FDI Inflows - Ranking 1988
In 1988, Liberia (27.94%), Singapore (14.41%), and Hong Kong SAR, China (8.34%) ranked highest in fdi inflows among all countries. Suriname ranked lowest at -14.73%.
Data & analysis
- Malta — 93.74
- Palau — 36.89
- Hong Kong SAR, China — 30.23
- Singapore — 28.73
- Cayman Islands — 27.16
In 2025, the global ranking of FDI inflows as a percentage of GDP reveals a sharp concentration at the top among small, open economies that function as international financial hubs. Malta leads with an extraordinary 93.7 percent, followed by Hong Kong SAR, China at 30.2 percent and Singapore at 28.7 percent. These jurisdictions attract investment by offering low corporate tax rates, stable legal frameworks, and sophisticated financial services, which encourage large-scale capital transfers relative to their small domestic economies. At the bottom, Hungary records a staggering negative inflow of -83.2 percent, a figure that likely reflects major divestment or accounting reversals by multinational enterprises, possibly linked to corporate tax restructuring or geopolitical realignment. The extreme negative values for Hungary, Cyprus, and Ireland suggest that these economies are experiencing significant capital outflows, often driven by tax regime changes or the unwinding of previous conduit structures. The 2025 leaderboard may be reshuffled if global tax harmonization efforts or regional financial regulation alter the competitive advantages of these specialized hubs.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|