What country does US owe the most money to?
Japan and China are the biggest foreign holders of U.S. debt, each owning around $1 trillion of U.S. government debt. The investments – called Treasury securities – issued to fund the national debt have a designated time period at which they must be repaid.
Country/territory | US foreign-owned debt (January 2023) |
---|---|
Japan | $1,104,400,000,000 |
China | $859,400,000,000 |
United Kingdom | $668,300,000,000 |
Belgium | $331,100,000,000 |
United States. The United States boasts both the world's biggest national debt in terms of dollar amount and its largest economy, which resolves to a debt-to GDP ratio of approximately 128.13%. The United States' government's spending exceeds its income most years, and the US has not had a budget surplus since 2001.
It began rising at a fast rate in the 1980's and was accelerated through events like the Iraq Wars and the 2008 Great Recession. Most recently, the debt made another big jump thanks to the pandemic with the federal government spending significantly more than it took in to keep the country running.
Characteristic | National debt in relation to GDP |
---|---|
Macao SAR | 0% |
Brunei Darussalam | 2.06% |
Kuwait | 3.08% |
Hong Kong SAR | 4.27% |
- Bermuda. Total Debt Held: $77.4 Billion. ...
- Germany. Total Debt Held: $91.3 Billion. ...
- Norway. Total Debt Held: $104.4 Billion. ...
- Korea. Total Debt Held: $105.8 Billion. ...
- Saudi Arabia. Total Debt Held: $111 Billion. ...
- France. Total Debt Held: $183.9 Billion. ...
- Singapore. ...
- Brazil.
1 Foreign governments hold a large portion of the public debt, while the rest is owned by U.S. banks and investors, the Federal Reserve, state and local governments, mutual funds, pensions funds, insurance companies, and holders of savings bonds.
The United States pays interest on approximately $850 billion in debt held by the People's Republic of China. China, however, is currently in default on its sovereign debt held by American bondholders.
Tax hikes alone are rarely enough to stimulate the economy and pay down debt. Governments often issue debt in the form of bonds to raise money. Spending cuts and tax hikes combined have helped lower the deficit. Bailouts and debt defaults have disadvantages but can help a government solve a debt problem.
India takes the top spot. Its $39.7bn debt towards the WB recorded at the end of 2021 is double that of the next biggest debtor, Indonesia, with $19.6bn. Pakistan and Bangladesh follow with $18.3bn and $17.8bn, respectively, according to WB figures.
Who owns over 70% of the U.S. debt?
At the end of September 2023, domestic creditors held 77 percent of the outstanding debt held by the public. Foreign creditors held the remaining 23 percent.
History of U.S. Debt
GDP shrinks during a recession while government tax receipts decline and safety net spending rises. The combination of higher budget deficits with lower GDP inflates the debt-to-GDP ratio.
- Brunei. 3.2%
- Afghanistan. 7.8%
- Kuwait. 11.5%
- Democratic Republic of Congo. 15.2%
- Eswatini. 15.5%
- Palestine. 16.4%
- Russia. 17.8%
Jerome Kerviel, The Most Indebted Person In The World, Owes $6.3 Billion To Former Employer, Societe Generale. In a hyper-competitive world where everyone strives to be the biggest, boldest and most famous, no one covets Jerome Kerviel record-breaking achievement.
China is one of the United States's largest creditors, owning about $859.4 billion in U.S. debt. 1 However, it does not own the most U.S. debt of any foreign country.
[2] A report by the credit rating agency S&P Global in 2022 estimated that 79 per cent of corporate debt in China was owed by SOEs (the IMF does not break down the proportion of debt owed by SOEs).
First, as discussed by authors such as Hall and Sargent (2011) and Eichengreen and Esteves (2022a, 2022b), the US actually paid off part of the WWII debt by running primary surpluses—by levying taxes in excess of current government spending—over much of the period when the debt/GDP ratio was falling.
Does Russia owe the US money from World War II? No Russia owe nothing to the US from WW 2. USSR was in discussions with the US over the sum up until its end. Russia already under Putin came to an agreement with the US and payed it out.
The U.S. “public debt outstanding” of $33.2 trillion often cited by media is largely misleading, as it includes $6.8 trillion that the federal government “owes itself” due to trust fund and other accounting.
Debt as a share of GDP has risen to about the same level as in the United States, while in dollar terms China's total debt ($47.5 trillion) is still markedly below that of the United States (close to $70 trillion). As for non-financial corporate debt, China's 28 percent share is the largest in the world.
Why does the US borrow money from China?
Chinese loans to the U.S., through the purchase of U.S. debt, enable the U.S. to buy Chinese products. It's a win-win situation for both nations, with both benefiting mutually. China has a huge market for its products, and the U.S. benefits from the economic prices of Chinese goods.
The US Department of Treasury building seen in March 2023. US government debt is nearing $35 trillion. The high and rising level of US government debt risks driving up borrowing costs around the world and undermining global financial stability, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
Holders of U.S. Debt
Were China to suddenly unload its reserve holdings, its currency's exchange rate would rise, making Chinese exports more expensive in foreign markets. As such, China's holdings of American debt do not provide China with undue economic influence over the United States.
The federal government borrows money from the public by issuing securities—bills, notes, and bonds—through the Treasury. Treasury securities are attractive to investors because they are: Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.
China owns 384,000 acres of American agricultural land. That's a 30% increase just since 2019. And on top of that, they own land near an air force base in North Dakota.
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