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 2020, at 209.4% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 19.1% of GDP. The median was 58.4% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was 89.5% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest209.4Greece
Lowest19.1Estonia
Median58.427 EU countries
European Union (27)89.5History

All EU countries, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

GreeceGreece: 209.4 % of GDP209.4ItalyItaly: 154.4 % of GDP154.4PortugalPortugal: 134.1 % of GDP134.1SpainSpain: 119.3 % of GDP119.3FranceFrance: 114.9 % of GDP114.9CyprusCyprus: 113.6 % of GDP113.6BelgiumBelgium: 111.4 % of GDP111.4CroatiaCroatia: 86.5 % of GDP86.5AustriaAustria: 83.2 % of GDP83.2SloveniaSlovenia: 80.2 % of GDP80.2HungaryHungary: 78.7 % of GDP78.7FinlandFinland: 75.3 % of GDP75.3GermanyGermany: 68 % of GDP68SlovakiaSlovakia: 58.4 % of GDP58.4IrelandIreland: 56.9 % of GDP56.9PolandPoland: 56.6 % of GDP56.6NetherlandsNetherlands: 53.4 % of GDP53.4MaltaMalta: 48.8 % of GDP48.8RomaniaRomania: 46.9 % of GDP46.9LithuaniaLithuania: 45.9 % of GDP45.9DenmarkDenmark: 45.2 % of GDP45.2LatviaLatvia: 44 % of GDP44SwedenSweden: 40.5 % of GDP40.5CzechiaCzechia: 36.9 % of GDP36.9BulgariaBulgaria: 24.5 % of GDP24.5LuxembourgLuxembourg: 24.5 % of GDP24.5EstoniaEstonia: 19.1 % of GDP19.1
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2020
% of GDP		Change on 2019
1Greece209.4+26.2 pts
2Italy154.4+20.5 pts
3Portugal134.1+18 pts
4Spain119.3+21.6 pts
5France114.9+16.7 pts
6Cyprus113.6+21.3 pts
7Belgium111.4+13.7 pts
8Croatia86.5+15.6 pts
9Austria83.2+12.2 pts
10Slovenia80.2+14.2 pts
11Hungary78.7+13.7 pts
12Finland75.3+10 pts
13Germany68+9.3 pts
14Slovakia58.4+10.4 pts
15Ireland56.9+1.1 pts
16Poland56.6+11.4 pts
17Netherlands53.4+5.7 pts
18Malta48.8+9.6 pts
19Romania46.9+11.7 pts
20Lithuania45.9+10.3 pts
21Denmark45.2+6.9 pts
22Latvia44+6.1 pts
23Sweden40.5+4.5 pts
24Czechia36.9+7.3 pts
25Bulgaria24.5+4.4 pts
25Luxembourg24.5+2.2 pts
27Estonia19.1+10.1 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 209.4% of GDP in 2020, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

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

Estonia, with 19.1% of GDP in 2020.

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