Country profile
Yemen
Middle East & North Africa · Low income · Capital: Sana'a
Key figures, 2019
FDI inflows 2019
−$371 m
Inflows % of GDP
−1.3%
FDI outflows
$3 m
Net FDI
−$374 m
FDI % of investment
−21.1%
In 2019, Yemen recorded FDI net inflows of −$371 m, compared with −$282 m in 2018. Its 2014–2018 average was −$272 m. By value, that ranks 188th of 198 economies with data for 2019. Inflows peaked at $1.6 bn in 2008 (data begin in 1990). A negative figure means that disinvestment and repayments of intra-company loans by foreign investors exceeded new investment during the year. Inflows were equivalent to −1.3% of GDP in 2018 — below the Middle East & North Africa aggregate (3.5%) and below the world as a whole (1.2%).
About this summary
Generated automatically from World Bank data. Figures are balance-of-payments net flows in current US$; 2019 is the latest year with broad coverage across economies.Trends
FDI flows over time
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.
Yemen compared with its region and the world
- Yemen
- Middle East & North Africa (aggregate)
- World
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Indicator BX.KLT.DINV.WD.GD.ZS.
FDI vs remittances, aid and portfolio equity, current US$
- FDI inflows
- Remittances
- Aid (ODA)
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.
| IMF World Economic Outlook | 2024 | 2025 | 2026forecast | 2027forecast | 2028forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | −1.5% | −0.5% | 0.5% | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Inflation | 26.6% | 21.4% | 26.5% | 18.7% | 16.8% |
| Current account, % GDP | −10.7% | −6.7% | −8.1% | −8.0% | −8.0% |
| Fiscal balance, % GDP | 0.1% | −3.5% | −1.2% | −0.9% | 0.2% |
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
$21.6 bn2018
114th of 211
GDP per capita
$6342018
202nd of 211Region $5,550World $11,345
GNI per capita (PPP)
$3,0202013
162nd of 195Region $12,954World $14,633
Population
41.8 m2025
37th of 217
Population growth
2.9%2025
15th of 217Region 1.8%World 0.9%
Trade & structure
Exports of goods & services
$1.9 bn2018
151st of 185
Imports of goods & services
$10.2 bn2018
105th of 185
Trade openness (% of GDP)
56.1%2018
138th of 185Region 73.1%World 57.0%
Services, % of GDP
41.8%2018
181st of 202Region 52.0%World 64.3%
High-tech exports, % of manufactured exports
4.8%2015
96th of 163Region 4.7%World 20.0%
Workforce & innovation
Labour force
8.2 m2025
64th of 182
Internet users, % of population
17.5%2019
168th of 189Region 46.0%World 53.9%
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.
No bilateral positions for this economy
Structure & policy
Sectors and FDI openness
Inward FDI positions by sector
No sector breakdown
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness
IndexNot covered by the index
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).
- 🇲🇹Malta170.1%
- 🇱🇧Lebanon7.1%
- 🇱🇾Libya(2023)1.8%
- 🇸🇾Syria(2011)1.2%
- 🇵🇸West Bank and Gaza1.0%
- 🇦🇫Afghanistan(2021)0.1%
- 🇾🇪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 2019, 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.