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 2019, at 183.2% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 9% of GDP. The median was 55.8% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was 77.5% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest183.2Greece
Lowest9Estonia
Median55.827 EU countries
European Union (27)77.5History

All EU countries, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

GreeceGreece: 183.2 % of GDP183.2ItalyItaly: 133.9 % of GDP133.9PortugalPortugal: 116.1 % of GDP116.1FranceFrance: 98.2 % of GDP98.2BelgiumBelgium: 97.7 % of GDP97.7SpainSpain: 97.7 % of GDP97.7CyprusCyprus: 92.3 % of GDP92.3AustriaAustria: 71 % of GDP71CroatiaCroatia: 70.9 % of GDP70.9SloveniaSlovenia: 66 % of GDP66FinlandFinland: 65.3 % of GDP65.3HungaryHungary: 65 % of GDP65GermanyGermany: 58.7 % of GDP58.7IrelandIreland: 55.8 % of GDP55.8SlovakiaSlovakia: 48 % of GDP48NetherlandsNetherlands: 47.7 % of GDP47.7PolandPoland: 45.2 % of GDP45.2MaltaMalta: 39.2 % of GDP39.2DenmarkDenmark: 38.3 % of GDP38.3LatviaLatvia: 37.9 % of GDP37.9SwedenSweden: 36 % of GDP36LithuaniaLithuania: 35.6 % of GDP35.6RomaniaRomania: 35.2 % of GDP35.2CzechiaCzechia: 29.6 % of GDP29.6LuxembourgLuxembourg: 22.3 % of GDP22.3BulgariaBulgaria: 20.1 % of GDP20.1EstoniaEstonia: 9 % of GDP9
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2019
% of GDP		Change on 2018
1Greece183.2-5.8 pts
2Italy133.9-0.3 pts
3Portugal116.1-5 pts
4France98.2-0.3 pts
5Belgium97.7-2.5 pts
5Spain97.7-2.1 pts
7Cyprus92.3-8.4 pts
8Austria71-3.6 pts
9Croatia70.9-1.9 pts
10Slovenia66-5 pts
11Finland65.3-0.1 pts
12Hungary65-3.8 pts
13Germany58.7-2.1 pts
14Ireland55.8-5.5 pts
15Slovakia48-1.3 pts
16Netherlands47.7-3.9 pts
17Poland45.2-3 pts
18Malta39.2-2.2 pts
19Denmark38.3-0.2 pts
20Latvia37.9-0.4 pts
21Sweden36-4.2 pts
22Lithuania35.6+2.3 pts
23Romania35.2+0.6 pts
24Czechia29.6-2.1 pts
25Luxembourg22.3+1.4 pts
26Bulgaria20.1-2.1 pts
27Estonia9+0.5 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 183.2% of GDP in 2019, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

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

Estonia, with 9% of GDP in 2019.

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