Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar
Qatar: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar, 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
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar is 1.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 114.7% on the previous year and down 37.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar peaked at 6.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 1988.
Qatar ranks 37th of 191 countries 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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | -0.0% | -190.4% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -300.6% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -64.9% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -57.8% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -195.7% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | +3667.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -111.1% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | +27.6% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | +72.9% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +610.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -86.3% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | +71.1% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +65.7% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -72.2% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +72.0% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | -0.1% | -210.7% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -444.8% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | +268.3% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -42.7% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -73.5% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +2992.9% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | -51.0% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | -54.7% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | +304.6% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | -83.7% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | +309.8% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -18.9% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -24.0% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | +109.4% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -79.8% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +82.7% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | +31.3% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -25.1% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -95.3% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | +1036.8% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -108.9% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -903.8% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | +114.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | -0.1% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 1.0% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | -0.1% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More economy & growth data for Qatar
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.9074 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.61 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -10.39 % change on previous year (2020)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.4586 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 23,703 constant 2015 US$ per person (2020)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 21.76 % change on previous year (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3162 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 28,043 current US$ per person (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 21.76 % change on previous year (2022)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.15 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Qatar 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 Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 1988.
- How does Qatar rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Qatar ranks 37th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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.