Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Malaysia
Malaysia: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 3.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Malaysia, 1974–2024
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
Malaysia recorded 3.1% for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 55.1% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Malaysia peaked at 6.7% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1974.
Malaysia ranks 11th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.8% | — |
| 1981 | 1.2% | +42.7% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | -17.2% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | -23.3% |
| 1984 | 0.7% | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +33.5% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | -25.7% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -15.6% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | +25.0% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -58.3% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +21.5% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -45.4% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | +717.6% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +96.8% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +33.2% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -28.4% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -55.3% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | +50.3% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | +20.2% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | -86.7% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | +553.1% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -24.3% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | +40.5% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | +129.9% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | +30.0% |
| 2008 | 6.7% | +9.3% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | -50.0% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | +80.6% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | -11.6% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | -22.8% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | +14.5% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -26.4% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -47.6% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -8.6% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | +28.3% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -52.6% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +250.2% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -31.2% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | +55.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 0.2% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 0.3% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 1.6% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 1.0% | 3.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More economy & growth data for Malaysia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.221 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 2,900 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.9467 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 12,425 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2165 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 2,842 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 11,100 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 7.88 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Malaysia?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Malaysia was 3.1% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7% in 2008.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1974.
- How does Malaysia rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Malaysia ranks 11th out of 189 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.