In 2023, the U.S. government had a budget deficit of 1.69 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to 2000, when the government had a budget surplus of 0.24 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Government budget

The government budget is a financial statement that demonstrates the government’s suggested revenues and spending for the financial year. Budget surpluses occur when income exceeds expenditures. Budget deficits occur when spending exceeds income. The budget balance of the U.S. government has fluctuated since 2016, and is expected to decrease slightly by 2026.

Military spending

Defense outlays in the United States amounted to 714 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. It is expected to continue to increase over the next several years. The United States currently has the largest defense budget in the world, and is the largest employer in the world. The military budget funds the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. The amount of funding that goes towards the Department of Defense is heavily criticized by Democrats in the United States, because they believe that the funding should be more evenly distributed towards other social welfare programs such as public health insurance and education.

Graph and download economic data for Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) from 1952 to 2023 about budget, federal, government, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from Oct 1980 to May 2025 about budget, federal, and USA.

The United States recorded a government budget deficit of 316004 USD Million in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product from 1929 to 2024 about budget, federal, GDP, and USA.

Germany recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 2.80 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Germany Government Budget - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The forecasted budget balance for the U.S. government is predicted to fluctuate between the fiscal years of 2024 and 2034. This forecast predicts a deficit of 2.58 trillion U.S. dollars by fiscal year 2034. A fiscal year covers the period from October 1 to September 30 of a given year.

China Government Surplus or Deficit: Year to Date data was reported at -1,262.600 RMB bn in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of -124.000 RMB bn for Feb 2025. China Government Surplus or Deficit: Year to Date data is updated monthly, averaging 268.625 RMB bn from Jan 2007 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 212 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,535.486 RMB bn in Jul 2011 and a record low of -6,491.000 RMB bn in Dec 2024. China Government Surplus or Deficit: Year to Date data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table CN.FA: Government Revenue and Expenditure: Monthly.

Mexico recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 5.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Mexico Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about China Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• China Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 4.8 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 4.9 % in the previous quarter
• China Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2024, with an average ratio of -2.0 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 1.4 % in Jun 2008 and a record low of -6.1 % in Dec 2020

CEIC calculates quarterly Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Consolidated Fiscal Balance and quarterly Nominal GDP. The Ministry of Finance provides year-to-date Consolidated Fiscal Balance in local currency. The National Bureau of Statistics provides year-to-date Nominal GDP in local currency. Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP prior to Q4 2007 is calculated from non year-to-date Consolidated Fiscal Balance.


Further information about China Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, China National Government Debt reached 4,230.0 USD bn in Dec 2023
• China Nominal GDP reached 4,166.8 USD bn in Mar 2023

Key information about Japan Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• Japan Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 6.2 % of its Nominal GDP in Mar 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 11.6 % in the previous year
• Japan Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated yearly, available from Mar 1996 to Mar 2024, with an average ratio of -6.8 %
• The data reached an all-time high of -3.5 % in Mar 1998 and a record low of -14.8 % in Mar 2021

The Ministry of Finance provides annual Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP. Consolidated Fiscal Balance is calculated as Total Revenue excluding Revenue from Government Bond less Expenditure. Consolidated Fiscal Balance for current and coming fiscal years is forecasted. The forecast for the current year is revised when the official Consolidated Fiscal Balance is released. Nominal GDP prior to 2012 is based on SNA 1993. Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP is in annual frequency, ending in March of each year.


Further information about Japan Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Japan National Government Debt reached 9,396.6 USD bn in Apr 2023
• Japan Nominal GDP reached 1,080.1 USD bn in Mar 2023

The U.S. budget deficit amounted to roughly 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, which was around 6.3 percent of the U.S. GDP. The forecast predicts a state deficit of about 2.58 trillion U.S. dollars in 2034, which would be about 6.2 percent of the U.S. GDP. The GDP of the United States since 1990 can be accessed here.

This table shows the net transactions for the current month, and the current and prior fiscal year-to-date, as well as account balances for the beginning of the current fiscal year and current accounting month and the close of the current accounting month. This activity is related to the means used to finance the budget deficit or to dispose of a budget surplus. An asset account would represent an asset to the United States Government, for example United States Treasury Operating Cash. A liability account would represent a liability to the United States Government, for example Borrowing from the Public. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

Summary, reconciliation and revisions information on UK government deficit and debt figures by calendar and financial year.

Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data was reported at -76,284,600.000 PLN th in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of -36,341,070.000 PLN th for Feb 2025. Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data is updated monthly, averaging -15,655,808.161 PLN th from Jan 2002 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 279 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51,888,134.000 PLN th in Oct 2021 and a record low of -210,928,600.000 PLN th in Dec 2024. Poland Central Government Budget: Deficit or Surplus: Year to Date data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Poland – Table PL.F005: State Budget: State Budget Act.

Japan recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 6.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2022. This dataset provides - Japan Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

This summary table shows the on-budget and off-budget receipts and outlays, the on-budget and off-budget surplus/deficit, and the means of financing the budget surplus/deficit. The table also shows the budgeted amounts estimated in the President's Budget for the current fiscal year and next fiscal year for each item on the table. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

Key information about US Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• United States Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 7.0 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 6.4 % in the previous quarter
• US Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Sep 1981 to Dec 2024, with an average ratio of -3.4 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 2.5 % in Dec 2000 and a record low of -19.0 % in Mar 2021

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


Further information about US Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

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

In the first quarter of 2024, the U.S. government's budget balance amounted to a net borrowing of about 2.09 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to the first quarter of 2009, when the U.S. government borrowed about 1.79 trillion U.S. dollars.