Data / Rankings / General government gross debt, national accounts / Countries

Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts

Japan had the highest general government gross debt, national accounts of 37 countries in 2023, at 231% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 29% of GDP. The median was 64.1% of GDP. Source: the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest231Japan
Lowest29Estonia
Median64.137 countries

Map of countries, 2023

Austria: 81.6 % of GDPAustralia: 69.1 % of GDPBelgium: 105.1 % of GDPCanada: 112.1 % of GDPSwitzerland: 40.7 % of GDPChile: 43.1 % of GDPColombia: 82.8 % of GDPCzechia: 48.5 % of GDPGermany: 63.4 % of GDPDenmark: 40 % of GDPEstonia: 29 % of GDPSpain: 111.2 % of GDPFinland: 80.1 % of GDPFrance: 116 % of GDPUnited Kingdom: 96.6 % of GDPGreece: 180.8 % of GDPHungary: 81.8 % of GDPIreland: 45.3 % of GDPIsrael: 68.2 % of GDPIceland: 93.3 % of GDPItaly: 147.5 % of GDPJapan: 231 % of GDPSouth Korea: 56.3 % of GDPLithuania: 38.3 % of GDPLuxembourg: 30.4 % of GDPLatvia: 54.2 % of GDPMexico: 56 % of GDPNetherlands: 50.8 % of GDPNorway: 48.3 % of GDPNew Zealand: 56.1 % of GDPPoland: 62 % of GDPPortugal: 103.9 % of GDPSweden: 53.1 % of GDPSlovenia: 70.4 % of GDPSlovakia: 64.1 % of GDPTürkiye: 32.1 % of GDPUnited States: 137.7 % of GDP
  • Under 43
  • 43 to 54
  • 54 to 64
  • 64 to 82
  • 82 to 110
  • 110 and over
  • No data
% of GDP, 2023. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: OECD, OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All countries, 2023

Japan: 231 % of GDPJapan231Greece: 180.8 % of GDPGreece180.8Italy: 147.5 % of GDPItaly147.5United States: 137.7 % of GDPUnited States137.7France: 116 % of GDPFrance116Canada: 112.1 % of GDPCanada112.1Spain: 111.2 % of GDPSpain111.2Belgium: 105.1 % of GDPBelgium105.1Portugal: 103.9 % of GDPPortugal103.9United Kingdom: 96.6 % of GDPUnited Kingdom96.6Iceland: 93.3 % of GDPIceland93.3Colombia: 82.8 % of GDPColombia82.8Hungary: 81.8 % of GDPHungary81.8Austria: 81.6 % of GDPAustria81.6Finland: 80.1 % of GDPFinland80.1Slovenia: 70.4 % of GDPSlovenia70.4Australia: 69.1 % of GDPAustralia69.1Israel: 68.2 % of GDPIsrael68.2Slovakia: 64.1 % of GDPSlovakia64.1Germany: 63.4 % of GDPGermany63.4Poland: 62 % of GDPPoland62South Korea: 56.3 % of GDPSouth Korea56.3New Zealand: 56.1 % of GDPNew Zealand56.1Mexico: 56 % of GDPMexico56Latvia: 54.2 % of GDPLatvia54.2Sweden: 53.1 % of GDPSweden53.1Netherlands: 50.8 % of GDPNetherlands50.8Czechia: 48.5 % of GDPCzechia48.5Norway: 48.3 % of GDPNorway48.3Ireland: 45.3 % of GDPIreland45.3Chile: 43.1 % of GDPChile43.1Switzerland: 40.7 % of GDPSwitzerland40.7Denmark: 40 % of GDPDenmark40Lithuania: 38.3 % of GDPLithuania38.3Türkiye: 32.1 % of GDPTürkiye32.1Luxembourg: 30.4 % of GDPLuxembourg30.4Estonia: 29 % of GDPEstonia29Japan: 231 % of GDPJapan231Greece: 180.8 % of GDPGreece180.8Italy: 147.5 % of GDPItaly147.5United States: 137.7 % of GDPUnited States137.7France: 116 % of GDPFrance116Canada: 112.1 % of GDPCanada112.1Spain: 111.2 % of GDPSpain111.2Belgium: 105.1 % of GDPBelgium105.1Portugal: 103.9 % of GDPPortugal103.9United Kingdom: 96.6 % of GDPUnited Kingdom96.6Iceland: 93.3 % of GDPIceland93.3Colombia: 82.8 % of GDPColombia82.8Hungary: 81.8 % of GDPHungary81.8Austria: 81.6 % of GDPAustria81.6Finland: 80.1 % of GDPFinland80.1Slovenia: 70.4 % of GDPSlovenia70.4Australia: 69.1 % of GDPAustralia69.1Israel: 68.2 % of GDPIsrael68.2Slovakia: 64.1 % of GDPSlovakia64.1Germany: 63.4 % of GDPGermany63.4Poland: 62 % of GDPPoland62South Korea: 56.3 % of GDPSouth Korea56.3New Zealand: 56.1 % of GDPNew Zealand56.1Mexico: 56 % of GDPMexico56Latvia: 54.2 % of GDPLatvia54.2Sweden: 53.1 % of GDPSweden53.1Netherlands: 50.8 % of GDPNetherlands50.8Czechia: 48.5 % of GDPCzechia48.5Norway: 48.3 % of GDPNorway48.3Ireland: 45.3 % of GDPIreland45.3Chile: 43.1 % of GDPChile43.1Switzerland: 40.7 % of GDPSwitzerland40.7Denmark: 40 % of GDPDenmark40Lithuania: 38.3 % of GDPLithuania38.3Türkiye: 32.1 % of GDPTürkiye32.1Luxembourg: 30.4 % of GDPLuxembourg30.4Estonia: 29 % of GDPEstonia29
% of GDP. Source: OECD, OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCountries2023
% of GDP		Change on 2022
1Japan231-11.3 pts
2Greece180.8-12.1 pts
3Italy147.5+2.4 pts
4United States137.7+0.4 pts
5France116+0.6 pts
6Canada112.1+2.8 pts
7Spain111.2-2.3 pts
8Belgium105.1+1.5 pts
9Portugal103.9-10.4 pts
10United Kingdom96.6-0.6 pts
11Iceland93.3-5 pts
12Colombia82.8+0.8 pts
13Hungary81.8+4.2 pts
14Austria81.6+1.4 pts
15Finland80.1+5.5 pts
16Slovenia70.4-1.5 pts
17Australia69.1-0.3 pts
18Israel68.2-0.3 pts
19Slovakia64.1-0.5 pts
20Germany63.4-0.6 pts
21Poland62+3.3 pts
22South Korea56.3+2.7 pts
23New Zealand56.1-2.6 pts
24Mexico56+0.9 pts
25Latvia54.2-0.1 pts
26Sweden53.1-1.9 pts
27Netherlands50.8-1.9 pts
28Czechia48.5+2.6 pts
29Norway48.3+8.4 pts
30Ireland45.3+0.2 pts
31Chile43.1+1.9 pts
32Switzerland40.7+1.5 pts
33Denmark40+0.9 pts
34Lithuania38.3+0.3 pts
35Türkiye32.1-4.2 pts
36Luxembourg30.4+0.7 pts
37Estonia29+2.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Gross debt of general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, under the System of National Accounts: all liabilities that are debt instruments, including loans, debt securities, currency and deposits, insurance and pension entitlements and other accounts payable.

Not the Maastricht debt in government_debt: this measure also counts pension entitlements and accounts payable, and some countries value securities at market prices, so it is usually higher. Use it to compare OECD countries with each other.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

OECD. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Accessed 2026-10-12. Data reuse terms and downstream attribution: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/terms-conditions.html

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2026). OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4) (Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD

MLA 9

OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4), Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 12 Oct. 2026, https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2026. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023.

Harvard

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2026) OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4), Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{organisation_countries_by_general_government_2023,
  author = {{Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development}},
  title = {{OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD\_NAAG\_VI@DF\_NAAG\_VI, LES13\_FD4): Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023. Publisher attribution: OECD. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD\_NAAG\_VI@DF\_NAAG\_VI, LES13\_FD4). https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ\&df[id]=DSD\_NAAG\_VI\%40DF\_NAAG\_VI\&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Accessed 2026-10-12. Data reuse terms and downstream attribution: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/terms-conditions.html.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
TI  - OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4): Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/12
PB  - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/general-government-gross-debt/countries?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: OECD. OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_NAAG_VI%40DF_NAAG_VI&df[ag]=OECD.SDD.NAD. Accessed 2026-10-12. Data reuse terms and downstream attribution: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/terms-conditions.html.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Countries by general government gross debt, national accounts using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"general_government_debt_gdp","level":"country","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=general_government_debt_gdp&level=country&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which country has the highest general government gross debt, national accounts?

Japan, with 231% of GDP in 2023, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Which country has the lowest general government gross debt, national accounts?

Estonia, with 29% of GDP in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD National Accounts at a Glance: gross debt of general government, percentage of GDP (DSD_NAAG_VI@DF_NAAG_VI, LES13_FD4). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

General government gross debt, national accounts: other rankings

Countries: more rankings