Data / Rankings / Government debt / EU countries

EU countries by government debt as a share of GDP

Greece had the highest government debt as a share of GDP of 27 EU countries in 2016, at 183.1% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 10.2% of GDP. The median was 68.3% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was 84.1% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest183.1Greece
Lowest10.2Estonia
Median68.327 EU countries
European Union (27)84.1History

All EU countries, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

GreeceGreece: 183.1 % of GDP183.1ItalyItaly: 134.2 % of GDP134.2PortugalPortugal: 131.2 % of GDP131.2CyprusCyprus: 106.9 % of GDP106.9BelgiumBelgium: 105.8 % of GDP105.8SpainSpain: 102 % of GDP102FranceFrance: 98.1 % of GDP98.1AustriaAustria: 83.4 % of GDP83.4SloveniaSlovenia: 79.4 % of GDP79.4CroatiaCroatia: 79.3 % of GDP79.3HungaryHungary: 74.6 % of GDP74.6IrelandIreland: 72.7 % of GDP72.7FinlandFinland: 68.6 % of GDP68.6GermanyGermany: 68.3 % of GDP68.3NetherlandsNetherlands: 60.9 % of GDP60.9PolandPoland: 54.1 % of GDP54.1MaltaMalta: 53.1 % of GDP53.1SlovakiaSlovakia: 52.1 % of GDP52.1SwedenSweden: 43.2 % of GDP43.2DenmarkDenmark: 41.7 % of GDP41.7LatviaLatvia: 41.7 % of GDP41.7LithuaniaLithuania: 39.8 % of GDP39.8RomaniaRomania: 37.8 % of GDP37.8CzechiaCzechia: 36.2 % of GDP36.2BulgariaBulgaria: 29.1 % of GDP29.1LuxembourgLuxembourg: 19.6 % of GDP19.6EstoniaEstonia: 10.2 % of GDP10.2
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2016
% of GDP		Change on 2015
1Greece183.1+3.5 pts
2Italy134.2-0.6 pts
3Portugal131.2+0.2 pts
4Cyprus106.9-4.7 pts
5Belgium105.8+0.1 pts
6Spain102-0.5 pts
7France98.1+1.1 pts
8Austria83.4-2.2 pts
9Slovenia79.4-4 pts
10Croatia79.3-3.5 pts
11Hungary74.6-1.1 pts
12Ireland72.7-1.3 pts
13Finland68.6-0.2 pts
14Germany68.3-2.9 pts
15Netherlands60.9-2.9 pts
16Poland54.1+3 pts
17Malta53.1-1.9 pts
18Slovakia52.1+0.5 pts
19Sweden43.2-1.6 pts
20Denmark41.7-2.9 pts
20Latvia41.7+3.4 pts
22Lithuania39.8-2.6 pts
23Romania37.8+0.1 pts
24Czechia36.2-3.3 pts
25Bulgaria29.1+3.2 pts
26Luxembourg19.6-1.5 pts
27Estonia10.2-0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

General government consolidated gross debt (Maastricht definition) as a percentage of GDP.

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

How to cite

Eurostat. Government deficit and debt (gov_10dd_edpt1). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/gov_10dd_edpt1/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest government debt as a share of GDP?

Greece, with 183.1% of GDP in 2016, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest government debt as a share of GDP?

Estonia, with 10.2% of GDP in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Government deficit and debt (gov_10dd_edpt1). Retrieved 2026-10-07.

EU countries: more rankings