From 1993 through the end of 2006, foreign direct investment in Croatia amounted to EUR14.2 billion.
Of the EUR2.8 billion invested by foreigners last year, EUR1.7 billion referred to ownership investment, EUR701.1 million to retained earnings, and the remaining EUR350 million to other types of investment.
Nearly EUR1.1 billion of last year's direct ownership investment and retained earnings referred to financial brokerage and the banking sector, followed by EUR536.6 million invested in the chemical industry.
Last year the highest amount of direct foreign investment came from the Netherlands (EUR1.9 billion), followed by a little over one billion euros from France.
The highest outflow, which may refer to earnings withdrawal or sales, was made by the US (EUR1.1 billion), followed by Austria with EUR435.2 million.
The Austrians were the most significant foreign investor in Croatia over the past 13 years, with EUR2.7 billion invested between 1993 and 2006, followed by the Netherlands with EUR2.6 billion, Germany with EUR2.2 billion, France with EUR1.1 billion and Italy with a little over one billion euros.
Over the last 13 years, banking was the activity which received the highest amount of direct ownership investment and retained earnings - about EUR3.6 billion, followed by the chemical industry with EUR1.7 billion, and post and telecommunications with EUR1.5 billion.
Croatian companies invested EUR167.7 million abroad last year and about EUR1.9 billion between 1993 and 2006.