Foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand
New Zealand: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand, 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 % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand is 0.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 97.3% on the previous year and up 202.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand peaked at 5.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, -7.9%, in 2000.
That places New Zealand 146th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1% | — |
| 1971 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -75.3% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | +295.5% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | +11.8% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +56.6% |
| 1977 | 0.2% | -21.2% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +45.7% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +19.1% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | -15.0% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +37.0% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -14.8% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +364.8% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -91.5% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +394.6% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -59.4% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | +389.2% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -77.4% |
| 1990 | 5.2% | +1587.9% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -33.9% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -72.7% |
| 1993 | -3.0% | -416.3% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | -222.3% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -23.2% |
| 1996 | -1.8% | -163.3% |
| 1997 | -2.4% | +34.2% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -130.1% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | +155.9% |
| 2000 | -7.9% | -530.6% |
| 2001 | -1.1% | -85.7% |
| 2002 | 2.1% | -287.3% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -65.4% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | +12.3% |
| 2005 | -0.6% | -168.0% |
| 2006 | -0.4% | -35.8% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -911.4% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | -78.4% |
| 2009 | -1.7% | -370.8% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -141.3% |
| 2011 | -0.1% | -110.2% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | -28.1% |
| 2013 | -0.7% | +1341.8% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | -195.3% |
| 2015 | -0.0% | -101.3% |
| 2016 | -0.4% | +4483.9% |
| 2017 | -0.0% | -90.4% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -885.0% |
| 2019 | -0.7% | -340.4% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -156.7% |
| 2021 | -0.3% | -182.4% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -179.4% |
| 2023 | -0.2% | -165.8% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | -288.8% |
| 2025 | 0.0% | -97.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.9%, 1% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3%, 3% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | -4483.9% | -0.0% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | +1587.9% | 0.3% | 5.2% |
| 2013 | -1341.8% | -0.1% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | -3.0% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.4% | -7.9% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.0% | -0.7% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | -0.3% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More economy & growth data for New Zealand
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.71 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.37 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 23.86 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0001 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4.48 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 3.61 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 104.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0137 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 677.46 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.59 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in New Zealand was 0.0% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.9% in 2000.
- How does New Zealand rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- New Zealand ranks 146th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 202.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.