Azerbaijan, UK and Netherlands – Georgia’s top investors in 2015

Georgia attracted $1.3 million USD in Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in 2015.

Preliminary data about foreign investments to Georgia in 2015, released today by Georgia’s National Statistics Office (Geostat), showed FDI’s last year were higher than preliminary data of 2014 but lower than adjusted data of the same year.

Geostat compared the preliminary data of 2015 to the preliminary data of 2014, which showed a six percent increase in FDI inflow to Georgia. 

However, as the 2014 year’s data was already adjusted, Geostat experts also compared this year’s preliminary data to last year’s adjusted figures. This comparison showed a 23 percent decrease in FDIs however a Geostat spokesperson told Agenda.ge once all figures were adjusted a more accurate FDI reading will be evident.

The top eight countries that invested the most in Georgia last year where: (in USD) 

• Azerbaijan – $542 million (40 percent increase);
• United Kingdom - $198 million (15 percent increase);
• Netherlands - $111 million (eight percent increase);
• Luxembourg - $87 million (six percent increase);
• Turkey - $77 million (six percent increase);
• China - $58 million (four percent increase);
• Russia – $49 million (four percent increase); and
• United States - $35 million (three percent increase);

Other countries invested $155 million while international organisations invested $39 million in Georgia last year. 

Three main sectors of the Georgian economy enjoyed 68 percent of all FDIs. The largest share of FDIs ($594 million) was allocated to the transport and communications sector, followed by the financial sector ($191 million) then the construction sector ($129 million). 

Total FDIs by major economic sectors were divided the following way: 

• Transports and communications – 44 percent;
• Financial sector – 14 percent;
• Construction – nine percent;
• Manufacturing – seven percent;
• Energy – seven percent;
• Health and social work – five percent;
• Hotels and restaurants – four percent; and
• Other sectors – 10 percent.

Geostat noted the adjusted data of 2015 will be published on August 15, 2016.