The value of global debt increased from 285 trillion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2022 to 315 trillion U.S. dollars in the same quarter of 2024. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, global debt has skyrocketed. The value of global debt in Q1 2024 was more than three times the value of the global GDP.

Key information about United States Total Debt: % of GDP

• United States Total Debt accounted for 722.0 % of the country's GDP in 2024, compared with the ratio of 722.0 % in the previous quarter.
• US Total Debt: % of GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1951 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 834.9 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 309.4 % in Jun 1953.

CEIC calculates quarterly Total Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Total Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Total Debt is calculated as sum of Liabilities for NonFinancial Business, Federal Government, State and Local Government, Households & Nonprofit Organizations and Financial Business less Mutual Fund Shares. Federal Reserve Board provides Total Debt in local currency. Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in local currency.

The average for 2022 based on 174 countries was 59.99 percent. The highest value was in Japan: 236.58 percent and the lowest value was in Liechtenstein: 0.5 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

World debt to gdp ratio for 2022 was 97.98%, a 9.66% decline from 2021.

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

<li>World debt to gdp ratio for 2021 was <strong>107.64%</strong>, a <strong>4.34% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>World debt to gdp ratio for 2020 was <strong>111.97%</strong>, a <strong>18.18% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>World debt to gdp ratio for 2019 was <strong>93.79%</strong>, a <strong>2.45% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year.

This statistic shows the national debt of important industrial and emerging countries in 2023 in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP). In 2023, the national debt of China was at about 83.64 percent of the gross domestic product.

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.

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

In 2024, Japan had the highest level of total non-financial debt among advanced economies, reaching 394 percent of the country's GDP. Total non-financial debt includes government debt, as well as private and business debt. Debt of the financial sector is not included in the figures.

Graph and download economic data for Central government debt, total (% of GDP) for OECD Members (GCDODTOTLGDZSOED) from 1990 to 2022 about OECD Economies, debt, government, and GDP.

Of the G7 countries, Japan had the highest net debt in terms of share of gross domestic product (GDP) between 2010 and 2024. That year, Japan's government's net debt reached an estimated *** percent of its total GDP. Italy had the second highest debt rate at *** percent of its GDP, whereas Canada had the lowest at only ** percent.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. debt to gdp ratio by year from 1989 to 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Central government debt, total (% of GDP) for High Income Countries (GCDODTOTLGDZSHIC) from 1990 to 2022 about debt, government, income, and GDP.

This dataset provides values for GOVERNMENT DEBT TO GDP 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 Italy Government Debt: % of GDP

• Italy Government debt accounted for 135.3 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 136.2 % in the previous quarter.
• Italy government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 159.9 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 103.9 % in Dec 2007.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bank of Italy provides Government Debt in EUR. Italian National Institute of Statistics provides Nominal GDP in EUR.


Related information about Italy Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Italy National Government Debt reached 3,069.8 USD bn in Dec 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 538.7 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Key information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• European Union Government debt accounted for 81.6 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 81.5 % in the previous quarter.
• EU government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 91.5 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 62.4 % in Dec 2007.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Eurostat provides Government Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR. European Union stands for EU27 excluding UK.


Related information about European Union Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, EU National Government Debt reached 16,136.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 4,430.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

In 2024, the net government debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio of Japan was estimated at about *** percent. The government debt ratio of the United States was over ** percent. Saudi Arabia, who had the lowest net debt, had a debt ratio of only **** percent.

Interactive chart of historical data comparing the level of gross domestic product (GDP) with Federal Debt.

Graph and download economic data for Central government debt, total (% of GDP) for Japan (DEBTTLJPA188A) from 1990 to 2022 about Japan, debt, government, and GDP.

The statistic shows the national debt of the United States from 2019 to 2022 in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP), with projections up until 2029. In 2022, the national debt of the United States was at around 120.03 percent of the gross domestic product. See the US GDP for further information. US finances There has been a dramatic increase in the public debt of the United States since 1990, although the month-to-month change has been quite stable over the last few months. Public debt is defined as the amount of money borrowed by a country to cover budget deficits. A ranking of individual state debt in the United States shows that California is leading by a clear margin, with more than double the amount of runner-up New York. Vermont, North Dakota and South Dakota are the states with the lowest amount of debt. Even before the recession of 2008, the national debt of the United States had been increasing steadily and excessively, and it is predicted to rise even further. Budget cuts and fewer job opportunities as a result of the crisis are taking their toll on the American economy, which is still recovering. Trade figures as well as unemployment are still below average. Subsequently, the national debt and the national debt of the United States per capita have more or less quadrupled since the 1990s. Interestingly, the United States is not even among the top ten of countries with the highest public debt in relation to gross domestic product in international comparison. Japan, Greece and Italy – among others – report far higher figures than the United States.

Graph and download economic data for Central government debt, total (% of GDP) for the United Kingdom (DEBTTLGBA188A) from 1990 to 2023 about United Kingdom, debt, government, and GDP.