Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 49.62 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 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$.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 49.62 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
The figure is down 70.0% on the previous year and up 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 165.41 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, -304.40 million BoP, current US$, in 1990.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 5.00 million BoP, current US$ | -54.5% |
| 1972 | 6.68 million BoP, current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1973 | 8.48 million BoP, current US$ | +26.9% |
| 1974 | 2.42 million BoP, current US$ | -71.5% |
| 1975 | 132.35 million BoP, current US$ | +5379.8% |
| 1976 | 122.16 million BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 180.62 million BoP, current US$ | +47.9% |
| 1978 | 182.49 million BoP, current US$ | +1.0% |
| 1979 | -113.84 million BoP, current US$ | -162.4% |
| 1980 | 707.38 million BoP, current US$ | -721.4% |
| 1981 | 22.61 million BoP, current US$ | -96.8% |
| 1982 | 619.07 million BoP, current US$ | +2638.3% |
| 1983 | 350.05 million BoP, current US$ | -43.5% |
| 1984 | 258.56 million BoP, current US$ | -26.1% |
| 1985 | 220.39 million BoP, current US$ | -14.8% |
| 1986 | 485.87 million BoP, current US$ | +120.5% |
| 1987 | 1.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +134.9% |
| 1988 | 2.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +108.3% |
| 1989 | 1.98 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.8% |
| 1990 | -304.40 million BoP, current US$ | -115.4% |
| 1991 | 436.54 million BoP, current US$ | -243.4% |
| 1992 | 2.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +364.2% |
| 1993 | 805.93 million BoP, current US$ | -60.2% |
| 1994 | 560.95 million BoP, current US$ | -30.4% |
| 1995 | 531.27 million BoP, current US$ | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 3.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +599.4% |
| 1997 | 1.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -65.7% |
| 1998 | 383.35 million BoP, current US$ | -69.9% |
| 1999 | 2.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +449.3% |
| 2000 | 5.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +176.5% |
| 2001 | 241.44 million BoP, current US$ | -95.9% |
| 2002 | 3.90 billion BoP, current US$ | +1515.1% |
| 2003 | 511.51 million BoP, current US$ | -86.9% |
| 2004 | 17.95 billion BoP, current US$ | +3409.8% |
| 2005 | 26.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +45.0% |
| 2006 | 53.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +105.1% |
| 2007 | 61.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2008 | 67.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2009 | 14.71 billion BoP, current US$ | -78.2% |
| 2010 | 32.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +121.6% |
| 2011 | 34.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 16.99 billion BoP, current US$ | -51.0% |
| 2013 | 38.79 billion BoP, current US$ | +128.4% |
| 2014 | 36.26 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 41.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 2016 | 49.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.6% |
| 2017 | 75.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +52.8% |
| 2018 | 123.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +62.7% |
| 2019 | 85.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.6% |
| 2020 | 75.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.7% |
| 2021 | 125.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +66.6% |
| 2022 | 120.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 87.21 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.9% |
| 2024 | 165.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +89.7% |
| 2025 | 49.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -70.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 | +5379.8% | 2.42 million BoP, current US$ | 132.35 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2004 | +3409.8% | 511.51 million BoP, current US$ | 17.95 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1982 | +2638.3% | 22.61 million BoP, current US$ | 619.07 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | +1515.1% | 241.44 million BoP, current US$ | 3.90 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1980 | +721.4% | -113.84 million BoP, current US$ | 707.38 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 53.73 million BoP, current US$ | -113.84 million BoP, current US$ | 182.49 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 816.14 million BoP, current US$ | 22.61 million BoP, current US$ | 2.38 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -304.40 million BoP, current US$ | 3.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 241.44 million BoP, current US$ | 67.64 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 16.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 123.44 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 104.14 billion BoP, current US$ | 49.62 billion BoP, current US$ | 165.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 19 Brazil 30.18 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 27.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 21 Switzerland 25.32 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 22 Italy 22.90 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 23 Israel 14.47 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 24 Malaysia 13.04 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 25 Mexico 11.29 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 100.54 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,005 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.162 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.4665 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,080 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1741 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0097 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 59.93 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 83.25 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 49.62 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 165.41 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -304.40 million BoP, current US$ in 1990.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.