Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria, 1980–2025
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
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria stood at 1.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.3% on the previous year and up 376.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria peaked at 2.2% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 1996.
Bulgaria ranks 50th of 191 countries 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 in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.0% | — |
| 1988 | 0.1% | +210.5% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -84.8% |
| 1990 | -0.0% | -219.3% |
| 1991 | -0.1% | +558.1% |
| 1992 | -0.0% | -60.4% |
| 1993 | -0.0% | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0% | -106.3% |
| 1995 | -0.0% | -2372.1% |
| 1996 | -0.2% | +450.3% |
| 1997 | -0.0% | -93.5% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -102.8% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +29563.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -80.2% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +174.7% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +153.6% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -27.4% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +489.8% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -57.7% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +171.5% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +157.9% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | -66.1% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +67.4% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | -26.6% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | -11.5% |
| 2013 | 0.6% | -16.6% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | +145.5% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -84.3% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | +531.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -45.4% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +66.9% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -13.5% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -47.1% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | +104.1% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | +45.1% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -38.7% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -8.0% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | +8.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More economy & growth data for Bulgaria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.58 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2172 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 4,415 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 17.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.1927 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 3,916 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1117 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Bulgaria was 1.2% 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 1996.
- How does Bulgaria rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Bulgaria ranks 50th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 376.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.