Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.1%
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
28th
of 189 countries
All-time high
2.5%
in 2021
All-time low
-0.5%
in 1990
Years of data
55
1971–2025
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 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
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia stood at 2.1%.
That represents a change of down 3.9% on the previous year and up 172.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.5%, in 1990.
Saudi Arabia ranks 28th of 189 countries on this measure, 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.0% | — |
| 1972 | 0.0% | — |
| 1973 | 0.0% | — |
| 1974 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.0% | — |
| 1977 | 0.0% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | — |
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.1% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -90.6% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +1329.6% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | -115.3% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -346.9% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -35.6% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +164.1% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -87.5% |
| 1988 | 1.8% | +12604.9% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | -58.4% |
| 1990 | -0.5% | -173.5% |
| 1991 | -0.1% | -82.2% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -247.2% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -76.3% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | +528.1% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -60.7% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +144.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -55.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -21.5% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | +1095.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -97.0% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | +4199.4% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -79.4% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -86.1% |
| 2005 | -0.1% | -450.0% |
| 2006 | -0.0% | -90.4% |
| 2007 | -0.0% | +216.8% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -2176.0% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -24.6% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | +45.8% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -31.9% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +16.2% |
| 2013 | 0.6% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +13.4% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +72.9% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -17.9% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | +96.9% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -24.6% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -57.0% |
| 2021 | 2.5% | +256.4% |
| 2022 | 2.1% | -14.7% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | -33.5% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | +54.7% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0% | -0.5% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | -0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 0.7% | 2.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 25 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.2% compare
- 26 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.2% compare
- 27 Germany 2.1% compare
- 29 Finland 2.1% compare
- 30 Aruba 2.1% compare
- 31 North Macedonia 2.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Saudi Arabia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2241 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 7,740 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 6.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2817 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 9,730 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 6.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.06 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5% in 1990.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 28th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 172.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.