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.

In 2023, the gross federal debt in the United States amounted to around 93,500 U.S. dollars per capita. This is a moderate increase from the previous year, when the per capita national debt amounted to about 92,528 U.S. dollars. The total debt accrued by the U.S. annually can be accessed here. Federal debt of the United States The level of national debt held by the United States government has risen sharply in the years following the Great Recession. Federal debt is the amount of debt the federal government owes to creditors who hold assets in the form of debt securities. As with individuals and consumers, there is a common consensus among economists that holding debt is not necessarily problematic for government so long as the public debt is held at a sustainable level. Although there is no agreed upon ratio of debt to gross domestic product, the increasing debt held by the Federal Reserve has become a major part of the political discourse in the United States. Politics and the national debt In recent years, debate over the debt ceiling has been of concern to domestic politicians, the owners of federal debt, and global economy as a whole. The debt ceiling is a legislated maximum amount that national debt can reach intended to impose a degree of fiscal prudence on incumbent governments. However, as national debt has grown the debt ceiling has been reached, thus forcing legislative action by Congress. In both 2011 and 2013, new legislation was passed by Congress allowing the debt ceiling to be raised. The Budget Control Act of 2011 and the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 successively allowed the government to avoid defaulting on national debt and therefore avert a potential economic crisis.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt: Total Public Debt (GFDEBTN) from Q1 1966 to Q4 2024 about public, debt, federal, government, and USA.

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.

Mexico recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 49.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Mexico Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Federal Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (GFDGDPA188S) from 1939 to 2023 about gross, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

Government Debt in Denmark increased to 603.01 DKK Billion in February from 601.66 DKK Billion in January of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Denmark Central Government Gross Debt - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Romania's public debt as a share of gross domestic product was the smallest during the communist regime. This is the reason why in 1990, the country's public debt as a share of GDP was below one percent. By the end of 2022, Romania's public debt accounted for over 47 percent of the country's GDP, registering a drop since 2021, but still at an unusually high rate for Romania.

In October 2024, the public debt of the United States was around 35.46 trillion U.S. dollars, a slight decrease from the previous month. The U.S. public debt ceiling has become one of the most prominent political issues in the States in recent years, with debate over how to handle it causing political turmoil between Democrats and Republicans. The public debt The public debt of the United States has risen quickly since 2000, and in 2022 was more than five times higher than in 2000. The public debt is the total outstanding debt that is owed by the federal government. This figure comprises debt owed to the public (for example, through bonds) and intergovernmental debt (debt owed to various governmental departments), such as Social Security. Debt in Politics The debt issue has become a highly contentious topic within the U.S. government. Measures such as stimulus packages, social programs and tax cuts add to the public debt. Additionally, spending tends to peak during large global events, such as the Great Depression, the 2008 financial crisis, or the COVID-19 pandemic - all of which had a detrimental impact on the U.S. economy. Although both major political parties in the U.S. tend to blame one another for increases in the country's debt, a recent analysis found that both parties have contributed almost equally to national expenditure. Debate on raising the debt ceiling, or the amount of debt the federal government is allowed to have at any one time, was a leading topic in the government shutdown in October 2013. Despite plans from both Democrats and Republicans on how to lower the national debt, it is only expected to increase over the next decade.

Key information about Switzerland National Government Debt

• Switzerland National Government Debt reached 267.5 USD bn in Dec 2022, compared with 256.9 USD bn in the previous year.
• Switzerland National Government Debt data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1990 to Dec 2022.
• The data reached an all-time high of 267.5 USD bn in Dec 2022 and a record low of 82.4 USD bn in Dec 1990.

CEIC converts annual Government Debt into USD. Federal Finance Administration provides Government Debt in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about Switzerland National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, Switzerland Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 0.3 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2021.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 25.1 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2026.
• Switzerland Nominal GDP reached 213.3 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Key information about United Kingdom Government Debt: % of GDP

• United Kingdom Government debt accounted for 101.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 100.9 % in the previous quarter.
• UK government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1966 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 107.5 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 28.3 % in Dec 1990.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Office of National Statistics provides Government Debt in local currency. The Office for National Statistics provides Nominal GDP in local currency.


Related information about United Kingdom Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, UK National Government Debt reached 3,810.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 786.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

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.

Key information about Nepal National Government Debt

• Nepal National Government Debt reached 14.5 USD bn in Jul 2021, compared with 11.9 USD bn in the previous year.
• Nepal National Government Debt data is updated yearly, available from Jul 1990 to Jul 2021.
• The data reached an all-time high of 14.5 USD bn in Jul 2021 and a record low of 1.9 USD bn in Jul 1990.

CEIC calculates annual Government Debt as the sum of Foreign Government Debt and Domestic Government Debt and converts it into USD. The Ministry of Finance provides Foreign Government Debt in local currency. Nepal Rasta Bank provides Domestic Government Debt in local currency. Nepal Rastra Bank period end market exchange rate used for currency conversions. Government Debt covers Central Government only. Government Debt prior to 1999 is sourced from the World Bank. Government Debt is in annual frequency, generally ending on July 15th of each year.