Foreign direct investment inflows

In brief

Foreign direct investment inflows: across 201 countries and territories, values range from -1,303 % (Liechtenstein) to 51.7 % (Malta), with a world median of 2 %. Data: 2011–2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 9.9 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 0 %. By continent, the median is highest in North America (2.5 %) and lowest in Asia (1.6 %).

Median by continent

Why this indicator matters

This indicator measures the money foreign companies put into a country to build factories, open offices or buy companies. It lets you compare countries' ability to attract investors. Expressed relative to national wealth, it makes comparisons fairer.

What makes this indicator vary

Investors look for political stability, a dynamic market, a skilled workforce, clear rules and attractive taxation. Large acquisitions can make the figure swing sharply from one year to the next. Crises or legal uncertainty bring it down.

Reading precautions

Amounts are very irregular from one year to the next, so a single year can be misleading. Some flows pass through countries with favorable tax regimes without corresponding to real activity there, which can distort the reading.