Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by Foreign and International Investors as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (HBFIGDQ188S) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about foreign, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by Private Investors (FDHBPIN) from Q1 1970 to Q1 2025 about debt, federal, private, and USA.

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.

In 2024, the national debt of India amounted to around 3.16 trillion U.S. dollars. Projections show an upward trend, with a significant increase each year. Honor thy national debtNational debt, also called government debt or public debt, is money owed by the federal government. It can be divided into internal debt, (which is owed to lenders in the country) and external debt (which is owed to foreign lenders). National debt is created and increased by using government bonds, for example, or by borrowing money from other nations due to financial struggles (well-known case in point: Greece). A quite complex issue, national debt is expected to be paid back in accordance with certain regulations overseen by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a financial organization owned by central banks. India’s debt is rising, but so is its economic growthIndia’s liabilities have increased significantly, and forecasts show no end in sight. While India is a fast-growing economy and considered one of the main emerging economies, the so-called BRIC countries, India has been investing and borrowing money from commercial banks as well as several non-banking finance companies, and its national debt today makes up almost 70 percent of its GDP. Luckily, even though the national debt is forecast to increase, this share of GDP is predicted to decrease, as is the trade deficit in the long run, despite a significant jump back into the red in 2017.

Key information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• United States Government debt accounted for 124.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 123.1 % in the previous quarter.
• US government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1969 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 130.4 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 31.8 % in Sep 1974.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides Government Debt in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US National Government Debt reached 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

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.

Consumers in the United States had over **** trillion dollars in debt as of the first quarter of 2025. The majority of that debt were home mortgages, amounting to approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars. Student and car loans were the second and third largest component of household debt. Why is consumer debt important? Debt influences the Consumer Sentiment Index, which is an important indicator assessing the state of the U.S. economy. The U.S. housing market is also seen a bellwether of the economic conditions in the country. The housing industry employs a large number of people, and mortgages are large investments that consumers will pay off over the course of years, sometimes decades. Because of this, financial analysts closely watch consumer debt and its effects on the demand for housing. Attitudes towards debt Consumer perception of debt differed, depending on the kind of debt in question. While most saw a home mortgage as a positive investment, they increasingly looked at student loan debt as a negative debt. With education costs increasing, people are incurring more student loan debt in the United States. Credit card debt also had negative connotations.

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.

United States Treasury Securities: Public Debt (PD) data was reported at 21,089.900 USD bn in Mar 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 20,492.700 USD bn for Dec 2017. United States Treasury Securities: Public Debt (PD) data is updated quarterly, averaging 6,783.200 USD bn from Mar 1989 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 117 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,089.900 USD bn in Mar 2018 and a record low of 2,740.900 USD bn in Mar 1989. United States Treasury Securities: Public Debt (PD) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.Z052: Ownership of Treasury Securities.

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.

Debt collection agencies have been severely impacted by several macroeconomic events and uneven consumer sentiment, creating large shifts in debt payments and new debt accrual. Following the pandemic, debt collection agencies struggled to find their footing, as a multitude of government assistance through policies such as the American Rescue Plan of March 2021 and student loan freeze bolstered individual consumers’ debt repayment capabilities and resulted in a considerable slowdown in overall debt accrual. However, in recent years, this has reversed, as the interest rate hikes in 2023, which peaked at 5.3% per the Federal Reserve, made it more difficult to finance debt payments. The lifting of the student loan freeze in October 2023 created further repayment stresses for consumers, while businesses were forced to rely on more expensive financing options for their capital needs due to high interest rates. Despite the more recent recovery, the overarching effects of debt repayment freeze and generous federal stimulus resulted in revenue slipping at a CAGR of 2.6% to an estimated $16.4 billion over the past five years, including an estimated 2.3% boost in 2025 alone. Small debt collection agencies face significant pressure from emerging accounts receivable platforms and virtual debt collection companies that aim to replace traditional practices. Prominent debt collectors can invest in new communication methods and data analytics, giving them an edge in outreach techniques such as telephone calling and social media communications. Competitive pressures intensify as new technology enables companies to manage their own debt collection, while out-of-market firms like fintech, e-commerce and payment platforms gain new revenue streams. Prominent companies, such as Alorica Inc., have responded tactically, with the company pursuing an AI cloud partnership with Google in October 2024 which bolstered profitability through more efficient internal workflow and direct-to-consumer services.Moving forward, debt collection agencies face positive prospects amid anticipated slowdown in interest rates and continued growth in medical and student loan debt. Consumers will use less revolving debt and hold larger balances in a higher interest rate environment; according to 2024 data from the New York Fed, outstanding credit card debt exceeded $1.2 trillion last year alone. Nonetheless, continued pressure from in-house alternatives among established financial organizations will force debt collection agencies to remain at the forefront of workflow modernization when procuring debt portfolios. Revenue is expected to accelerate at a CAGR of 2.1% to an estimated $18.3 billion through the end of 2030.

Key information about UK External Debt

• United Kingdom External Debt reached 10,527.8 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 9,863.6 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• UK External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1987 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 11,995.8 USD bn in Mar 2008 and a record low of 908.7 USD bn in Mar 1987.

CEIC converts quarterly External Debt into USD. Office for National Statistics provides External Debt in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.


Related information about UK External Debt

• In the latest reports of UK, Current Account recorded a deficit of 13.1 USD bn in Mar 2023.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 8.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• UK Direct Investment Abroad fell by 7.0 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 2.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 786.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Denmark recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 31.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Denmark Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

External Debt in Russia increased to 312.40 USD Billion in the first quarter of 2025 from 290.30 USD Billion in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Russia External Debt - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Of the G7 countries, Japan had the highest net debt in terms of share of gross domestic product (GDP) between 2010 and 2024. That year, Japan's government's net debt reached an estimated *** percent of its total GDP. Italy had the second highest debt rate at *** percent of its GDP, whereas Canada had the lowest at only ** percent.

France recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 113 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - France Government Debt to GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Government Debt in Canada increased to 1223.62 CAD Billion in 2024 from 1173.01 CAD Billion in 2023. This dataset provides - Canada Government Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Japan recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 236.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Japan Government Debt to GDP - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

China Listed Company: Debt to Asset Ratio: Construction data was reported at 76.992 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 83.889 % for 2022. China Listed Company: Debt to Asset Ratio: Construction data is updated yearly, averaging 76.909 % from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2023, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.889 % in 2022 and a record low of 64.680 % in 2002. China Listed Company: Debt to Asset Ratio: Construction data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Securities Regulatory Commission. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Business and Economic Survey – Table CN.OZ: Financial Data of Listed Company: Debt to Asset Ratio.

Central Government Debt: Gross data was reported at 57,762.500 HUF bn in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 57,580.785 HUF bn for Feb 2025. Central Government Debt: Gross data is updated monthly, averaging 23,391.600 HUF bn from Jan 2003 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 267 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 57,762.500 HUF bn in Mar 2025 and a record low of 9,537.500 HUF bn in Jan 2003. Central Government Debt: Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Government Debt Management Agency Private Company Limited by Shares. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hungary – Table HU.F010: Central Government Debt: Government Debt Management Agency Private Company Limited by Shares. Foreign Exchange Debt is recorded at the Mid Exchange Rate of National Bank of Hungary at the end of month.