Germany vs United Kingdom

Germany vs United Kingdom: Government debt

Government debt in 2025: 62.7% of GDP in Germany and 102.1% of GDP in United Kingdom, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 39.4 percentage points, or 1.63 times that in Germany.

Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · IMF

Germany vs United Kingdom: Government debtGovernment debt in 2025: 62.7% of GDP in Germany and 102.1% of GDP in United Kingdom, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 39.4 percentage points, or 1.63 times that in Germany.
GermanyUnited KingdomIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • United Kingdom has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Germany.
  • In 2025, Germany ranked 51 and United Kingdom ranked 12 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Germany at 75.6% of GDP and United Kingdom at 100.2% of GDP in 2031.

Every year

% of GDP · IMF

YearGermanyUnited Kingdom
202562.7102.1
202461.499.4
202361.898.3
202264.197.1
202167.4103
202067.5104.4
201958.484.5
201860.585.3
201763.785.9
201668.187.2
20157187.3
201474.486.4
201377.484.8
201279.884
201178.581
20108175.5
200972.464.6
200865.250.7
200763.743.1
200666.442.1
200567.141
20046539.8
200363.336.8
200259.835.5
200158.135
200059.237.7
199960.440.5
199859.442
199758.844.1
199657.743.7
199554.943.7
199447.540.8
199345.138
199241.433.3
19913928.5
1990–28.5
1989–32.6
1988–37.1
1987–39.3
1986–41.4
1985–41.4
1984–42.3
1983–41.9
1982–43.1
1981–44.9
1980–42.7
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearGermanyUnited Kingdom
202664.6102
202767102.5
202869.3102.3
202971.5101.6
203073.6100.9
203175.6100.2

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
  • Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
  • The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
  • Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Germany vs United Kingdom

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment