Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Arab World
Arab World: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 99.58 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World stood at 99.58 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.5% on the previous year and up 166.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World peaked at 119.23 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, -1.75 billion BoP, current US$, in 2003.
Arab World ranks 21st of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 1.00 million BoP, current US$ | -50.0% |
| 1972 | 6.68 million BoP, current US$ | +568.0% |
| 1973 | 8.48 million BoP, current US$ | +26.9% |
| 1974 | 2.42 million BoP, current US$ | -71.5% |
| 1975 | 134.35 million BoP, current US$ | +5462.6% |
| 1976 | 116.16 million BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 1977 | 174.62 million BoP, current US$ | +50.3% |
| 1978 | 175.49 million BoP, current US$ | +0.5% |
| 1979 | -114.84 million BoP, current US$ | -165.4% |
| 1980 | 710.38 million BoP, current US$ | -718.6% |
| 1981 | -90.99 million BoP, current US$ | -112.8% |
| 1982 | 429.67 million BoP, current US$ | -572.2% |
| 1983 | 249.85 million BoP, current US$ | -41.9% |
| 1984 | 239.15 million BoP, current US$ | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 132.35 million BoP, current US$ | -44.7% |
| 1986 | 360.88 million BoP, current US$ | +172.7% |
| 1987 | 955.11 million BoP, current US$ | +164.7% |
| 1988 | 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +132.3% |
| 1989 | 1.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.7% |
| 1990 | -544.86 million BoP, current US$ | -129.8% |
| 1991 | 78.25 million BoP, current US$ | -114.4% |
| 1992 | 1.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +1666.9% |
| 1993 | 324.49 million BoP, current US$ | -76.5% |
| 1994 | -188.71 million BoP, current US$ | -158.2% |
| 1995 | -555.55 million BoP, current US$ | +194.4% |
| 1996 | 2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -590.0% |
| 1997 | 208.47 million BoP, current US$ | -92.3% |
| 1998 | -915.17 million BoP, current US$ | -539.0% |
| 1999 | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -230.4% |
| 2000 | 2.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +92.9% |
| 2001 | -708.12 million BoP, current US$ | -130.8% |
| 2002 | 2.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -519.4% |
| 2003 | -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -158.9% |
| 2004 | 7.94 billion BoP, current US$ | -554.0% |
| 2005 | 11.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.7% |
| 2006 | 22.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +95.8% |
| 2007 | 37.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.9% |
| 2008 | 44.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.7% |
| 2009 | 18.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -57.1% |
| 2010 | 21.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.5% |
| 2011 | 31.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.7% |
| 2012 | 21.54 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.2% |
| 2013 | 43.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +101.1% |
| 2014 | 40.35 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 37.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.5% |
| 2016 | 41.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 35.98 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.4% |
| 2018 | 43.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +20.3% |
| 2019 | 45.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 30.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.2% |
| 2021 | 46.52 billion BoP, current US$ | +52.4% |
| 2022 | 81.45 billion BoP, current US$ | +75.1% |
| 2023 | 53.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.9% |
| 2024 | 119.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +121.3% |
| 2025 | 99.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in Arab World changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +5462.6% | 2.42 million BoP, current US$ | 134.35 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1992 | +1666.9% | 78.25 million BoP, current US$ | 1.38 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 50.63 million BoP, current US$ | -114.84 million BoP, current US$ | 175.49 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 703.10 million BoP, current US$ | -90.99 million BoP, current US$ | 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 370.49 million BoP, current US$ | -915.17 million BoP, current US$ | 2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.55 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ | 44.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.14 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 45.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 30.52 billion BoP, current US$ | 119.23 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 18 Switzerland 32.31 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 19 Brazil 30.18 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 27.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 21 Cayman Islands 25.25 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 22 Italy 22.90 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 23 Israel 14.72 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 24 Mexico 12.98 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Arab World
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 109.61 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,228 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1627 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) -0.4924 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,308 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1733 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.6095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0092 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 69.31 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 55.18 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World was 99.58 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 119.23 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ in 2003.
- How does Arab World rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Arab World ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 166.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.