Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Libya
Libya: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was -0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Libya, 1972–2024
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 Libya is -0.1%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 68.7% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Libya peaked at 6.8% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -1.6%, in 1993.
That places Libya 167th out of 189 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Libya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 0.0% | — |
| 1973 | 0.0% | -63.5% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -42.9% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -23.0% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +5048.2% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -53.6% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -44.3% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +63.3% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -38.8% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -18.1% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.4% | — |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -45.8% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -39.5% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | +161.3% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +49.2% |
| 1992 | -0.4% | -181.8% |
| 1993 | -1.6% | +251.8% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -105.8% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | +197.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -30.3% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | +306.3% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +23.4% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -33.1% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -59.2% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +100.3% |
| 2002 | -0.7% | -229.4% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -136.1% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | +260.0% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -68.7% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +191.7% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | +632.9% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | +17.5% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | -71.8% |
| 2010 | 3.6% | +88.5% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -92.5% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | +896.9% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -65.4% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | -114.4% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -699.3% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | +8.6% |
| 2017 | -0.4% | -149.8% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -182.0% |
| 2019 | -0.4% | -207.9% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -292.9% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -14.4% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -78.1% |
| 2023 | -0.4% | -365.7% |
| 2024 | -0.1% | -68.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | -1.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | -0.7% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | -0.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | -0.4% | 0.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More economy & growth data for Libya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth -3.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.02 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 6,556 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 5.39 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 34,780 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 13.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 1.38 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Libya?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Libya was -0.1% 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.6% in 1993.
- How does Libya rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Libya ranks 167th out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya 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.