Net foreign assets in Iran
Iran: Net foreign assets was 2,473.74 trillion current LCU in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2016)
2,473.74 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 5.0%
World rank
2nd
of 187 countries
All-time high
2,473.74 trillion current LCU
in 2016
All-time low
-14.62 billion current LCU
in 1970
Years of data
54
1960–2016
Net foreign assets in Iran, 1960–2016
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2016, net foreign assets in Iran stood at 2,473.74 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% on the previous year and up 534.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Iran peaked at 2,473.74 trillion current LCU in 2016 and was at its lowest, -14.62 billion current LCU, in 1970.
That places Iran 2nd out of 187 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Iran, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.40 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 15.88 billion current LCU | +39.3% |
| 1962 | 18.03 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 1963 | 19.67 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1964 | 14.68 billion current LCU | -25.4% |
| 1965 | 20.69 billion current LCU | +41.0% |
| 1966 | 20.59 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 22.21 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 1968 | 14.45 billion current LCU | -34.9% |
| 1969 | 7.64 billion current LCU | -47.1% |
| 1970 | -14.62 billion current LCU | -291.3% |
| 1971 | 3.52 billion current LCU | -124.1% |
| 1972 | 51.80 billion current LCU | +1371.7% |
| 1973 | 73.77 billion current LCU | +42.4% |
| 1974 | 539.20 billion current LCU | +631.0% |
| 1975 | 581.59 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 1976 | 584.43 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 799.73 billion current LCU | +36.8% |
| 1979 | 1.14 trillion current LCU | +42.0% |
| 1980 | 876.66 billion current LCU | -22.8% |
| 1981 | 486.53 billion current LCU | -44.5% |
| 1982 | 1.37 trillion current LCU | +182.5% |
| 1983 | 733.74 billion current LCU | -46.6% |
| 1986 | 577.61 billion current LCU | -21.3% |
| 1987 | 738.83 billion current LCU | +27.9% |
| 1988 | 576.35 billion current LCU | -22.0% |
| 1989 | 700.20 billion current LCU | +21.5% |
| 1990 | 606.76 billion current LCU | -13.3% |
| 1991 | 1.13 trillion current LCU | +86.1% |
| 1992 | 1.10 trillion current LCU | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 995.83 billion current LCU | -9.1% |
| 1994 | 2.24 trillion current LCU | +125.1% |
| 1995 | 9.94 trillion current LCU | +343.7% |
| 1996 | 18.26 trillion current LCU | +83.6% |
| 1997 | 14.03 trillion current LCU | -23.2% |
| 1998 | 4.50 trillion current LCU | -67.9% |
| 1999 | 2.25 trillion current LCU | -50.1% |
| 2000 | 15.91 trillion current LCU | +608.1% |
| 2001 | 14.58 trillion current LCU | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 60.32 trillion current LCU | +313.7% |
| 2003 | 71.75 trillion current LCU | +18.9% |
| 2004 | 206.83 trillion current LCU | +188.3% |
| 2005 | 253.00 trillion current LCU | +22.3% |
| 2006 | 390.06 trillion current LCU | +54.2% |
| 2007 | 493.51 trillion current LCU | +26.5% |
| 2008 | 559.81 trillion current LCU | +13.4% |
| 2009 | 734.63 trillion current LCU | +31.2% |
| 2010 | 687.01 trillion current LCU | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 707.66 trillion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 840.54 trillion current LCU | +18.8% |
| 2013 | 1,919.21 trillion current LCU | +128.3% |
| 2014 | 2,143.74 trillion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2015 | 2,355.42 trillion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2016 | 2,473.74 trillion current LCU | +5.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 2,473.74 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 276.97 billion current LCU, 8931.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iran's 2,473.74 trillion current LCU is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 501.95 billion current LCU, 4928.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +1371.7% | 3.52 billion current LCU | 51.80 billion current LCU |
| 1974 | +631.0% | 73.77 billion current LCU | 539.20 billion current LCU |
| 2000 | +608.1% | 2.25 trillion current LCU | 15.91 trillion current LCU |
| 1995 | +343.7% | 2.24 trillion current LCU | 9.94 trillion current LCU |
| 1970 | -291.3% | 7.64 billion current LCU | -14.62 billion current LCU |
| 2002 | +313.7% | 14.58 trillion current LCU | 60.32 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.52 billion current LCU | 7.64 billion current LCU | 22.21 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 417.19 billion current LCU | -14.62 billion current LCU | 1.14 trillion current LCU | 9 |
| 1980s | 758.06 billion current LCU | 486.53 billion current LCU | 1.37 trillion current LCU | 8 |
| 1990s | 5.50 trillion current LCU | 606.76 billion current LCU | 18.26 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 280.04 trillion current LCU | 14.58 trillion current LCU | 734.63 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,589.62 trillion current LCU | 687.01 trillion current LCU | 2,473.74 trillion current LCU | 7 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 1 Netherlands 352,068.00 trillion current LCU compare
- 3 Indonesia 2,159.04 trillion current LCU compare
- 4 South Korea 627.85 trillion current LCU compare
- 5 Uzbekistan 616.23 trillion current LCU
More financial sector data for Iran
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 7.67 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 5.6 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 7.67 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Iran?
- Net foreign assets in Iran was 2,473.74 trillion current LCU in 2016, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 2,473.74 trillion current LCU in 2016.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was -14.62 billion current LCU in 1970.
- How does Iran rank for net foreign assets?
- Iran ranks 2nd out of 187 countries with data for 2016.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 534.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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 — 54 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.