In 2023, the U.S. government spent a total of 875 billion U.S. dollars on interest of public debt. 497 billion U.S. dollars was on interest for debt held by the public.

The national debt of the United Stated can be found here.

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.

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

In the fiscal year 2023, the initial budget for national debt service expenditure of the national government in Japan amounted to approximately 25.7 trillion Japanese yen. Around 27 trillion yen in expenditure on debt service was planned according to the general account budget.

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

Egypt Debt Service: Government: Annual: Interest: Paid data was reported at 1.083 USD bn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 835.800 USD mn for 2016. Egypt Debt Service: Government: Annual: Interest: Paid data is updated yearly, averaging 645.100 USD mn from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2017, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.083 USD bn in 2017 and a record low of 578.100 USD mn in 2005. Egypt Debt Service: Government: Annual: Interest: Paid data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bank of Egypt. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Egypt – Table EG.F018: Government Debt Service. Interest Paid includes interest payments on Egyptian bonds and notes floated abroad.

By 2034, the gross federal debt of the United States is projected to be about 54.39 trillion U.S. dollars. This would be an increase of around 21 trillion U.S. dollars from 2023, when the federal debt was around 33 trillion U.S. dollars.

The federal debt of the U.S.

The federal debt, also called the national debt or public debt, is the amount of debt held by the United States government. This debt may be to other countries, or to different departments within the government itself. The public debt of the United States has increased significantly over the past 30 years, as it was around 3.2 trillion U.S. dollars in 1990 and surpassed 30 trillion dollars for the first time in 2022. When broken down per capita, the national debt amounted to about 80,885 U.S. dollars of debt per person in the United States in 2021.

The problem of the federal debt

Over the past decade, the federal debt limit in the United States has increased significantly. The U.S. debt ceiling can only be changed by an act of Congress which is then signed by the president. The raising of the ceiling has become a recurring political issue in recent years, especially during times when the Presidency and chambers of Congress are controlled by different parties.

The debt ceiling is a tool that allows the Treasury to issue bonds without congressional approval, allowing for efficiency in the way that the government pays for programs and services. It is thought to be further valuable in that it keeps federal finances in check. However, when the two parties are unable to come to an agreement on raising the debt ceiling, the government comes to a shutdown because they can no longer fund themselves. The Republican Party in particular often positions itself against raising the federal debt ceiling, characterizing themselves as the party of fiscal conservativism. However, analyses have shown that both parties have contributed to the country's debt in almost equal measures.

Key information about United States National Government Debt

• United States National Government Debt reached 36,218.9 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with 36,220.2 USD bn in the previous month.
• US National Government Debt data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1969 to Feb 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025 and a record low of 353.7 USD bn in Jun 1969.

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides monthly Government Debt in USD. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about United States National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, US Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 7.0 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 124.0 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024.
• US Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by the Public (FYGFDPUN) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about public, debt, federal, and USA.

Jordan External Debt Service: Government Debt data was reported at 777.150 JOD mn in Dec 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 593.900 JOD mn for Sep 2014. Jordan External Debt Service: Government Debt data is updated quarterly, averaging 303.540 JOD mn from Dec 2005 (Median) to Dec 2014, with 37 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,943.830 JOD mn in Dec 2008 and a record low of 51.510 JOD mn in Mar 2009. Jordan External Debt Service: Government Debt data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Finance. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Jordan – Table JO.JB013: External Debt Service.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by Foreign and International Investors (FDHBFIN) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about foreign, debt, federal, and USA.

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.

The Interest Expense on Debt Outstanding dataset provides monthly and fiscal year-to-date values for interest expenses on federal government debt, that is, the cost to the U.S. for borrowing money (calculated at a specified rate and period of time). U.S. debt includes Treasury notes and bonds, foreign and domestic series certificates of indebtedness, savings bonds, Government Account Series (GAS), State and Local Government Series (SLGS) and other special purpose securities. While interest expenses are what the government pays to investors who loan money to the government, how much the government pays in interest depends on both the total federal debt and the interest rate investors charged when they loaned the money. This dataset is useful for those who wish to track the cost of maintaining federal debt.

Key information about Japan Government Debt: % of GDP

• Japan Government debt accounted for 216.2 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 217.2 % in the previous quarter.
• Japan government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 1994 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 225.8 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 55.9 % in Dec 1994.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bank of Japan provides Government Debt in local currency. The Economic and Social Research Institute provides Nominal GDP in local currency. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about Japan Government Debt: % of GDP

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

Key information about Russia Government Debt: % of GDP

• Russia Government debt accounted for 14.6 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Mar 2024, compared with the ratio of 14.9 % in the previous quarter.
• Russia government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2011 to Mar 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 17.8 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 8.5 % in Mar 2012.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. Government Debt is calculated as a sum of Domestic Government Debt and External Government Debt. The Ministry of Finance provides Government Debt in USD and local currency. The Federal State Statistics Service provides Nominal GDP in local currency. The Bank of Russia period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about Russia Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, Russia National Government Debt reached 284.6 USD bn in Apr 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 494.7 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) in Colombia was reported at 28562257964 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The Debt to the Penny dataset provides information about the total outstanding public debt and is reported each day. Debt to the Penny is made up of intragovernmental holdings and debt held by the public, including securities issued by the U.S. Treasury. Total public debt outstanding is composed of Treasury Bills, Notes, Bonds, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), and Federal Financing Bank (FFB) securities, as well as Domestic Series, Foreign Series, State and Local Government Series (SLGS), U.S. Savings Securities, and Government Account Series (GAS) securities. Debt to the Penny is updated at 3:00 PM EST each business day with data from the previous business day.

Debt Service: Government: Principal: Repaid data was reported at 1.729 USD bn in Mar 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.355 USD bn for Dec 2017. Debt Service: Government: Principal: Repaid data is updated quarterly, averaging 560.300 USD mn from Mar 2000 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 73 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.355 USD bn in Dec 2017 and a record low of 136.300 USD mn in Jun 2001. Debt Service: Government: Principal: Repaid data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bank of Egypt. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Egypt – Table EG.F018: Government Debt Service.

Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) in Guinea was reported at 304259010 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Guinea - Debt service on external debt, total (TDS, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on April of 2025.

This dataset has various calculations of debt burden. The data is represented as percentages and will be updated twice per year in the Preliminary and Executive Budgets.