Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Sweden
Sweden: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Sweden, 1970–2025
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 Sweden stood at 1.2%.
That represents a change of down 75.6% on the previous year and down 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sweden peaked at 15.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -0.3%, in 2014.
Sweden ranks 45th 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 0.4% | -24.3% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +27.9% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 0.7% | +32.1% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -19.6% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +27.3% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +17.0% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | -49.0% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +25.8% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -12.2% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +44.8% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +66.5% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +31.1% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 1.6% | +15.4% |
| 1986 | 2.6% | +66.5% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | +38.2% |
| 1989 | 4.7% | +30.9% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +18.3% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | -52.6% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -94.4% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +368.9% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +322.7% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | +46.0% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -59.0% |
| 1997 | 4.5% | +158.0% |
| 1998 | 10.3% | +127.2% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -13.4% |
| 2000 | 15.3% | +72.2% |
| 2001 | 6.1% | -60.2% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 6.7% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 7.3% | +9.6% |
| 2005 | 9.8% | +33.3% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | -47.7% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | +123.1% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | -40.8% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | -26.3% |
| 2011 | 4.2% | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -23.6% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | +50.9% |
| 2014 | -0.3% | -106.0% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -1089.6% |
| 2016 | -0.0% | -100.1% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | -213704.8% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -66.1% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | +68.3% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 10.0% | +145.4% |
| 2022 | 11.0% | +9.9% |
| 2023 | 7.2% | -35.0% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | -31.4% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | -75.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.0% | 0.4% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 0.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 5.1% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | -0.3% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 1.2% | 11.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More economy & growth data for Sweden
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.62 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1245 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 7,862 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 77,210 current LCU per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1167 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 7,370 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per capita 67,555 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 7.46 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sweden?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Sweden was 1.2% 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3% in 2014.
- How does Sweden rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Sweden ranks 45th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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.