In 2024, Sudan ranked had the highest public debt level in relation to its GDP, with an estimated debt almost three times larger than its GDP. The countries with the highest public debt often have a high level of economic instability, however there are also many more developed economies on this list, such as five of the G7 countries, who feature due to their high levels of national borrowing and public spending. Venezuela's public debt

In 2022, the federal state of California had about 558.68 billion U.S. dollars of debt outstanding, the most out of any state. New York, Texas, Illinois, and Florida rounded out the top five states with the most debt outstanding in 2022.

In the third quarter of 2024, Greece's national debt was the highest in all the European Union, amounting to 158 percent of Greece's gross domestic product. In spite of Greece's total being high by EU standards, it marks a substantial decrease from the historical high point reached by the country's national debt of 207 percent of GDP in 2020. Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal also all have government debt worth over one year's production of their economies, while the small Baltic country of Estonia has the smallest national debt when compared with GDP, at only 24 percent. In debitum incrementum?A country’s national debt, also known as government debt or public debt, is defined as all borrowings owed by the government of a country. It usually comprises internal debt – owed to other governmental departments – and external debt, which is held by the public and is owed to government bond owners. National debt can be caused by a struggling economy in general, or by low tax income, which usually leads to money being borrowed from other governments for support, which in turn cannot be paid back right away. At first glance, a high national debt is not always a sign of a struggling economy – but since increasing debt can slow down economic growth significantly, it is imperative for the respective government to seek a steady reduction in the long run.

This dataset provides values for PRIVATE DEBT TO GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Interactive chart of historical data comparing the level of gross domestic product (GDP) with Federal Debt.

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.

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

Households Debt in the United States decreased to 70.50 percent of GDP in the third quarter of 2024 from 70.70 percent of GDP in the second quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - United States Households Debt To Gdp- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This dataset provides values for HOUSEHOLDS DEBT TO INCOME reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Worldwide, the United States has, by far, the highest public debt, more than twice as high as China in second. Japan followed in third.

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.

Private Debt to GDP in the United States decreased to 216.50 percent in 2023 from 224.50 percent in 2022. United States Private Debt to GDP - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on June of 2025.

Italy recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 135.30 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Italy Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

The statistic shows the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2023 in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP). The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance. In 2023, Russia's estimated level of national debt reached about 19.66 percent of the GDP, ranking 17th of the countries with the lowest national debt. National debt and GDP The debt-to-GDP ratio is an indicator of a country’s ability to produce and sell goods in order to pay back any present debts, however these countries should not retain newer debts in the process. Many economists believe that if a country is able to produce more without impairing its own economical growth, it can be considered more stable, particularly for the future. However, the listed countries, with the exception of Russia and Saudi Arabia, are not necessarily economic first-world powers. Additionally, economically powerful countries such as the United States and France maintain one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios, signifying that occurring debt does not necessarily damage the state of the economy and is sometimes necessary in order to help develop it. Saudi Arabia has maintained one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios due to its high export rates, which primarily consist of petroleum and petroleum goods. Given the significance of oil in today’s world, Saudi Arabia produces enough oil and earns enough revenue to maintain a high GDP and additionally refrain from incurring debt.

Lebanon recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 164.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Lebanon Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Australia recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 43.80 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Australia Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

GY: External Debt: DOD: Stocks: Concessional data was reported at 912.399 USD mn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 897.251 USD mn for 2015. GY: External Debt: DOD: Stocks: Concessional data is updated yearly, averaging 798.995 USD mn from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.283 USD bn in 1995 and a record low of 40.015 USD mn in 1970. GY: External Debt: DOD: Stocks: Concessional data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Guyana – Table GY.World Bank: External Debt: Debt Outstanding, Debt Ratio and Debt Service. Concessional external debt conveys information about the borrower's receipt of aid from official lenders at concessional terms as defined by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD. Concessional debt is defined as loans with an original grant element of 25 percent or more. The grant element of a loan is the grant equivalent expressed as a percentage of the amount committed. It is used as a measure of the overall cost of borrowing. The grant equivalent of a loan is its commitment (present) value, less the discounted present value of its contractual debt service; conventionally, future service payments are discounted at 10 percent. Loans from major regional development banks--African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank--and from the World Bank are classified as concessional according to each institution's classification and not according to the DAC definition, as was the practice in earlier reports. Long-term debt outstanding and disbursed is the total outstanding long-term debt at year end. Long-term external debt is defined as debt that has an original or extended maturity of more than one year and that is owed to nonresidents and repayable in currency, goods, or services. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Bank, International Debt Statistics.; Sum;

Venezuela was the most indebted country in Latin America and the Caribbean based on total government debt as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). The lowest general government debt to GDP ratio in the region was found in Haiti, where the total public debt accounted for only 14.9 percent of the country's GDP as of 2024.