Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 2.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 2.2% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
The figure is up 210.7% on the previous year and up 206.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 17.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -3.7%, in 2014.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 27th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.3% | — |
| 1971 | 1.3% | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 1.2% | -11.6% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | +118.0% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | -17.9% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | -41.5% |
| 1976 | 1.9% | +50.2% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | -14.9% |
| 1978 | 2.0% | +27.9% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +40.8% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | -30.4% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +13.1% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -38.1% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +20.2% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +25.4% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +30.5% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | +37.2% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | +17.9% |
| 1989 | 3.4% | -26.0% |
| 1990 | 2.6% | -24.4% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | -19.5% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | +7.6% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | +29.3% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | +33.8% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | +9.2% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | -30.1% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | +62.6% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | +99.8% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | +50.5% |
| 2000 | 17.5% | +22.1% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | -73.2% |
| 2002 | 6.8% | +44.5% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | -41.0% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +33.0% |
| 2005 | 6.3% | +18.4% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | -16.5% |
| 2007 | 11.9% | +128.1% |
| 2008 | 12.1% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | -2.0% | -116.4% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | -209.4% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | +38.6% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -85.4% |
| 2013 | 1.7% | +274.1% |
| 2014 | -3.7% | -323.3% |
| 2015 | -2.0% | -44.7% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -159.5% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | +424.3% |
| 2018 | -1.0% | -115.5% |
| 2019 | -0.7% | -24.4% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -180.5% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | +593.6% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | +8.2% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -80.4% |
| 2024 | -2.0% | -322.2% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | -210.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 1.4% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.9% | 2.1% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | -2.0% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | -3.7% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | -2.0% | 4.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 86.93 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0217 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,251 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 76.63 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 691.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0191 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,103 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 22.77 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.2% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.7% in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 27th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 206.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.