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Country profile

Syria

Middle East & North Africa · Low income · Capital: Damascus

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Key figures, 2011

FDI inflows 2011

$804 m

−45.3%vs 2010

Inflows % of GDP

1.2%

161st of 195 economies

FDI outflows

$0 k

in 1989

Net FDI

—

Needs both flows

FDI % of investment

5.5%

of gross fixed capital formation, 2011

In 2011, Syria recorded FDI net inflows of $804 m, down 45% from $1.5 bn in 2010. That is 46% below its 2006–2010 average of $1.5 bn. By value, that ranks 112th of 196 economies with data for 2011. Inflows peaked at $2.6 bn in 2009 (data begin in 1970). Inflows were equivalent to 1.2% of GDP in 2011 — below the Middle East & North Africa aggregate (1.5%) and below the world as a whole (3.1%).

About this summary

Generated automatically from World Bank data. Figures are balance-of-payments net flows in current US$; 2011 is the latest year with broad coverage across economies.

Trends

FDI flows over time

FDI inflows and outflows, Syria

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

  • Inflows
  • Outflows

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

Syria compared with its region and the world

  • Syria
  • Middle East & North Africa (aggregate)
  • World

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

External financing mix

FDI vs remittances, aid and portfolio equity, current US$

  • FDI inflows
  • Remittances
  • Aid (ODA)
  • Portfolio equity

FDI is only one of the ways foreign money reaches an economy. For many developing economies, remittances from workers abroad or official aid are larger and more stable; portfolio equity is typically the most volatile.

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicators BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD, BX.TRF.PWKR.CD.DT, DT.ODA.ODAT.CD, BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD.

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.

Size & growth

GDP

$23.7 bn2022

114th of 209

GDP per capita

$1,0572022

187th of 209Region $6,437World $12,876

GNI per capita (PPP)

$4,7402022

164th of 197Region $15,084World $21,843

Population

25.6 m2025

57th of 217

Population growth

3.8%2025

5th of 217Region 1.8%World 0.9%

Trade & structure

Exports of goods & services

$1.6 bn2022

152nd of 182

Imports of goods & services

$6.8 bn2022

126th of 182

Trade openness (% of GDP)

35.4%2022

173rd of 183Region 78.0%World 62.1%

Services, % of GDP

44.7%2022

157th of 198Region 47.8%World 62.3%

High-tech exports, % of manufactured exports

1.4%2010

109th of 139World 20.6%

Workforce & innovation

Labour force

6.8 m2025

70th of 182

R&D expenditure, % of GDP

0.0%2022

83rd of 84Region 1.3%World 2.6%

Internet users, % of population

33.8%2018

137th of 182Region 42.3%World 49.4%

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 Syria.
Investment relationship with AustraliaTwo-way direct investment between Australia and Syria, 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 Middle East & North Africa

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. 🇲🇹Malta170.1%
  2. 🇱🇧Lebanon7.1%
  3. 🇱🇾Libya(2023)1.8%
  4. 🇸🇾Syria(2011)1.2%
  5. 🇵🇸West Bank and Gaza1.0%
  6. 🇦🇫Afghanistan(2021)0.1%
  7. 🇾🇪Yemen(2018)−1.3%

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 2011, 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