National Debt - USA & World

How big is national debt—and what do those enormous numbers really mean?

National Debt puts public debt into perspective. Explore 193 economies, compare countries and discover what their debt could buy. From an estimated debt clock to official U.S. Treasury reports, see the numbers behind the headlines on iPhone and iPad.

EXPLORE THE WORLD’S DEBT
• View national debt totals, debt per person and debt as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
• Follow estimated debt clocks and explore historical charts.
• Discover the World Debt Map and compare up to four countries side by side.
• View monetary figures in U.S. dollars, euros or local currency, where available.

FOLLOW OFFICIAL U.S. TREASURY REPORTS
See the latest available U.S. federal debt report, its reporting date and the change since the previous report. Explore recent history, debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. Switch to the IMF annual measure for international comparisons.

WHAT COULD IT BUY?
Turn vast amounts into familiar comparisons: Big Mac meals, iPhones, Cybertrucks, Boeing 737 aircraft, cruise ships and rocket launches. Each preset includes a reference price and source note. Edit the items and prices to create your own perspective.

EXPLORE REPAYMENT SCENARIOS
How long would repayment take? Set a daily payment, adjust the interest rate and explore the estimated time needed with the repayment calculator.

KEEP YOUR COUNTRIES CLOSE
Build a personal watchlist, follow annual debt-to-GDP changes and share your watchlist or a country’s debt figures. Save country comparisons and optionally set a weekly reminder to take another look.

DESIGNED FOR EVERYDAY EXPLORATION
Enjoy dark mode, searchable country lists, localized number formats and layouts for iPhone and iPad. Learn what the figures mean with explanations of sources, methodology and economic terms.

Free to download, with ads and daily country-selection limits. An optional one-time upgrade removes ads and those limits and lets you save up to 12 country comparisons. No subscription.

UNDERSTANDING THE DATA
International comparisons use IMF World Economic Outlook data, which may include estimates and forecasts. Ticking debt figures are interpolated estimates, not live government readings. U.S. Treasury figures are published on business days and measure federal debt, which differs from the general-government measure used for international comparisons. Data availability varies; online updates require internet access. Currency conversions use annual source data, not live exchange rates. Purchasing comparisons and repayment calculations are illustrative, not financial advice.

Download National Debt and put the numbers in perspective.