Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World
Arab World: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World, 1977–2025
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 51.7% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World peaked at 3.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2003.
Arab World ranks 6th of 47 groups 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 in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.1% | — |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -8.9% |
| 1979 | -0.0% | -149.4% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -500.6% |
| 1981 | -0.0% | -111.6% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -652.7% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -39.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -11.2% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -45.0% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | +226.4% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | +155.0% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | +136.1% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -22.9% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -95.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +1520.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -77.9% |
| 1994 | -0.0% | -156.0% |
| 1995 | -0.1% | +182.5% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | -547.0% |
| 1997 | 0.0% | -92.7% |
| 1998 | -0.2% | -551.1% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -219.9% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +70.2% |
| 2001 | -0.1% | -131.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -503.0% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | -152.0% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | -486.6% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +15.0% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | +64.9% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | +41.5% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -50.1% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | +23.9% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | -38.3% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +95.0% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | +12.7% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | -15.8% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -24.4% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | +27.1% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | +46.4% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | -32.0% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +114.1% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | -51.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | -0.0% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -0.2% | 0.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | -0.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 3.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More economy & growth data for Arab World
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate -4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 7,544 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.8488 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 6,404 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 2,205 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 1.03 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 3.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), annual growth rate 1.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2923 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Arab World was 1.6% 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 3.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2003.
- How does Arab World rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Arab World ranks 6th 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 5.5%. 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 (% of GDP). 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, and is divided by GDP.