The Debt as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
Below is a table of the top 20 countries with the most national debt as a percentage of their nominal GDP.
Japan, Venezuela, and Sudan earn the dubious honor of taking the gold, silver, and bronze medal, respectively. The United States ranks 11th. In general, countries’ national debt as a percentage of their GDP is showing a rising and alarming trend.
| Country | Public Debt as a Percentage of nominal GDP * (2022) |
| 1. Japan | 264 |
| 2. Venezuela | 241 |
| 3. Sudan | 186 |
| 4. Greece | 173 |
| 5, Singapore | 168 |
| 6. Eritrea | 164 |
| 7. Lebanon | 151 |
| 8. Italy | 142 |
| 9. Cape Verde | 127 |
| 10. Bhutan | 125 |
| 11. United States | 126 |
| 12. Bahrain | 120 |
| 13. Cuba | 119 |
| 14. Suriname | 117 |
| 15. Sri Lanka | 114 |
| 16. Portugal | 112 |
| 17. Spain | 112 |
| 18. France | 112 |
| 19. Canada | 107 |
| 20. Belgium | 104 |
Source: https://www.imf.org
Why is Great Britain not listed?
Thanks for your questions, Mary. The list above shows the top 20 countries with the most public debt as a percentage of their GDP. Great Britain is not in the top 20 so they are not listed here.