9% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -20.1% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | +32.7% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | +7.0% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -23.1% |
| 1981 | 0.5% | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -25.4% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | +70.7% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +15.1% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +19.7% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | -29.2% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +34.1% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +11.7% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | +42.3% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -9.5% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -29.0% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +76.9% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +34.6% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | +109.8% |
| 1999 | 6.3% | +59.3% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | -20.7% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -28.4% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | -77.1% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | +89.5% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -79.5% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +866.5% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | +58.1% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -16.9% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -36.2% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +11.4% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | +47.5% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | -33.3% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | +8.6% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +30.9% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 4.0% | +20.1% |
| 2018 | 5.3% | +32.7% |
| 2019 | 4.3% | -17.6% |
| 2020 | 3.7% | -15.1% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | +34.1% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -22.6% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -33.2% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | -27.1% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | +15.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 0.8% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 0.3% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 2.5% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 1.9% | 4.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More economy & growth data for Germany
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.7761 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.6565 Percent per annum (2029)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) -1.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1675 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 10,131 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual -1.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 0.164 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 9,924 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 8.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6446 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Germany?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Germany was 2.1% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2004.
- How does Germany rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Germany ranks 27th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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.