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FDIstats

Country profile

Liechtenstein

Europe & Central Asia · High income · Capital: Vaduz

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Key figures, 2018

FDI inflows 2018

−$87.2 bn

Inflows % of GDP

−1303.1%

195th of 195 economies

FDI outflows

—

No data

Net FDI

—

Needs both flows

FDI % of investment

—

No GFCF data

In 2018, Liechtenstein recorded FDI net inflows of −$87.2 bn, compared with $39.0 bn in 2017. Its 2013–2017 average was $38.1 bn. By value, that ranks 196th of 198 economies with data for 2018. Inflows peaked at $80.4 bn in 2015 (data begin in 2000). A negative figure means that disinvestment and repayments of intra-company loans by foreign investors exceeded new investment during the year. Inflows were equivalent to −1303.1% of GDP in 2018 — below the Europe & Central Asia aggregate (−0.8%) and below the world as a whole (1.2%).

About this summary

Generated automatically from World Bank data. Figures are balance-of-payments net flows in current US$; 2018 is the latest year with broad coverage across economies.

Trends

FDI flows over time

FDI inflows and outflows, Liechtenstein

Net flows, current US$ (balance-of-payments basis)

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD and BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD.

Inflows as a share of GDP

Liechtenstein compared with its region and the world

  • Liechtenstein
  • Europe & Central Asia (aggregate)
  • World

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicator BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS.

External financing mix not available

Remittance, aid and portfolio-equity series are too sparse for Liechtenstein to chart alongside FDI.

Economy at a glance

The economy behind the investment

The macroeconomic, trade and workforce indicators investors and trade officials look at alongside FDI — latest year, 15-year trend and regional and world benchmarks.

IMF World Economic Outlook202420252026forecast2027forecast2028forecast
Real GDP growth−0.3%0.0%−0.4%0.4%1.2%
Inflation1.1%0.2%0.5%0.7%0.7%
Unemployment rate3.3%3.5%3.9%3.8%3.8%
Current account, % GDP14.4%13.4%12.7%12.7%12.5%
Fiscal balance, % GDP3.0%2.8%3.0%3.2%3.3%
Government gross debt, % GDP0.5%0.5%0.5%0.5%0.5%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

Size & growth

GDP

$8.9 bn2024

154th of 200

GDP per capita

$220,1672024

2nd of 200Region $31,631World $13,717

Population

41 k2025

208th of 217

Population growth

1.4%2025

74th of 217Region 0.4%World 0.9%

Trade & structure

Manufacturing, % of GDP

34.2%2023

2nd of 187Region 14.0%World 15.2%

Services, % of GDP

57.4%2023

99th of 196Region 64.8%World 63.0%

Workforce & innovation

R&D expenditure, % of GDP

6.0%2023

2nd of 84Region 2.1%World 2.6%

Internet users, % of population

98.3%2024

9th of 182Region 90.9%World 71.2%

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Latest available year shown for each indicator; ranks are among economies reporting that year (highest = 1st). Region = World Bank regional aggregate. Growth, inflation, unemployment, the current account and government debt are shown in the IMF table above where the IMF covers the economy.

Who invests

Source and destination economies

Direct investment positions (stocks) by immediate counterpart economy, as reported to the OECD.

Explore bilateral data

No bilateral positions for this economy

Bilateral FDI positions are available for OECD-reporting economies. See who invests where to explore partners of reporting economies, which include many investors in Liechtenstein.
Investment relationship with AustraliaTwo-way direct investment between Australia and Liechtenstein, from ABS and OECD data.

Structure & policy

Sectors and FDI openness

Inward FDI positions by sector

No sector breakdown

Positions by industry are published for OECD-reporting economies only, and not every reporter releases a full breakdown.

FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness

Index

Not covered by the index

The OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index covers OECD members and around 30 other economies. See covered economies.

Peers

Similar-sized economies in Europe & Central Asia

The six economies in the same World Bank region with the closest GDP, ranked by FDI inflows as a share of GDP (2024).

Compare over time
  1. 🇽🇰Kosovo7.7%
  2. 🇲🇪Montenegro7.2%
  3. 🇦🇩Andorra6.6%
  4. 🇱🇮Liechtenstein(2018)−1303.1%

Sources & notes

World Bank, World Development Indicators

  • FDI net inflows — BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD
  • FDI net outflows — BM.KLT.DINV.CD.WD
  • FDI net inflows, % of GDP — BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS
  • Gross fixed capital formation — NE.GDI.FTOT.CD
  • Personal remittances received — BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT
  • Net official development assistance received — DT.ODA.ODAT.CD
  • Portfolio equity net inflows — BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD
  • Real GDP growth — NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
  • Inflation (annual average) — FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
  • Unemployment rate — SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
  • Current account balance, % of GDP — BN.CAB.XOKA.GD.ZS
  • Exports of goods & services — NE.EXP.GNFS.CD
  • Central government debt, % of GDP — GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS

OECD: FDI statistics by partner economy and by industry (Benchmark Definition, 4th edition) and the FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index.

Flows vs positions. Charts on this page show annual balance-of-payments flows. Bilateral and sector figures are positions (accumulated stocks) and are not directly comparable.

Negative values. Net flows can be negative when foreign investors withdraw capital or intra-company loans are repaid faster than new investment arrives.

Timing. Headline figures use 2018, the latest year with broad coverage across economies; charts also show any newer early estimates. Rankings cover economies only, not aggregates.

Counterparts. Bilateral data record the immediate counterpart, so financial centres and conduit economies can appear larger than the ultimate investors behind them.

WDI data updated 2026-07-13Sources & methods