Key information about US External Debt

• United States External Debt reached 25,798.1 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 26,895.8 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• US External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Jun 2003 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 26,895.8 USD bn in Jun 2024 and a record low of 6,570.2 USD bn in Jun 2003.

The US Department of Treasury provides External Debt in USD based on BPM6. External Debt prior to Q3 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about US External Debt

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 310.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 96.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 96.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 637.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Panama is the Latin American country with the highest foreign debt in relation to its gross domestic product (GDP). The total debt held by Panama's central government to foreign creditors represented over 50 percent of the country's GDP in 2022. Nicaragua ranked second among the countries shown in this statistic, with an external debt equivalent to 40.5 percent of its GDP.

As of December 2024, Japan held United States treasury securities totaling about 1.06 trillion U.S. dollars. Foreign holders of United States treasury debt According to the Federal Reserve and U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of 8.5 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. treasury securities as of December 2024. Of the total held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions, with China holding 759 billion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. The U.S. public debt In 2023, the United States had a total public national debt of 33.2 trillion U.S. dollars, an amount that has been rising steadily, particularly since 2008. In 2023, the total interest expense on debt held by the public of the United States reached 678 billion U.S. dollars, while 197 billion U.S. dollars in interest expense were intra governmental debt holdings. Total outlays of the U.S. government were 6.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. By 2029, spending is projected to reach 8.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by Foreign and International Investors as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (HBFIGDQ188S) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about foreign, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

Key information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• United States External Debt accounted for 93.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2023, compared with the ratio of 94.4 % in the previous year.
• US External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2003 to Dec 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 100.0 % in Dec 2020 and a record low of 60.6 % in Dec 2003.

CEIC calculates External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly External Debt and annual Nominal GDP. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides External Debt in USD based on BPM6. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. External Debt prior to 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 266.8 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 93.6 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 56.2 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 258.7 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• The country's External Debt reached 26,467,035.0 in Mar 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

It was estimated that the external debt service in Latin American and Caribbean countries would amount to more than 683.56 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. As of 2023, the debt service was around 642 billion U.S. dollars.

This dataset provides values for EXTERNAL DEBT.PHP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• United States Government debt accounted for 124.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 123.1 % in the previous quarter.
• US government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1969 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 130.4 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 31.8 % in Sep 1974.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides Government Debt in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US National Government Debt reached 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The statistic shows the external debt in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2016 to 2026. In 2024, the external debt of Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to about 2.74 trillion U.S. dollars.

Key information about United States External Debt: Short Term

• United States External Debt: Short Term value stood at 8,657.9 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 8,495.7 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• US External Debt: Short Term data is updated quarterly, available from Jun 2003 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 8,657.9 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 2,718.8 USD bn in Jun 2003.

CEIC calculates quarterly Short Term External Debt as the sum of quarterly Short Term External Debt breakdowns for General Government, Central Bank, Deposit Taking Corporations and Other Sectors. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides Short Term External Debt in USD based on BPM6. Short Term External Debt prior to Q3 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: Short Term

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 310.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 96.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 96.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 637.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data was reported at 966.080 USD bn in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,000.160 USD bn for Sep 2024. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data is updated quarterly, averaging 856.892 USD bn from Dec 2009 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,290.516 USD bn in Mar 2022 and a record low of 180.883 USD bn in Dec 2009. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table CN.FA: Foreign Debt: Quarterly.

External Debt in the United States increased to 28097015 USD Million in the first quarter of 2025 from 27629576 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United States Net International Investment Position - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

It was estimated that the external debt interest paid by Latin American and Caribbean countries amounted to 117.14 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Overall, the amount paid due to foreign debt interests in Latin America and the Caribbean increased throughout the period under study, except for a considerable fall registered in 2020 and 2021.

Graph and download economic data for Outstanding Total International Debt Securities to GDP for United States (DDDM07USA156NWDB) from 1980 to 2020 about issues, debt, GDP, and USA.

It was estimated that the external debt service paid by in Latin American and Caribbean countries would represent 9.65 percent of the region's total gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025. This would be the lowest share registered since 2014, when it stood at 9.58 percent.

The average for 2022 based on 9 countries was 9.05 percent. The highest value was in Argentina: 18.6 percent and the lowest value was in Guyana: 2.62 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

China external debt for 2022 was 2.389 trillion US dollars, a 11.6% decline from 2021.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>China external debt for 2021 was <strong>2.702 trillion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>16.16% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>China external debt for 2020 was <strong>2.326 trillion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>10.03% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>China external debt for 2019 was <strong>2.114 trillion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>7.78% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Indonesia External Debt: Government: Country: Other America data was reported at 160.817 USD mn in May 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 165.996 USD mn for Apr 2019. Indonesia External Debt: Government: Country: Other America data is updated monthly, averaging 265.030 USD mn from Jan 2008 (Median) to May 2019, with 137 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 414.456 USD mn in Feb 2008 and a record low of 158.770 USD mn in Dec 2018. Indonesia External Debt: Government: Country: Other America data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table ID.FA012: External Debt: by Country and International Organisations.

In September 2023, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 33.17 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 85,552 U.S. dollars in 2021. As represented by the statistic above, the public debt of the United States has been continuously rising.

U.S. public debt Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. In the case of the U.S., national debt is owed by the federal government to Treasury security holders. Generally speaking, government debt increases with government spending, and can be decreased through taxes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government increased spending significantly to finance virus infrastructure, aid, and various forms of economic relief.

International public debt

Venezuela leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2021. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Venezuela's public debt amounted to around 306.95 percent of GDP. Eritrea was ranked fifth, with an estimated debt of 170 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 87 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2027, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland.

Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of the 4th quarter of 2020 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany ranked 13th in the EU, with its national debt amounting to 69 percent of GDP in the same time period.

Tuvalu was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2021 in relation to the GDP, while Macao had an estimated level of national debt of zero percent, the lowest of any country. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.

Key information about Egypt External Debt

• Egypt External Debt reached 155.2 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 152.9 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Egypt External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Jun 1997 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 168.0 USD bn in Dec 2023 and a record low of 26.1 USD bn in Mar 2001.

Related information about Egypt External Debt

• In the latest reports of Egypt, Current Account recorded a deficit of 5.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 22.4 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Egypt Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 120.0 USD mn in Jun 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment fell by 104.5 USD mn in Jun 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 109.0 USD bn in Dec 2022.