Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 19.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Hong Kong, China, 1980–2024
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 Hong Kong, China is 19.7%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.9% on the previous year and down 59.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Hong Kong, China peaked at 48.3% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1981.
Hong Kong, China ranks 3rd of 189 countries on this measure, 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 Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.3% | — |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -64.9% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +61.3% |
| 1983 | 1.9% | +1075.2% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +69.7% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | -16.2% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | +24.1% |
| 1987 | 4.6% | +37.1% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 3.2% | -20.1% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 7.9% | +149.3% |
| 1993 | 14.7% | +85.9% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 17.3% | +9.5% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 13.8% | -17.2% |
| 1998 | 9.8% | -28.5% |
| 1999 | 13.4% | +36.1% |
| 2000 | 40.8% | +204.3% |
| 2001 | 12.0% | -70.6% |
| 2002 | 9.8% | -18.4% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | -18.8% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +173.4% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | -13.9% |
| 2006 | 24.6% | +31.6% |
| 2007 | 32.1% | +30.5% |
| 2008 | 26.0% | -18.9% |
| 2009 | 27.1% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 43.1% | +59.0% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | -10.4% |
| 2012 | 33.6% | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 30.2% | -9.9% |
| 2014 | 48.3% | +59.9% |
| 2015 | 25.4% | -47.5% |
| 2016 | 23.5% | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 29.8% | +26.6% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | -30.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -49.8% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | +132.5% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 33.2% | +31.0% |
| 2023 | 25.3% | -23.9% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | -21.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.4% | 0.1% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.6% | 3.2% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.1% | 7.9% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 10.4% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 19.7% | 33.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
- 1 Malta 145.6% compare
- 2 Luxembourg 116.4% compare
- 4 Singapore 15.6% compare
- 5 United Arab Emirates 14.0% compare
- 6 Ireland 11.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Hong Kong, China
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 80.54 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.1972 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 10,704 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 125.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 3.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.3081 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 16,722 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 0.3594 % change on previous year (2023)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 1.12 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 56,469 includes gold, current US$ per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Hong Kong, China?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Hong Kong, China was 19.7% in 2024, 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 Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 48.3% in 2014.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1981.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 3rd out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China 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.