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.

The statistic shows the national debt of the United States from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. The amount of the debt of the United States amounted to around 35.25 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. National debt of the United States National debt in the United States is a topic of much debate and controversy, primarily due to large amounts of unnecessary spending. Despite the fact that the United States had the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world in 2016, along with being one of the most developed powerhouses in the world, the country suffers in many economical aspects. When analyzing the country’s imports and exports, the United States has recorded a trade deficit for more than a decade as of 2015, meaning that its imports exceeded its exports every year. However, despite being significantly affected by the world economic crisis in 2008, the country’s trade balance noticeably improved in 2009, almost halving the country’s total trade deficit. An economical aspect that did not improve during the world economic crisis was the country’s unemployment rate. The number of unemployed in the United States increased greatly in 2009 and continued to rise in 2010, however finally stabilized in the following years and has since declined yearly. When considering the total population of the United States, which amounted to roughly 322 million in 2015, a large percentage of citizens, who are capable of work, have been left without a job for roughly 7 years.

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.

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

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. debt to gdp ratio by year from 1989 to 2023.

The national debt of Djibouti was estimated at approximately 1.41 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 2009 and 2024, the national debt rose by around 994.06 million U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The national debt is forecast to decline by about 332.67 million U.S. dollars from 2024 to 2030, fluctuating as it trends downward.

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.

The ratio of national debt to gross domestic product (GDP) of Djibouti was estimated at approximately 33.25 percent in 2024. Between 2009 and 2024, the ratio rose by around 3.72 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is expected to drop by about 16.83 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.

This table contains 29 series, with data for years 2009 - 2019 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) Central government debt (29 items: A. Federal debt (accumulated deficit), (B - E); B. Net debt, (C - D); C. Liabilities, gross debt; Accounts payable and accrued liabilities; ...).

United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Beginning of Year data was reported at 27,087.198 USD bn in 2028. This records an increase from the previous number of 25,714.526 USD bn for 2027. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Beginning of Year data is updated yearly, averaging 15,176.618 USD bn from Sep 2009 (Median) to 2028, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27,087.198 USD bn in 2028 and a record low of 5,802.851 USD bn in 2009. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Beginning of Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Congressional Budget Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F006: Federal Debt: Projection: Congressional Budget Office.

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.

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.

United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: End of Year: % of GDP data was reported at 96.202 % in 2028. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.455 % for 2027. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: End of Year: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 78.672 % from Sep 2009 (Median) to 2028, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.202 % in 2028 and a record low of 50.451 % in 2009. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: End of Year: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Congressional Budget Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F006: Federal Debt: Projection: Congressional Budget Office.

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 ...).

China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data was reported at 966.080 USD bn in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,000.160 USD bn for Sep 2024. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data is updated quarterly, averaging 856.892 USD bn from Dec 2009 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,290.516 USD bn in Mar 2022 and a record low of 180.883 USD bn in Dec 2009. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table CN.FA: Foreign Debt: Quarterly.

United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: 20 Years or More data was reported at 1,339.027 USD bn in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,324.010 USD bn for Aug 2018. United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: 20 Years or More data is updated monthly, averaging 322.270 USD bn from Dec 1994 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 286 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,339.027 USD bn in Sep 2018 and a record low of 155.227 USD bn in Apr 2009. United States Federal Debt: PDS Held By Private Investors: 20 Years or More data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F004: Federal Debt.

United States - Federal Government; Debt Securities; Asset, Transactions was 292.00000 Mil. of $ in October of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Federal Government; Debt Securities; Asset, Transactions reached a record high of 209420.00000 in January of 2009 and a record low of -157904.00000 in October of 2011. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Federal Government; Debt Securities; Asset, Transactions - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Change: Deficit data was reported at 1,526.045 USD bn in 2028. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,315.833 USD bn for 2027. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Change: Deficit data is updated yearly, averaging 1,156.705 USD bn from Sep 2009 (Median) to 2028, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,526.045 USD bn in 2028 and a record low of 425.812 USD bn in 2015. United States CBO Projection: Federal Debt Held by Public: Change: Deficit data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Congressional Budget Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.F006: Federal Debt: Projection: Congressional Budget Office.

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.

Key information about Ecuador National Government Debt

• Ecuador National Government Debt reached 85.3 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with 82.8 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• Ecuador National Government Debt data is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2005 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 85.3 USD bn in Dec 2024 and a record low of 10.0 USD bn in Jun 2009.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt from monthly Government Debt. The Ministry of Economy and Finance provides Government Debt in USD. Government Debt refers to Public Debt. Government Debt prior to Q3 2021 is based on 2019 methodology. Government Debt prior to Q2 2019 is based on old methodology.


Related information about Ecuador National Government Debt

• In the latest reports, Ecuador Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 1.3 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024.
• The country's Government debt accounted for 67.4 % of its Nominal GDP in Sep 2024.
• Ecuador Nominal GDP reached 28.9 USD bn in Mar 2023.