Investment as a share of GDP relates to population distribution dynamics.
Comparing Population regions with projections, per unit of GDP with Gross fixed capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP across 173 countries, 2011–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.60
- Holding size constant
- +0.46
- Countries compared
- 173
- Period
- 2011–2025
What might link these
Countries with higher investment relative to GDP might be those experiencing significant demographic shifts, potentially linked to migration patterns or internal population redistribution. However, this observed association does not imply that investment drives population changes or vice versa.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. The partial correlation may not have fully accounted for all relevant demographic and economic factors influencing both indicators.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.