Saudi Arabia FDI Outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as % of GDP BM.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS
Saudi Arabia's fdi outflows was 2.39% in 2025, ranked 32nd globally. This represents a 7.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1971–2025.
Overview
Saudi Arabia's fdi outflows stood at 2.39% in 2025, a rise of +0.16% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 2.39% by 2025. Saudi Arabia ranked 32nd globally.
Saudi Arabia's foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows have experienced significant fluctuations over the past 55 years, with a notable increase in recent years. The country's FDI outflows peaked at 2.51 billion USD in 2021, a year marked by a surge in global energy demand and high oil prices. Conversely, the lowest recorded outflows occurred in 1990, reaching a negative value of -0.54 billion USD, likely due to the decline in global oil prices and economic restructuring. Currently, Saudi Arabia ranks 32 globally in terms of FDI outflows, with a value of 2.39 billion USD in 2025, closely trailing countries such as Ireland and Liberia, which have also seen substantial growth in FDI outflows. The trend in Saudi Arabia's FDI outflows is largely tied to fluctuations in global oil prices and the country's economic diversification efforts, and a sustained decline in oil prices could potentially alter the trajectory of these outflows.
Data & projection
| Year | FDI Outflows | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 2.78% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 2.58% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 2.39% | - | - |
| 2025 | 2.39% | +0.16% | #32 |
| 2024 | 2.23% | +0.80% | #144 |
| 2023 | 1.42% | −0.72% | #130 |
| 2022 | 2.14% | −0.37% | #137 |
| 2021 | 2.51% | +1.81% | #136 |
| 2020 | 0.70% | −0.93% | #123 |
| 2019 | 1.64% | −0.53% | #129 |
| 2018 | 2.17% | +1.07% | #149 |
| 2017 | 1.10% | −0.24% | #118 |
| 2016 | 1.34% | +0.57% | #118 |
| 2015 | 0.78% | +0.09% | #103 |
| 2014 | 0.69% | +0.04% | #95 |
| 2013 | 0.64% | +0.06% | #89 |
| 2012 | 0.59% | +0.08% | #88 |
| 2011 | 0.50% | −0.24% | #91 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Saudi Arabia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2012. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw fdi outflows improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia's fdi outflows was 2.39% in 2025. Ranked 32nd globally. This represents a 7.3% increase from the previous year.
Saudi Arabia's fdi outflows peaked at 2.51% in 2021.
The lowest fdi outflows in Saudi Arabia was -0.54% in 1990.
Saudi Arabia ranks 32nd globally in fdi outflows as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is BM.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Saudi Arabia's fdi outflows is projected to reach 2.39% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The fdi outflows of Saudi Arabia in 2025 was 2.39%. This ranks 32nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_saudi-arabia_fdi-outflows,
title = {Saudi Arabia FDI Outflows},
url = {https://historysaid.com/saudi-arabia/fdi-outflows/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}