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 ****** U.S. dollars per capita. This is a moderate increase from the previous year, when the per capita national debt amounted to about ****** 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.

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

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).

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.

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.

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

The national debt of San Marino was estimated at about 1.34 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. From 2001 to 2024, the national debt rose by approximately 1.19 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. Between 2024 and 2030, the national debt will rise by around 36.66 million U.S. dollars, showing an overall upward trend with periodic ups and downs.

In 2024, the gross government debt of Japan amounted to 255 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), compared to 123 percent of the United States. This was an increase for both countries over 2001 levels, Meanwhile, Germany had the lowest government debt ratio at only 64 percent.

United States US: Central Government Debt: Total: % of GDP data was reported at 99.457 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 97.375 % for 2015. United States US: Central Government Debt: Total: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 54.468 % from Sep 1989 (Median) to 2016, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.457 % in 2016 and a record low of 15.109 % in 2001. United States US: Central Government Debt: Total: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Government Revenue, Expenditure and Finance. Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year.; ; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; Weighted average;

Federal Debt: PDS: Non Marketable data was reported at 6,344.474 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,238.013 USD bn for Sep 2018. Federal Debt: PDS: Non Marketable data is updated monthly, averaging 4,955.099 USD bn from Jan 2001 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 214 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,344.474 USD bn in Oct 2018 and a record low of 2,738.743 USD bn in Jan 2001. Federal Debt: PDS: Non Marketable 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. Federal Debt: Public Debt Securities (id 40860101) dated September 30, 2003 is not equal to the summation of Federal Debt: PDS: Marketable (id 51033102) and Federal Debt: PDS: Non Marketable (id 51033602) due to an adjustment of $89 million reported by the Bureau of Public Debt after the publication of Monthly Statement of Public Debt

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from 1901 to 2024 about budget, federal, and USA.

The national debt of Ecuador stood at approximately 67 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 2001 and 2024, the national debt rose by around 52.24 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

United States US: General Government: Net Debt: % of GDP data was reported at 83.669 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 82.141 % for 2022. United States US: General Government: Net Debt: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 77.701 % from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2023, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.669 % in 2023 and a record low of 33.899 % in 2001. United States US: General Government: Net Debt: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.IMF.FM: Government Finance Statistics.

The national debt of Belize was estimated at about 2.09 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 2001 and 2024, the national debt rose by approximately 1.51 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 365 million U.S. dollars over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.

United States Federal Debt: Statutory Limit: PDSL: Debt Held by the Public data was reported at 15,822.723 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 15,740.453 USD bn for Sep 2018. United States Federal Debt: Statutory Limit: PDSL: Debt Held by the Public data is updated monthly, averaging 7,713.217 USD bn from Jan 2001 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 214 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,822.723 USD bn in Oct 2018 and a record low of 3,220.106 USD bn in Jul 2001. United States Federal Debt: Statutory Limit: PDSL: Debt Held by the Public 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.

The national debt of Laos amounted to approximately ************* U.S. dollars in 2024. Following a continuous upward trend, the national debt has risen by around ************* U.S. dollars since 2001. Between 2024 and 2030, the national debt will rise by around ************ U.S. dollars, continuing its consistent upward trajectory.

Graph and download economic data for General Government Gross Debt for United States (USAGGXWDGGDP) from 2001 to 2030 about gross, debt, government, and USA.

As shown in this statistic, the national debt of Tanzania stands at approximately ************* U.S. dollars in 2025.Fluctuating rise between 2001 and 2025A comparison to the earliest shown observation from 2001 reveals a total increase by approximately ********** U.S. dollars. The trajectory from 2001 to 2025 shows however that this increase did not happen continuously.Continuous rise between 2025 and 2030The national debt will lie at close to ************* U.S. dollars in 2030, according to forecasts. Compared to 2025 this is an overall increase by approximately ************* U.S. dollars. This growth reflects a steady upward trend.