The infographic below from VisualCapitalist ranks countries by their debt-to-GDP ratio, a key metric used to assess how much debt a government holds relative to its economic output. The data comes from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, April 2025 edition.
In 2025, public debt remains a pressing issue for many countries, with governments around the world are navigating fiscal challenges in the wake of the pandemic, geopolitical instability, and economic slowdowns.