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 2021, at 197.3% of GDP. Estonia had the lowest, at 18.4% of GDP. The median was 60.2% of GDP and the figure for the European Union (27) was 86.7% of GDP. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest197.3Greece
Lowest18.4Estonia
Median60.227 EU countries
European Union (27)86.7History

All EU countries, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

GreeceGreece: 197.3 % of GDP197.3ItalyItaly: 145.8 % of GDP145.8PortugalPortugal: 123.9 % of GDP123.9SpainSpain: 115.7 % of GDP115.7FranceFrance: 112.8 % of GDP112.8BelgiumBelgium: 108.7 % of GDP108.7CyprusCyprus: 96.5 % of GDP96.5AustriaAustria: 82.4 % of GDP82.4CroatiaCroatia: 78.2 % of GDP78.2HungaryHungary: 76.2 % of GDP76.2SloveniaSlovenia: 74.8 % of GDP74.8FinlandFinland: 73.1 % of GDP73.1GermanyGermany: 67.9 % of GDP67.9SlovakiaSlovakia: 60.2 % of GDP60.2PolandPoland: 53 % of GDP53IrelandIreland: 52.4 % of GDP52.4NetherlandsNetherlands: 50.5 % of GDP50.5MaltaMalta: 49.7 % of GDP49.7RomaniaRomania: 48.6 % of GDP48.6LatviaLatvia: 45.9 % of GDP45.9LithuaniaLithuania: 43.3 % of GDP43.3CzechiaCzechia: 40.7 % of GDP40.7DenmarkDenmark: 39.6 % of GDP39.6SwedenSweden: 37.2 % of GDP37.2LuxembourgLuxembourg: 24.2 % of GDP24.2BulgariaBulgaria: 23.8 % of GDP23.8EstoniaEstonia: 18.4 % of GDP18.4
% of GDP. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2021
% of GDP		Change on 2020
1Greece197.3-12.1 pts
2Italy145.8-8.6 pts
3Portugal123.9-10.2 pts
4Spain115.7-3.6 pts
5France112.8-2.1 pts
6Belgium108.7-2.7 pts
7Cyprus96.5-17.1 pts
8Austria82.4-0.8 pts
9Croatia78.2-8.3 pts
10Hungary76.2-2.5 pts
11Slovenia74.8-5.4 pts
12Finland73.1-2.2 pts
13Germany67.9-0.1 pts
14Slovakia60.2+1.8 pts
15Poland53-3.6 pts
16Ireland52.4-4.5 pts
17Netherlands50.5-2.9 pts
18Malta49.7+0.9 pts
19Romania48.6+1.7 pts
20Latvia45.9+1.9 pts
21Lithuania43.3-2.6 pts
22Czechia40.7+3.8 pts
23Denmark39.6-5.6 pts
24Sweden37.2-3.3 pts
25Luxembourg24.2-0.3 pts
26Bulgaria23.8-0.7 pts
27Estonia18.4-0.7 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 197.3% of GDP in 2021, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

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

Estonia, with 18.4% of GDP in 2021.

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