Rankings
Top Countries with the Highest Government Debt by Country in 2026
50 countries ranked·Source: CIA World Factbook·Last updated: 2016
In 2026, the landscape of global government debt is dominated by Japan, Greece, and Singapore, with staggering figures of 215.9%, 190.6%, and 175.6% of GDP, respectively. Understanding government debt by country is crucial for assessing economic stability and fiscal health. This data is sourced from the CIA World Factbook.
Key Facts
- Japan holds the highest government debt in the world at 215.9% of GDP.
- Greece's debt remains critically high at 190.6% of GDP, reflecting ongoing economic challenges.
- Singapore's debt is at 175.6% of GDP, driven by its unique financial strategies.
- Lebanon's government debt reaches 146.8% of GDP amid economic instability.
- The United Kingdom's debt stands at 138.6% of GDP, influenced by recent fiscal policies.
Top 50 Ranking
| # | Countries | Government Debt |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Japan | 215.9% GDP |
| 2 |  Greece | 190.6% GDP |
| 3 |  Singapore | 175.6% GDP |
| 4 |  Lebanon | 146.8% GDP |
| 5 |  United Kingdom | 138.6% GDP |
| 6 |  Barbados | 133.2% GDP |
| 7 |  Eritrea | 132.8% GDP |
| 8 |  Italy | 131.8% GDP |
| 9 |  Congo (Brazzaville) | 128.7% GDP |
| 10 |  Cabo Verde | 127.6% GDP |
| 11 |  Portugal | 125.7% GDP |
| 12 |  United States | 114.8% GDP |
| 13 |  Bahrain | 111.6% GDP |
| 14 |  Bhutan | 111.0% GDP |
| 15 |  Spain | 107.3% GDP |
| 16 |  Jamaica | 106.3% GDP |
| 17 |  San Marino | 103.2% GDP |
| 18 |  Egypt | 103.0% GDP |
| 19 |  Jordan | 102.8% GDP |
| 20 |  El Salvador | 102.2% GDP |
| 21 |  Mauritania | 100.0% GDP |
| 22 |  Sudan | 99.5% GDP |
| 23 |  Belize | 99.0% GDP |
| 24 |  France | 98.5% GDP |
| 25 |  Cyprus | 97.5% GDP |
| 26 |  Sao Tome and Principe | 93.1% GDP |
| 27 |  Somalia | 93.0% GDP |
| 28 |  Belgium | 92.5% GDP |
| 29 |  Syria | 91.3% GDP |
| 30 |  South Sudan | 86.6% GDP |
| 31 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 86.2% GDP |
| 32 |  Palau | 85.2% GDP |
| 33 |  Aruba | 84.7% GDP |
| 34 |  Brazil | 83.0% GDP |
| 35 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 82.8% GDP |
| 36 |  The Gambia | 82.3% GDP |
| 37 |  Grenada | 82.0% GDP |
| 38 |  Albania | 81.9% GDP |
| 39 |  Togo | 81.6% GDP |
| 40 |  Iceland | 80.7% GDP |
| 41 |  Sri Lanka | 79.1% GDP |
| 42 |  Austria | 78.3% GDP |
| 43 |  Mozambique | 76.6% GDP |
| 44 |  South Africa | 76.2% GDP |
| 45 |  Suriname | 75.8% GDP |
| 46 |  Croatia | 75.6% GDP |
| 47 |  Angola | 75.3% GDP |
| 48 |  Hungary | 75.3% GDP |
| 49 |  The Bahamas | 73.7% GDP |
| 50 |  Slovenia | 73.6% GDP |
Methodology & Data Source
This data is collected through national financial reports and international economic assessments, measuring the total government debt as a percentage of GDP. The source for this information is the CIA World Factbook.
Cite this data
APA
Bamwor. (2016). Countries by Government Debt 2016. Bamwor World Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2026-05-10, from https://bamwor.com/en/countries-by-government-debtBibTeX
@misc{bamwor_countries_by_government_debt_2016_2016,
author = {Bamwor},
title = {Countries by Government Debt 2016},
year = {2016},
url = {https://bamwor.com/en/countries-by-government-debt},
note = {Bamwor World Encyclopedia. Accessed 2026-05-10}
}Download CSVLicense: CC BY 4.0