Trade & Finance
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)
Foreign direct investment are the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.
World Bank code: BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS • Data available for 202 countries • Latest year: 2024
In , Malta led Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) at 170.54.
The world median across 186 reporting countries was 2.52.
How "Trade & Finance" indicators are measured
Trade and finance indicators are sourced from customs declarations, balance-of-payments statistics, and central bank reporting. Exports and imports are usually reported FOB (free on board) for exports and CIF (cost, insurance, freight) for imports, which means global exports and global imports rarely sum to zero. Foreign direct investment data can be volatile year-over-year because of one-off cross-border acquisitions.
Distribution — 2024
- Reporting
- 186 countries
- Median
- 2.52
- Mean
- 4.15
- 25th percentile
- 0.86
- 75th percentile
- 4.48
- Range
- -133.82 – 170.54
World at a Glance — 2024
Every reporting country, grouped by region, shaded by value (quintile).
Lighter = lower value · Darker = higher value. Hover a cell to see the country and value.
Highest Values — 2024
| # | Country | Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malta Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 170.54 |
| 2 | Luxembourg Europe & Central Asia | 113.62 |
| 3 | Guyana Latin America & Caribbean | 34.99 |
| 4 | Hong Kong SAR, China East Asia & Pacific | 30.92 |
| 5 | Singapore East Asia & Pacific | 24.68 |
| 6 | Mozambique Sub-Saharan Africa | 15.43 |
| 7 | Namibia Sub-Saharan Africa | 14.47 |
| 8 | Mauritania Sub-Saharan Africa | 13.20 |
| 9 | Timor-Leste East Asia & Pacific | 12.09 |
| 10 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines Latin America & Caribbean | 12.01 |
Looking for a specific country? Only the top and bottom 10 appear here. See where every country ranks for Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP).
View complete rankings →Biggest Movers — Year over Year
Largest increases
- Venezuela, RB +10,631.8%
- Finland +7,621.2%
- Luxembourg +1,187.2%
- Slovak Republic +802.6%
- Belize +663.2%
Largest decreases
- Belgium -844.6%
- Papua New Guinea -543.8%
- Nauru -476.5%
- United Kingdom -187.2%
- Estonia -163.6%
By Income Group — Average
| Income group | Countries | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| High income | 69 | 5.22 |
| Upper middle income | 50 | 3.58 |
| Lower middle income | 47 | 3.19 |
| Low income | 18 | 4.35 |
| Not classified | 2 | 2.02 |
By Region — Average
| Region | Countries | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| East Asia & Pacific | 29 | 4.80 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 50 | 1.28 |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 36 | 4.28 |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 18 | 12.24 |
| North America | 3 | 1.71 |
| South Asia | 5 | 2.66 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 45 | 3.89 |
Lowest Values — 2024
| # | Country | Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cyprus | -133.82 |
| 2 | Hungary | -27.92 |
| 3 | Switzerland | -11.57 |
| 4 | Estonia | -7.97 |
| 5 | Belgium | -6.16 |
| 6 | Uruguay | -4.86 |
| 7 | Nauru | -3.60 |
| 8 | Iraq | -2.74 |
| 9 | Sao Tome and Principe | -2.03 |
| 10 | Trinidad and Tobago | -1.77 |
Source: World Bank Open Data (BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS), CC BY 4.0. Rankings show countries with available data for 2024.