Who has the worst debt in the world?

Asked by: Prof. Margie Toy PhD  |  Last update: October 31, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (53 votes)

Japan consistently ranks among the countries with the highest national debt. In 2022, the nation's debt was estimated at almost 10 trillion U.S. dollars , while it's GDP is just 4.2 trillion . The Japanese government is currently spending around half of its total tax revenue on servicing its massive debt.

Which country has the worst debt?

Ranked: Government Debt by Country

As the world's largest economy, the U.S. debt pile continues to balloon, accounting for 34.6% of the world's total government debt.

Who has the highest debt in the world?

United States. The United States boasts both the world's biggest national debt in terms of dollar amount and its largest economy, which resolves to a debt-to GDP ratio of approximately 121.31%. The United States' government's spending exceeds its income most years, and the US has not had a budget surplus since 2001.

Who has more debt, the US or China?

The United States has a national debt of approximately $31.4 trillion, which represents a significant portion of its GDP. The debt-to-GDP ratio for the U.S. is around 129%. China's national debt is over $10 trillion, which is about 68.06% of its GDP.

Which country has no debt?

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.

Who's In The Most Debt?

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Who does America owe money to?

Public debt, which accounts for roughly 80% of the total, is owed to investors. Those investors include foreign governments, mutual funds, pension funds, and individuals among others. The Federal Reserve owns part of this public debt. Intragovernmental debt accounts for the other 20%.

Why is US debt so high?

Key Drivers of the National Debt. What is causing the growth of our national debt? There are three primary drivers of the overall growth in spending: America's aging population, rising healthcare costs, and rapidly escalating interest costs.

Can the US ever get out of debt?

Eliminating the U.S. government's debt is a Herculean task that could take decades. In addition to obvious steps, such as hiking taxes and slashing spending, the government could take a number of other approaches, some of them unorthodox and even controversial. Below are some of these options.

Who owes China the most money?

Which country owes the most debt to China? Pakistan owes the most debt to China, totaling $26.6 billion. This debt primarily funds infrastructure and energy projects, making repayment particularly challenging due to commercial interest rates. How much debt does Angola owe to China?

How much is Russia in debt?

Russia National Government Debt reached 253.4 USD bn in Nov 2024, compared with 274.8 USD bn in the previous month. Russia National Government Debt data is updated monthly, available from May 2009 to Nov 2024. The data reached an all-time high of 384.2 USD bn in Jun 2022 and a record low of 86.1 USD bn in May 2009.

What countries still owe the US money?

Top 20 Countries that Owe the US Money
  • Bermuda. Total Debt Held: $77.4 Billion. ...
  • Germany. Total Debt Held: $91.3 Billion. ...
  • Norway. Total Debt Held: $104.4 Billion. ...
  • Korea. Total Debt Held: $105.8 Billion. ...
  • Saudi Arabia. Total Debt Held: $111 Billion. ...
  • France. Total Debt Held: $183.9 Billion. ...
  • Singapore. ...
  • Brazil.

Why is Japan's debt so high?

During the Lost Decades, Japanese public debt has continued to rise in response to a number of challenges, such as the Great Recession in 2008, and as well as two national crises, including the triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, etc.)

Is America in debt in 2024?

Over the past 100 years, the U.S. federal debt has increased from $395 B in 1924 to $35.46 T in 2024. Comparing a country's debt to its gross domestic product (GDP) reveals the country's ability to pay down its debt.

What country is deepest in debt?

At the top is Japan, whose national debt has remained above 100% of its GDP for two decades, reaching 255% in 2023. *For the U.S. and Canada, gross debt levels were adjusted to exclude unfunded pension liabilities of government employees' defined-benefit pension plans.

Who does America borrow money from?

Federal Borrowing

The federal government borrows money from the public by issuing securities—bills, notes, and bonds—through the Treasury. Treasury securities are attractive to investors because they are: Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Offered in a wide range of maturities.

What country doesn't have debt?

While no country is entirely debt free, some nations have extremely low debt-to-GDP ratios. Examples include Brunei, Timor-Leste, and Hong Kong.

How could America pay off its debt?

Governments can raise taxes to pay for expenditures and pay down their debt. Taxes can include federal, state, and local income and business taxes.

What would happen if the US defaulted on its debt to China?

It would lead to a major crisis of unemployment due to the loss of export business. China wants to keep its goods competitive in the international markets, and that cannot happen if the RMB appreciates.

Who owns most of the U.S. debt?

  1. Japan. Japan held $1.09 trillion in Treasury securities as of November 2024, beating out China as the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt. ...
  2. China. China gets a lot of attention for holding a big chunk of the U.S. government's debt. ...
  3. United Kingdom. ...
  4. Luxembourg. ...
  5. Cayman Islands.

How much is the United States worth?

The financial position of the United States includes assets of at least $269 trillion (1576% of GDP) and debts of $145.8 trillion (852% of GDP) to produce a net worth of at least $123.8 trillion (723% of GDP).

When was the last time the US was debt free?

By January of 1835, for the first and only time, all of the government's interest-bearing debt was paid off. Congress distributed the surplus to the states (many of which were heavily in debt). The Jackson administration ended with the country almost completely out of debt!

What does the US spend the most money on?

Generally, Congress allocates over half of the discretionary budget towards national defense and the rest to fund the administration of other agencies and programs. These programs range from transportation, education, housing, and social service programs, as well as science and environmental organizations.