In the realm of economy and finance, understanding national debt offers a deep insight into a country's fiscal health and creditworthiness. The ratio of a country's national debt to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) offers an effective measure for economists and policymakers alike to draw comparisons between countries and steers strategic financial decisions. The United States, albeit being the world's largest economy, has a relatively high debt-to-GDP ratio, with countries varying widely in their respective positions. Key findings from the data include:
The ten countries with the highest values of national debt in relation to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are Japan, Sudan, Greece, Eritrea, Singapore, Maldives, Lebanon, Italy, Cape Verde, and Barbados. At the top of the list, Japan has the highest debt to GDP ratio in the world with a staggering 259.4%. This means Japan's national debt is over two and a half times the size of its entire annual economy. Sudan lands in the second spot with a debt to GDP ratio of 200.4%. Greece is third with its national debt amounting to 194.5% of its GDP. Eritrea follows closely behind with a ratio of 179.7% while Singapore scores the fifth-highest with 159.9%. Maldives has a national debt equivalent to 154.4% of their GDP. Lebanon, experiencing economic crisis, has a debt to GDP ratio of 150.6%. Italy's debt to GDP ratio clocks in at 150.3%. The final two on this list, Cape Verde and Barbados, post national debts of 145.1% and 135.4% respective to their GDP. 10 Countries with the Highest National Debt in Debt to GDP Ratio:
Hong Kong perches at the top of this list with a Debt to GDP ratio of a mere 2.1%. Brunei takes the second least indebted spot with a Debt to GDP ratio of 2.5%. Afghanistan is not far behind with its Debt to GDP ratio calculated at 7.4%. Fourth on the list is Timor-Leste with a Debt to GDP ratio standing at 9.4%. Turkmenistan and Tuvalu are also among the least indebted countries with a Debt to GDP ratio of 11.1% and 11.5%, respectively. Kuwait finds itself with a fairly low Debt to GDP ratio of 11.7%, whereas the Solomon Islands carries a Debt to GDP ratio of 13.7%. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) holds the ninth spot on the list with its 16.5% Debt to GDP ratio. Russia rounds out the top ten least indebted countries with a Debt to GDP ratio just edging in at 17.0%. Countries With Lowest National Debt (Debt to GDP ratio):
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
7.4%
#187
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
75.9%
#59
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
63.0%
#84
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
48.5%
#122
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
86.4%
#40
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
101.5%
#28
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
80.9%
#51
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
60.3%
#91
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
58.4%
#96
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
82.3%
#46
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
26.5%
#169
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
103.3%
#25
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
129.7%
#13
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
35.6%
#157
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
135.4%
#10
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.5%
#129
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
109.2%
#21
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
82.2%
#47
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
49.9%
#119
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
132.4%
#12
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
80.5%
#52
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
35.4%
#158
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
19.5%
#177
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
93.0%
#33
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
2.5%
#188
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
23.9%
#174
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
52.4%
#110
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
66.0%
#77
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
35.2%
#159
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
45.5%
#133
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
112.9%
#19
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
145.1%
#9
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.6%
#124
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
56.0%
#102
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
36.3%
#155
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
68.1%
#74
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
64.6%
#80
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
24.0%
#173
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
68.2%
#73
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
78.4%
#55
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
101.0%
#29
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
16.5%
#181
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
36.6%
#151
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
46.0%
#132
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
102.7%
#27
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
63.1%
#83
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
62.2%
#86
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
89.2%
#36
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
82.4%
#45
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.8%
#140
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
179.7%
#4
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
17.6%
#179
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
45.0%
#134
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
53.0%
#108
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
83.0%
#43
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
72.4%
#64
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
112.8%
#20
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
65.8%
#78
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
85.9%
#41
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
49.5%
#120
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
68.6%
#72
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
82.1%
#48
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
194.5%
#3
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
71.4%
#67
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
30.8%
#164
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.5%
#141
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
76.5%
#58
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.9%
#139
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
24.2%
#172
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
50.2%
#118
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
2.1%
#189
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
76.8%
#57
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
77.2%
#56
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
89.2%
#37
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
41.2%
#146
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.4%
#143
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
59.1%
#92
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
55.4%
#103
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
70.7%
#68
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
150.3%
#8
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.6%
#126
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
92.4%
#34
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
259.4%
#1
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
88.0%
#39
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
25.1%
#170
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
67.8%
#75
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
19.0%
#178
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
11.7%
#183
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
61.1%
#88
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
82.8%
#44
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
43.6%
#136
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
150.6%
#7
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
53.5%
#105
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
58.7%
#93
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
36.4%
#152
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
43.7%
#135
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
24.5%
#171
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
53.1%
#107
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
63.9%
#81
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
69.0%
#69
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
154.4%
#6
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
52.0%
#111
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
56.3%
#101
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
19.8%
#175
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
51.7%
#113
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
93.6%
#31
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
57.6%
#99
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
19.6%
#176
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
33.1%
#162
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
79.8%
#53
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
107.4%
#22
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
68.9%
#71
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
106.4%
#23
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
39.3%
#149
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
72.0%
#65
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
27.1%
#168
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.4%
#142
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
52.4%
#109
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
43.2%
#138
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
48.1%
#123
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
51.2%
#115
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
34.5%
#161
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
53.2%
#106
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
43.4%
#137
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
62.9%
#85
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
74.9%
#60
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
50.4%
#117
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
58.4%
#94
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.1%
#130
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
37.7%
#150
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
36.4%
#153
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
57.0%
#100
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
53.8%
#104
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
125.5%
#16
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
58.4%
#97
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
103.6%
#24
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
48.9%
#121
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
17.0%
#180
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
66.6%
#76
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
63.4%
#82
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
92.2%
#35
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
88.4%
#38
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
46.3%
#131
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
71.7%
#66
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
81.4%
#50
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
30.0%
#165
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
73.2%
#62
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
57.9%
#98
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
72.9%
#63
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
79.3%
#54
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
159.9%
#5
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
62.2%
#87
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
74.5%
#61
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
13.7%
#182
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
69.0%
#70
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
51.3%
#114
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
28.1%
#167
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
118.3%
#18
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
103.1%
#26
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
200.4%
#2
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
125.7%
#15
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
36.3%
#154
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
42.1%
#144
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
31.2%
#163
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
28.4%
#166
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
50.4%
#116
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
40.7%
#147
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
58.4%
#95
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
9.4%
#186
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
60.3%
#90
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.6%
#127
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
60.6%
#89
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
81.8%
#49
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
41.8%
#145
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
11.1%
#185
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
11.5%
#184
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
51.8%
#112
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.6%
#125
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
34.7%
#160
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
95.4%
#30
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
128.1%
#14
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
65.1%
#79
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
35.8%
#156
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
47.5%
#128
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
133.6%
#11
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
39.7%
#148
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
84.0%
#42
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
119.1%
#17
Metric
Value
Rank
Debt To GDP Ratio
93.2%
#32