Countries by Government Debt (% of GDP) 2024

About This Dataset

Countries by Government Debt (% of GDP) 2024
The chart displays the government debt as a percentage of GDP for various countries in 2024. Japan leads with a staggering 255%, followed by Greece at 163% and Italy at 140%. The United States, while significantly lower, still holds a notable debt level at 122%.
Analysis

Japan's government debt stands at an unprecedented 255% of its GDP, far surpassing Greece's 163% and Italy's 140%. This stark contrast highlights Japan's long-standing economic challenges, including an aging population and stagnant growth, which have necessitated extensive borrowing. The U.S. and several European nations like France (111%) and Portugal (108%) also show high debt levels, but they are considerably lower than Japan and Greece. The trend suggests that while developed nations are grappling with high debt, Japan's situation is particularly acute, potentially leading to long-term economic implications if not addressed.

Source:  International Monetary Fund

Key Findings

🏆
Japan leads in General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP) with 255 in 2024.
📊
Average General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP) in 2024: 139  ·  median: 117.
↔️
Gap in 2024: Japan is 2.4× larger than Belgium.

Countries by Government Debt (% of GDP) 2024

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Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

Client
⬡
Data Points
8
8 categories  ·  1 year
↑
Top Value
255
Japan
General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP) · 2024
◈
Metrics
1
General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP)
◷
Period
2024
Single year snapshot

Methodology & source

Data source
International Monetary Fund
Coverage
8 entities · 2024 · 8 observations
Measure
General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP)
Last updated
16 September 2026
Compiled by
The ANYSTAT team, from the source above
How the figures are calculated
  • Values are shown as reported by the source. Nothing is rescaled, rebased or converted — the only changes are thousand separators and decimals shown to two places.
  • Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2024.

An article using this data

Which Countries Carry the Most Government Debt in 2024?
Japan, Greece, and Italy lead the world in government debt as a share of GDP in 2024. Here is how the major economies compare.

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · General Government Gross Debt (% of GDP) · ranked by 2024

✓ 8 sourced
# Category 2024 Source
🥇 Japan 255
🥈 Greece 163
🥉 Italy 140
4 United States 122
5 France 111
6 Portugal 108
7 Spain 106
8 Belgium 105

Data Sources & References

All external sources cited in this dataset

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