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.

Summarizes the U.S. government's total outstanding debt at the end of each fiscal year from 1789 to the current year.

During the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the advanced economies of the G7 experienced a period of acute financial crises, downturns in the non-financial economy, and political instability. The governments of these countries in many cases stepped in to backstop their financial sectors and to try to stimulate their economies. The scale of these interventions was large by historical standards, with observers making comparisons to the measures of the New Deal which the U.S. undertook in the 1930s to end the Great Depression.

The bailouts of financial institutions and stimulus packages caused the government debt ratios of the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan in particular to rise sharply. The UK's government debt ratio almost doubled due to the bailouts of Northern Rock and Royal Bank of Scotland. On the other hand, the increases in government debt in the Eurozone were more measured, due to the comparative absence of stimulus spending in these countries. They would later be hit hard during the Eurozone crisis of the 2010s, when bank lending to the periphery of the Eurozone (Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Greece in particular) would trigger a sovereign debt crisis. The Canadian government, led by a Conservative premier, engaged in some fiscal stimulus to support its economy, but these packages were small in comparison to that in most other of the G7 countries.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt: Total Public Debt (GFDEBTN) from Q1 1966 to Q1 2025 about public, debt, federal, government, and USA.

The United States recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 124.30 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - United States Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

Government debt in the United Kingdom reached over 2.8 trillion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 2.69 trillion pounds in the previous financial year. Although debt has been increasing throughout this period, there is a noticeable jump between 2019/20, and 2020/21, when debt increased from 1.82 trillion pounds, to 2.15 trillion. The UK's government debt was the equivalent of 95.8 percent of GDP in 2024/25, and is expected to increase slightly in coming years, and not start falling until the end of this decade. Public finances in a tight spot With government debt approaching 100 percent of GDP, the UK finds itself in a tricky fiscal situation. If the UK can't reduce it's spending, or increase its revenue, the government will have to continue borrowing large amounts, increasing the debt further. Adding to the problem, is the fact that financing this debt has got steadily more expensive recently, with the government currently spending more on debt interest than it does on defence, transport, and public order and safety. Can the UK grow out its debt? After the Second World War, when the national debt reached over 250 percent of GDP, the UK managed to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, due to the economy growing faster than its debt over a long period of time. This is certainly the hope of the current Labour government, who are seeking to avoid significant tax and spending adjustments by strengthening the economy. Overdue investments in infrastructure and increased capital spending may eventually achieve this goal, but the government's declining popularity suggests they may not be in power by the time these policies might eventually bear fruit.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by the Public as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYGFGDQ188S) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about public, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

Key information about Ireland Government Debt: % of GDP

• Ireland Government debt accounted for 42.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 42.7 % in the previous quarter.
• Ireland government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 123.1 % in Mar 2013 and a record low of 24.6 % in Jun 2007.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Central Statistics Office provides Government Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR, based on ESA 2010. Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP prior to Q1 2009 is based on ESA 1995.


Related information about Ireland Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Ireland National Government Debt reached 242.3 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 132.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Key information about Australia Government Debt: % of GDP

• Australia Government debt accounted for 38.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2023, compared with the ratio of 41.9 % in the previous year.
• Australia government debt to GDP ratio data is updated yearly, available from Jun 1999 to Jun 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 47.6 % in Jun 2021 and a record low of 9.6 % in Jun 2007.

CEIC calculates Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from annual Government Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Government Debt is calculated as the sum of General Government Currency & Deposits, Advances and Debt Securities. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides Government Debt in local currency based on SNA 2008 and Nominal GDP in local currency. Government Debt prior to 2009 is based on SNA 2008 GFMS 2001. Government Debt prior to 2000 is based on SNA 1993. Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP is in annual frequency, ending in June of each year..


Related information about Australia Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Australia National Government Debt reached 650.9 USD bn in Jun 2023.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 440.1 USD bn in Mar 2023.

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.

Households Debt in the United States decreased to 69.20 percent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 70.50 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United States Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Total outstanding debt of the U.S. government reported daily. Includes a breakout of intragovernmental holdings (federal debt held by U.S. government) and debt held by the public (federal debt held by entities outside the U.S. government).

The national debt of Panama was estimated at about 49.65 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1994 and 2024, the national debt rose by approximately 42.88 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt will steadily rise by around 16.81 billion U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

This table contains 13 series, with data for years 1867 - 31-MAR-08 not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and was last released on 2009-08-28. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...), Government debt (13 items: Gross federal government debt;Marketable bonds;Treasury bills;Unmatured debt ...).

Government Debt in Australia decreased to 523575 AUD Million in May from 543581 AUD Million in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Australia Government Net Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about Slovakia National Government Debt

• Slovakia National Government Debt reached 82.4 USD bn in Jun 2024, compared with 81.9 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Slovakia National Government Debt data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2000 to Jun 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 82.4 USD bn in Jun 2024 and a record low of 9.6 USD bn in Dec 2000.

CEIC converts quarterly Government Debt into USD. The Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic provides Government Debt in EUR based on ESA 2010. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Government Debt prior to Q1 2007 is calculated from Government Debt in local currency based on ESA 1995.


Related information about Slovakia National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, Slovakia Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 6.2 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2020.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 60.4 % of its Nominal GDP in Jun 2024.
• Slovakia Nominal GDP reached 31.7 USD bn in Mar 2023.

The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of El Salvador stood at approximately 87.58 percent in 2024. Between 1991 and 2024, the ratio rose by around 44.25 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is forecast to decline by about 8.69 percentage points from 2024 to 2030, fluctuating as it trends downward.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.

Government Debt in Macedonia increased to 8328.70 EUR Million in the first quarter of 2025 from 8298 EUR Million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Macedonia Government Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about Netherlands Government Debt: % of GDP

• Netherlands Government debt accounted for 43.2 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2024, compared with the ratio of 43.9 % in the previous quarter.
• Netherlands government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1999 to Jun 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 68.2 % in Mar 2015 and a record low of 42.8 % in Dec 2007.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Statistics Netherlands provides Government Debt in EUR and Nominal GDP in EUR.


Related information about Netherlands Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Netherlands National Government Debt reached 509.0 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 272.1 USD bn in Mar 2023.