According to the International Monetary Fund, the amount of debt amassed by countries worldwide has sharply increased in recent years, reaching $164 trillion worldwide in 2016. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a coalition of mostly high-income countries committed to democracy and market economies,
measures government debt as a percentage of GDP for each of its 36 member countries. According to the OECD, the ratio is a measure of a country’s economic health. However, the OECD data does not consider recent policy changes, such as the impact of tax cuts on a country’s overall debt.
Countries With the Most Debt 2021
10. Canada
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 114 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, Canada is rated 12th. The rating is based on an evenly weighted average of points from five country traits connected to a country’s power: leadership, economic impact, political influence, international alliance strength, and military alliance strength.
9. Spain
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 117 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power rating, Spain is ranked 23rd.
8. United Kingdom
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 119 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, the United Kingdom is ranked fifth.
7. France
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 123 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, France is ranked sixth.
6. United States
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 127 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, the United States is placed first.
5. Belgium
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 128 percent
Belgium is unranked in the power rating of the 2018 Best Countries poll.
4. Portugal
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 146 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, Portugal is ranked 38th.
3. Italy
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 156 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power rating, Italy is ranked 18th.
2. Greece
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 188 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, Greece is ranked 52nd.
1. Japan
Debt-to-GDP ratio: 235 percent
In the 2018 Best Countries survey power ranking, Japan is rated seventh.
