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 2017, at 182.1% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 9.4% of GDP. The median was 64% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was 81.5% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest182.1Greece
Lowest9.4Estonia
Median6427 EU countries
European Union (27)81.5History

All EU countries, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

GreeceGreece: 182.1 % of GDP182.1ItalyItaly: 133.7 % of GDP133.7PortugalPortugal: 126 % of GDP126BelgiumBelgium: 102.6 % of GDP102.6SpainSpain: 101.2 % of GDP101.2FranceFrance: 98.8 % of GDP98.8CyprusCyprus: 96.5 % of GDP96.5AustriaAustria: 79.1 % of GDP79.1CroatiaCroatia: 76.2 % of GDP76.2SloveniaSlovenia: 74.9 % of GDP74.9HungaryHungary: 72 % of GDP72FinlandFinland: 66.6 % of GDP66.6IrelandIreland: 65.2 % of GDP65.2GermanyGermany: 64 % of GDP64NetherlandsNetherlands: 56 % of GDP56SlovakiaSlovakia: 51.4 % of GDP51.4PolandPoland: 50.4 % of GDP50.4MaltaMalta: 45.6 % of GDP45.6SwedenSweden: 41.9 % of GDP41.9LatviaLatvia: 40.3 % of GDP40.3DenmarkDenmark: 40.2 % of GDP40.2LithuaniaLithuania: 39.1 % of GDP39.1RomaniaRomania: 35.3 % of GDP35.3CzechiaCzechia: 33.8 % of GDP33.8BulgariaBulgaria: 25.1 % of GDP25.1LuxembourgLuxembourg: 21.8 % of GDP21.8EstoniaEstonia: 9.4 % of GDP9.4
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2017
% of GDP		Change on 2016
1Greece182.1-1 pts
2Italy133.7-0.5 pts
3Portugal126-5.2 pts
4Belgium102.6-3.2 pts
5Spain101.2-0.8 pts
6France98.8+0.7 pts
7Cyprus96.5-10.4 pts
8Austria79.1-4.3 pts
9Croatia76.2-3.1 pts
10Slovenia74.9-4.5 pts
11Hungary72-2.6 pts
12Finland66.6-2 pts
13Ireland65.2-7.5 pts
14Germany64-4.3 pts
15Netherlands56-4.9 pts
16Slovakia51.4-0.7 pts
17Poland50.4-3.7 pts
18Malta45.6-7.5 pts
19Sweden41.9-1.3 pts
20Latvia40.3-1.4 pts
21Denmark40.2-1.5 pts
22Lithuania39.1-0.7 pts
23Romania35.3-2.5 pts
24Czechia33.8-2.4 pts
25Bulgaria25.1-4 pts
26Luxembourg21.8+2.2 pts
27Estonia9.4-0.8 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 182.1% of GDP in 2017, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

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

Estonia, with 9.4% of GDP in 2017.

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