The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Greece was estimated at approximately 150.89 percent in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the ratio rose by around 128.05 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is expected to drop by about 25.82 percentage points between 2024 and 2030, showing a continuous downward movement throughout the period.The general government gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. Here it is depicted in relation to the country's GDP, which refers to the total value of goods and services produced during a year.

Private Debt to GDP in Greece increased to 68.60 percent in 2024 from 65.90 percent in 2023. Greece Private Debt to GDP - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

This data package includes the underlying data and files to replicate the calculations, charts, and tables presented in How to Solve the Greek Debt Problem, PIIE Policy Brief 18-10. If you use the data, please cite as: Zettelmeyer, Jeromin, Emilios Avgouleas, Barry Eichengreen, Miguel Poiares Maduro, Ugo Panizza, Richard Portes, Beatrice Weder di Mauro, and Charles Wyplosz. (2018). How to Solve the Greek Debt Problem. PIIE Policy Brief 18-10. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Graph and download economic data for Central government debt, total (% of GDP) for Greece (DEBTTLGRA188A) from 1997 to 2023 about Greece, debt, government, and GDP.

Several European Union member states have struggled with high levels of public debt in the period since the Global Financial Crisis. In particular, Greece's debt skyrocketed during the recession which followed the crisis, culminating in a period of intense political and social upheaval during the early 2010s in which the country came close to having to leave the Euro single currency zone. Along with Italy, Portugal, Spain and France, Greece is part of a group of EU members who have seen their debt soar to a value worth over one year's aggregate production in their economies (i.e. 100% of GDP) due to slow economic growth coupled with increasing public liabilities due to the need to provide emergency support to their domestic financial systems. Belgium, while also a part of this group of high-debt ratio countries has quite different circumstances, as its debt ratio has in fact fallen since the 1990s, remaining 20 percent below its 1995 level, even after a spike due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key information about Greece External Debt: % of GDP

• Greece External Debt accounted for 246.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2023, compared with the ratio of 264.1 % in the previous year.
• Greece External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2003 to Dec 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 300.8 % in Dec 2021 and a record low of 93.6 % in Dec 2003.

• In the latest reports of Greece, Current Account recorded a surplus of 717.7 USD mn in Aug 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 304.2 USD mn in Apr 2023.
• Greece Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 119.7 USD mn in Aug 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 2.7 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• The country's External Debt reached 593,149.0 in Jun 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 57.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

External Debt to GDP in Greece decreased to 236 percent of GDP in the first quarter of 2025 from 237 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Greece External Debt To GDP.

Historical chart and dataset showing Greece debt to gdp ratio by year from 1997 to 2023.

Greece - Net external debt was 114.40 % of GDP in March of 2025, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Greece - Net external debt - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, Greece - Net external debt reached a record high of 167.50 % of GDP in June of 2021 and a record low of 49.20 % of GDP in December of 2003.

Key information about Greece External Debt

• Greece External Debt reached 617.8 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 594.0 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Greece External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2003 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 628.4 USD bn in Dec 2021 and a record low of 205.3 USD bn in Dec 2003.

• In the latest reports of Greece, Current Account recorded a deficit of 417.5 USD mn in Oct 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 304.2 USD mn in Apr 2023.
• Greece Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 69.2 USD mn in Oct 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 1.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 57.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Households Debt in Greece decreased to 39 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 39.30 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Greece Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Greece: Government debt as percent of GDP: The latest value from 2023 is 161.9 percent, a decline from 172.7 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 61.85 percent, based on data from 137 countries. Historically, the average for Greece from 1995 to 2023 is 139.69 percent. The minimum value, 97.4 percent, was reached in 1998 while the maximum of 207 percent was recorded in 2020.

Interest payments (% of revenue) in Greece was reported at 7.4616 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Greece - Interest payments (% of revenue) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.