Net foreign assets in Canada
Canada: Net foreign assets was 11.25 billion current LCU in 2008. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets in Canada, 1960–2008
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2008, net foreign assets in Canada stood at 11.25 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 36.2% on the previous year and up 138.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Canada peaked at 11.25 billion current LCU in 2008 and was at its lowest, -29.14 billion current LCU, in 1997.
That places Canada 139th out of 187 countries with data for 2008, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Canada, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 127.61 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 198.95 million current LCU | +55.9% |
| 1962 | -157.81 million current LCU | -179.3% |
| 1963 | 444.79 million current LCU | -381.8% |
| 1964 | 1.08 billion current LCU | +142.4% |
| 1965 | 763.90 million current LCU | -29.1% |
| 1966 | 1.52 billion current LCU | +99.0% |
| 1967 | 1.74 billion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 1968 | 1.88 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 1969 | 2.73 billion current LCU | +45.0% |
| 1970 | 3.12 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 1971 | 1.67 billion current LCU | -46.3% |
| 1972 | 1.28 billion current LCU | -23.3% |
| 1973 | 2.06 billion current LCU | +60.3% |
| 1974 | 3.37 billion current LCU | +63.9% |
| 1975 | 3.60 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 5.08 billion current LCU | +40.9% |
| 1977 | 3.66 billion current LCU | -27.9% |
| 1978 | 874.97 million current LCU | -76.1% |
| 1979 | -3.53 billion current LCU | -502.9% |
| 1980 | -5.38 billion current LCU | +52.6% |
| 1981 | -24.01 billion current LCU | +346.4% |
| 1982 | -20.25 billion current LCU | -15.7% |
| 1983 | -22.58 billion current LCU | +11.5% |
| 1984 | -24.41 billion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1985 | -25.28 billion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1986 | -19.59 billion current LCU | -22.5% |
| 1987 | -21.02 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 1988 | -19.32 billion current LCU | -8.1% |
| 1989 | -16.46 billion current LCU | -14.8% |
| 1990 | -19.18 billion current LCU | +16.5% |
| 1991 | -25.10 billion current LCU | +30.8% |
| 1992 | -23.70 billion current LCU | -5.6% |
| 1993 | -23.35 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 1994 | -25.87 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1995 | -5.85 billion current LCU | -77.4% |
| 1996 | -9.26 billion current LCU | +58.4% |
| 1997 | -29.14 billion current LCU | +214.6% |
| 1998 | -29.01 billion current LCU | -0.4% |
| 1999 | -7.09 billion current LCU | -75.6% |
| 2000 | 4.37 billion current LCU | -161.6% |
| 2001 | 5.41 billion current LCU | +23.9% |
| 2002 | 4.90 billion current LCU | -9.4% |
| 2003 | 5.29 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 5.09 billion current LCU | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 6.58 billion current LCU | +29.1% |
| 2006 | 10.23 billion current LCU | +55.5% |
| 2007 | 8.26 billion current LCU | -19.2% |
| 2008 | 11.25 billion current LCU | +36.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 11.25 billion current LCU is below the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU, 10% of the median. (61 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | -502.9% | 874.97 million current LCU | -3.53 billion current LCU |
| 1963 | +381.8% | -157.81 million current LCU | 444.79 million current LCU |
| 1981 | -346.4% | -5.38 billion current LCU | -24.01 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.03 billion current LCU | -157.81 million current LCU | 2.73 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.12 billion current LCU | -3.53 billion current LCU | 5.08 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -19.83 billion current LCU | -25.28 billion current LCU | -5.38 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -19.76 billion current LCU | -29.14 billion current LCU | -5.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.82 billion current LCU | 4.37 billion current LCU | 11.25 billion current LCU | 9 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More financial sector data for Canada
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 93.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 68.36 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 93.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Canada?
- Net foreign assets in Canada was 11.25 billion current LCU in 2008, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 11.25 billion current LCU in 2008.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was -29.14 billion current LCU in 1997.
- How does Canada rank for net foreign assets?
- Canada ranks 139th out of 187 countries with data for 2008.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 138.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.