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MacroChina

Government debt in China

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

China's government debt is 98.60 % — #110 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

98.60%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 1.0 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in China over time

98.60 %59.50 %20.40 %20.40 % · 19971995: 21.40 %1996: 21.20 %1997: 20.40 %1998: 20.40 %1999: 21.60 %2000: 22.60 %2001: 24.20 %2002: 25.50 %2003: 26.40 %2004: 25.90 %2005: 26.00 %2006: 25.20 %2007: 28.80 %2008: 26.60 %2009: 33.90 %2010: 33.10 %2011: 33.00 %2012: 33.90 %2013: 36.60 %2014: 39.40 %2015: 40.90 %2016: 50.00 %2017: 53.70 %2018: 55.70 %2019: 59.90 %2020: 70.60 %2021: 72.10 %2022: 77.30 %2023: 84.10 %2024: 90.50 %2025: 98.60 %19952010202598.60 %
31 official observations, 1995 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#110 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
12 %
15 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 8.10 pp
since 2024
Full series
▲ 77.20 pp
since 1995

In Asia: #33 of 37vs median 54.70 %: +43.90 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %China: ahead of 12 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtChina 98.60 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. China is ahead of 12 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs China
108 Sri Lanka96.80 %−1.80 pp
109 Suriname96.90 %−1.70 pp
110 China98.60 %—
111 Spain100.50 %+1.90 pp
112 Zambia100.60 %+2.00 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about China

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare China with another country →Everything about China →
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