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Public debt of the United States 1990-2018
Public debt of the United States 1990-2018
Public debt of the United States from 1990 to 2018* (in billion U.S. dollars)
by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Apr 29, 2019
This graph shows the outstanding public debt of the United States of America from 1990 to 2018. In September 2018, the national debt had risen up to 21.52 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 62,034 U.S. dollars in 2017.
Public debt
As represented in the statistic above, the public debt of the United States is continuously rising.
Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. A government debt is an indirect debt of the countries’ taxpayers.
Japan leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2014. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Japan had an estimated debt of around 246 percent. Italy was on rank 6, with an estimated debt of 127.26 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 40.34 percent in 2004 to 95.97 percent in 2014, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland.
Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of 4th quarter 2013 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany is on rank 11 in the EU, its national debt amounted to 78.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
Russia was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2014 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Brunei Darussalam and Libya had an estimated level of national debt with 0 percent. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.
Public debt of the United States from 1990 to 2018* (in billion U.S. dollars)
Loading statistic...
| Year | National debt (in billion U.S. dollars) |
|---|---|
| '18 | 21,516.06 |
| '17 | 20,244.9 |
| '16 | 19,573.45 |
| '15 | 18,150.62 |
| '14 | 17,824.07 |
| '13 | 16,738.18 |
| '12 | 16,066.24 |
| '11 | 14,790.34 |
| '10 | 13,561.62 |
| '09 | 11,909.83 |
| '08 | 10,024.72 |
| '07 | 9,007.65 |
| '06 | 8,506.97 |
| '05 | 7,932.71 |
| '04 | 7,379.05 |
| '03 | 6,783.23 |
| '02 | 6,228.24 |
| '01 | 5,807.46 |
| '00 | 5,674.18 |
| '99 | 5,656.27 |
| '98 | 5,526.19 |
| '97 | 5,413.15 |
| '96 | 5,224.81 |
| '95 | 4,973.98 |
| '94 | 4,692.75 |
| '93 | 4,411.49 |
| '92 | 4,064.62 |
| '91 | 3,665.3 |
| '90 | 3,233.31 |
| Year | National debt (in billion U.S. dollars) |
|---|---|
| '18 | 21,516.06 |
| '17 | 20,244.9 |
| '16 | 19,573.45 |
| '15 | 18,150.62 |
| '14 | 17,824.07 |
| '13 | 16,738.18 |
| '12 | 16,066.24 |
| '11 | 14,790.34 |
| '10 | 13,561.62 |
| '09 | 11,909.83 |
| '08 | 10,024.72 |
| '07 | 9,007.65 |
| '06 | 8,506.97 |
| '05 | 7,932.71 |
| '04 | 7,379.05 |
| '03 | 6,783.23 |
| '02 | 6,228.24 |
| '01 | 5,807.46 |
| '00 | 5,674.18 |
| '99 | 5,656.27 |
| '98 | 5,526.19 |
| '97 | 5,413.15 |
| '96 | 5,224.81 |
| '95 | 4,973.98 |
| '94 | 4,692.75 |
| '93 | 4,411.49 |
| '92 | 4,064.62 |
| '91 | 3,665.3 |
| '90 | 3,233.31 |
© Statista 2019
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Source: US Department of the Treasury
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by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Apr 29, 2019
This graph shows the outstanding public debt of the United States of America from 1990 to 2018. In September 2018, the national debt had risen up to 21.52 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 62,034 U.S. dollars in 2017.
Public debt
As represented in the statistic above, the public debt of the United States is continuously rising.
Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. A government debt is an indirect debt of the countries’ taxpayers.
Japan leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2014. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Japan had an estimated debt of around 246 percent. Italy was on rank 6, with an estimated debt of 127.26 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 40.34 percent in 2004 to 95.97 percent in 2014, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland.
Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of 4th quarter 2013 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany is on rank 11 in the EU, its national debt amounted to 78.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
Russia was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2014 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Brunei Darussalam and Libya had an estimated level of national debt with 0 percent. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.
- Source
- US Department of the Treasury
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- September 2018
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- September 1990 - September 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Data for each fiscal year is as of September 30th of the stated calendar year. The fiscal year for the U.S. Government starts in Oct. 1. The annual amount of public debt outstanding is hence drawn on September 30 each year.
Historical data can be found here.
Source
- Source
- US Department of the Treasury
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- September 2018
More information
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- September 1990 - September 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Data for each fiscal year is as of September 30th of the stated calendar year. The fiscal year for the U.S. Government starts in Oct. 1. The annual amount of public debt outstanding is hence drawn on September 30 each year.
Historical data can be found here.
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- United States' national debt per capita from 1990 to 2018 (in U.S. dollars)
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- Gross public debt of U.S. states from 2000 to 2023* (in trillion U.S. dollars)
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- U.S. budget balance and forecast from 2000 to 2029 (as a percentage of the GDP)
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- The 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2017 in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP)
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