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🏛️ Government Debt-to-GDP: How G7 Countries Stack Up in 2026
May 22, 2026Also published on Dev.to
Japan owes more than it produces. The US is not far behind. Germany looks disciplined on paper but hides its state-level debts.
Government debt is not inherently bad — it finances roads, schools, and vaccines. But when debt grows faster than GDP, interest payments eat into budgets and crowd out other spending. In 2026, the G7 is at a crossroads. The COVID borrowing binge is behind us, but demographics and entitlement costs mean debt burdens will keep rising for decades unless policy changes.
Here is the hard data. Every number is from EconDash, sourced live from World Bank, IMF WEO, and OECD databases.
| Country | Debt-to-GDP (2020) | Debt-to-GDP (2023) | Debt-to-GDP (2025 est.) | Debt-to-GDP (2026 est.) | Rating Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 266% | 259% | 252% | ~250% | ↔ Stable |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 155% | 140% | 137% | ~136% | ↓ Gradual decline |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 134% | 123% | 122% | ~121% | ↔ Stable-ish |
| 🇫🇷 France | 115% | 111% | 111% | ~112% | ↑ Slight rise |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 118% | 107% | 105% | ~105% | ↔ Stable |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 104% | 97% | 99% | ~101% | ↑ Slight rise |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 69% | 66% | 63% | ~62% | ↓ Declining |
Data sourced from World Bank, IMF WEO, and OECD via EconDash. 2026 figures are estimates based on latest available fiscal projections.
Japan's debt-to-GDP is ~250% — the highest in the G7 by a wide margin. In textbook economics, this should have triggered a currency crisis, soaring interest rates, or both. None of that has happened.
Why? Three factors:
But the system is fragile. As the BOJ hikes rates and relaxes yield control, interest costs will rise. Japan spends ~20% of its budget on debt service already. A 1% rate increase adds trillions of yen.
Alt text: EconDash line chart of Japan government debt as percent of GDP, showing the long climb from 60% in 1990 to over 250% in 2026.
US federal debt is ~121% of GDP. That is high, but not historically unprecedented for a reserve currency issuer. The real concern is the direction.
The Congressional Budget Office projects US debt rising to ~130% by 2030 and ~160% by 2050 under current law. What drives this?
The dollar's reserve status is the safety valve. As long as global investors trust Treasuries more than alternatives, the US can borrow cheaply. But that is a confidence game. If political dysfunction triggers a debt ceiling crisis or a credit rating downgrade, borrowing costs spike immediately.
United StatesEconDash chart of US government debt to GDP
Alt text: EconDash line chart of US government debt as percent of GDP, tracking the surge during COVID-19 and subsequent stabilisation around 120%.
Germany reports debt-to-GDP at ~62% — the lowest in the G7. But headline numbers mislead.
The constitutional "debt brake" limits federal borrowing to 0.35% of GDP annually (with emergency exceptions). This sounds virtuous, but it also starves infrastructure and defence investment. Germany's bridges, railways, and broadband are falling behind.
Alt text: EconDash line chart of Germany government debt as percent of GDP, showing the steady decline from 80% post-COVID to ~62% in 2026.
Both France and the UK hover around 100% debt-to-GDP. Their challenges are different:
France — High public spending (56% of GDP), rigid labour market, and political instability. The deficit exceeded EU limits in 2024. Without reform, France risks a credibility spiral.
UK — Post-Brexit growth has been anaemic (~1% annually). Debt rose during COVID and stayed high. The UK government now spends more on debt interest than on defence. That is a historical first.
Both countries face aversion from bond markets if they deviate from fiscal rules. The UK's Liz Truss mini-budget crash in 2022 proved how quickly markets punish perceived recklessness.
Alt text: EconDash line chart of France government debt as percent of GDP, showing gradual rise above 100% and stabilisation.
United KingdomEconDash chart of UK government debt to GDP
Alt text: EconDash line chart of UK government debt as percent of GDP, showing the post-COVID peak and slow drift back toward 100%.
Italy's debt-to-GDP is ~136% — second only to Japan in the G7. Unlike Japan, Italy cannot print its own currency. It relies on ECB support and investor confidence.
The ECB's bond-buying programs (PEPP, APP, and successor frameworks) have kept Italian yields below 4%. But if the ECB tapers too fast, Italian borrowing costs spike. At that point, debt sustainability becomes a genuine crisis.
Italy's growth problem is structural. Labour productivity has flatlined for 25 years. Young workers emigrate. The birth rate is among the lowest in the world. Without growth, debt cannot shrink relative to GDP.
Alt text: EconDash line chart of Italy government debt as percent of GDP, consistently above 130% and among the highest in the developed world.
For ordinary people, high government debt matters in three ways:
For investors, the rule is simple: buy bonds of countries with central bank credibility and growth potential. The US, Germany, and Japan all have problems, but their institutions retain market trust. Italy and France are the riskier bets.
Q: Can a country ever default on debt in its own currency? A: Technically no — it can always print money to pay creditors. But doing so destroys the currency's value, which is default by another name. See Zimbabwe, Venezuela, or Weimar Germany.
Q: Why is Japan's 250% debt sustainable but Italy's 136% risky? A: Japan borrows in yen from Japanese savers and prints yen if needed. Italy borrows in euros and cannot print euros. That institutional difference trumps the debt ratio.
Q: Will high debt cause inflation? A: Only if central banks monetise it aggressively. So far, the Fed, ECB, and BOJ are committed to 2% targets. But the temptation grows as debt service costs rise.
Q: What is the "safe" debt-to-GDP level? A: There is no magic number. For the US, 100% seemed risky in 2010 but proved manageable. For Italy, 130% feels precarious. The factors that matter more than the level: who owns the debt, what currency it is in, and whether the economy grows faster than interest costs.
G7 debt levels diverge widely, but the common thread is unsustainable trajectories. Japan is at 250% with fragile demographics. The US is at 121% with no fiscal plan. Germany looks virtuous but hides liabilities. The eurozone periphery (Italy) is one ECB policy shift away from crisis.
High debt is not an immediate crisis. It is a slow burn — one that transfers wealth from future taxpayers to today's beneficiaries. The bill comes due, but not all at once.