What country is the lowest in debt?

Brunei and Macao SAR often lead lists for the lowest government debt-to-GDP ratio, with Brunei consistently under 3% and Macao near 0%, alongside nations like Turkmenistan and Kuwait, due to oil wealth or strong reserves, though Liechtenstein also boasts virtually no debt, but these figures vary slightly by source and year.

Which countries have the least debt?

Countries with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in recent data (2024-2025) include Macao SAR, Liechtenstein, Brunei, and Tuvalu, often with near-zero or very low percentages, though some small, resource-rich nations and microstates dominate this list, with Kuwait, Hong Kong, and Turkmenistan also featuring prominently.
 

What country is the highest in debt?

The United States has the largest total national debt by far, exceeding $38 trillion in 2025, followed by China and Japan, though Japan has a higher debt relative to its GDP. When considering debt as a percentage of GDP, some smaller nations like Sudan, Singapore, and Venezuela rank higher, but the U.S. leads in absolute dollar amounts.
 

Who got the national debt to 0?

Over the following 45 years, the debt grew. Notably, the public debt actually shrank to zero by January 1835, under President Andrew Jackson. But soon after, it quickly grew into the millions again. The American Civil War resulted in dramatic debt growth.

Which country doesn't owe debt?

Another example is Liechtenstein, nestled between Switzerland and Austria. This tiny principality boasts one of the highest GDPs per capita globally, largely due to its favorable tax policies and strong banking sector. Here too, fiscal prudence means no national debt—a rarity among nations today.

Why Every Country Is in Debt? And Who Do They Owe?

Is Switzerland debt free?

The national debt of Switzerland stood at 355.41 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1990 and 2024, the national debt rose by 214.22 billion U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Who owns the 36 trillion U.S. debt?

The U.S. owes its $36 trillion debt to a mix of domestic and foreign entities, with the largest holders being U.S. private investors, government trust funds (like Social Security), the Federal Reserve, and foreign governments, primarily Japan, the UK, and China. Roughly 70-80% of the debt is held domestically by U.S. institutions and individuals, with foreign investors holding the remainder, mainly through Treasury bonds.
 

Who owns over 70% of the US debt?

No single entity owns over 70% of U.S. debt, but roughly 70-80% is held domestically by U.S. investors and institutions like the Federal Reserve, Social Security, mutual funds, and banks, with the rest held by foreign investors, mainly Japan, China, and the U.K. It's a mix of internal (government-to-government) and public (investors) holdings, with domestic investors holding the largest share of the public debt.
 

Has America ever paid off its debt?

Yes, the U.S. paid off its entire national debt once, on January 1, 1835, under President Andrew Jackson, but it only remained debt-free for about a year before borrowing began again, and debt has generally increased since, punctuated by periods of reduction like the late 1990s. 

Did Trump have a surplus in June?

The U.S. Treasury has reported a budget surplus of $27 billion for the month of June—the first time since 2017. This is excellent news for our economy and a signal that President Trump's pro-growth policies are on the right track!

Which country has too much debt?

Countries with high debt include Japan, Sudan, the United States, and China, but "high debt" can mean different things: by debt-to-GDP ratio (Japan, Sudan often top), it's about relative burden; by total amount (US, China lead), it's about absolute scale. Japan and Sudan lead in debt-to-GDP, while the US and China have the largest absolute debt totals, reflecting different economic situations.
 

What is the poorest country in the world 2025?

South Sudan is the poorest country in the world in 2025, with a $251 GDP per capita. More startlingly, India makes the list as well. It's the 50th poorest by GDP per capita ($2,878), a rare case of a top-five economy by GDP having low levels of individual productivity.

What country owns most of our debt?

Investors in Japan and China remain among the largest foreign holders of Treasury debt. Foreign ownership of U.S. debt can have implications for the nation's economy and financial markets.

Can China call in U.S. debt?

Even if China wished to “call in” its loans, the use of credit as a coercive measure is complicated and often heavily constrained. A creditor can only dictate terms for the debtor country if that debtor has no other options, but U.S. debt is a widely held and extremely desirable asset in the global economy.

Is India debt free?

In 2024, the national debt of India amounted to around 3.16 trillion U.S. dollars.

Is the UK debt free?

A failure by successive governments to live within their means has left the UK with a £2.9tn mountain of debt, which is almost as large as the entire economy and costs over £100bn a year in interest payments.

Which country has zero debt?

As the world's biggest gambling hub, Macao SAR has zero debt, bolstered by billions in gaming revenue and healthy financial reserves. Liechtenstein ranks in second, with virtually no debt and the only country in Europe ranking in the top 10.

What percent of Americans are 100% debt free?

Roughly 23% of Americans are completely debt-free, according to recent Federal Reserve data, though figures vary slightly by source and definition, with some showing nearly half (around 43%) having no unsecured debt (like credit cards/loans) and younger generations (Gen Z) being more likely to be debt-free than older ones. While a mortgage isn't always counted, this 23% figure generally includes all debt types (mortgage, student, auto, credit card). 

Which country fully paid back the United States?

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentina has repaid the funds it drew from a $20 billion credit line with the Trump administration, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Friday, in a crucial step for Argentine President Javier Milei to restore confidence in his chronically distressed economy.

What would happen if China sold U.S. debt?

A sizeable sell-off of Treasury securities by China would almost certainly lead to an appreciation of China's currency and depreciation of the dollar. This is more likely to help the United States than to hurt us, contrary to the claims of many observers.

Who is the largest debt holder in the world?

The United States has the largest absolute amount of government debt, followed by China and Japan, but Japan has the highest debt relative to its GDP, while Luxembourg leads significantly in private debt as a percentage of GDP. Global debt is a mix of government, corporate, and household debt, with the U.S. carrying the most overall, but different metrics highlight different leaders.
 

Why can't the US get out of debt?

We have slower income growth, so we have fewer resources with which to pay our debt. Paul Solman: That is fewer tax revenues, which would mean borrowing even more. Plus, lower growth means less demand from businesses to borrow money for investment, which also tends to lower rates.

Who owns all the world's debt?

According the International Monetary Fund in September 2025 total global debt was equivalent to 235 percent of global gross domestic product, of which 93% was government debt and 143% was private debt made up of Household debt and non-financial Corporate debt.

What would happen if the US paid off all its debt?

If the U.S. paid off its national debt, it would free up funds for other uses like infrastructure or tax cuts but also cause massive economic disruption, removing the primary safe investment for global capital, collapsing the bond market, drastically reducing the money supply, and potentially halting essential government services as investors flee to riskier assets or foreign bonds, leading to a severe recession or depression. The method of repayment (e.g., massive tax hikes vs. spending cuts) would matter immensely, but eliminating debt entirely removes a crucial financial tool for both government and investors.