Italy vs Spain: Government debt
Government debt in 2025: 137.1% of GDP in Italy and 100.5% of GDP in Spain, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Italy, by 36.6 percentage points, or 1.36 times that in Spain.
ItalySpain
Watch it change on the mapChange since 1988, percentage points · IMF
Latest figures
% of GDP · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 137.1 2025 | 134.8 | 3 of 149 | 135.6 2031 |
| Spain | 100.5 2025 | 102.4 | 14 of 149 | 89.4 2031 |
What the numbers say
- Italy has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Italy ranked 3 and Spain ranked 14 of 149 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Italy at 135.6% of GDP and Spain at 89.4% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Italy | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 137.1 | 100.5 |
| 2024 | 134.7 | 101.4 |
| 2023 | 133.9 | 105.2 |
| 2022 | 138.4 | 109.2 |
| 2021 | 145.8 | 115.6 |
| 2020 | 154.4 | 119.2 |
| 2019 | 133.9 | 97.6 |
| 2018 | 134.2 | 99.7 |
| 2017 | 133.7 | 101.1 |
| 2016 | 134.2 | 102 |
| 2015 | 134.8 | 102.4 |
| 2014 | 134.8 | 104.4 |
| 2013 | 131.9 | 100 |
| 2012 | 125.9 | 89.6 |
| 2011 | 119.1 | 69.5 |
| 2010 | 118.8 | 60.3 |
| 2009 | 116.1 | 53.1 |
| 2008 | 105.8 | 39.6 |
| 2007 | 103.5 | 35.7 |
| 2006 | 106.3 | 39 |
| 2005 | 106.2 | 42.4 |
| 2004 | 104.7 | 45.3 |
| 2003 | 105.1 | 47.7 |
| 2002 | 105.9 | 51.2 |
| 2001 | 108.5 | 54.1 |
| 2000 | 108.7 | 57.8 |
| 1999 | 113.1 | 60.9 |
| 1998 | 113.9 | 62.4 |
| 1997 | 116.5 | 64.3 |
| 1996 | 118.9 | 65.4 |
| 1995 | 119.1 | 61.6 |
| 1994 | 130.8 | 57 |
| 1993 | 124.1 | 54.6 |
| 1992 | 113 | 44.1 |
| 1991 | 105.3 | 41.9 |
| 1990 | 101.7 | 41.3 |
| 1989 | 98.4 | 39.9 |
| 1988 | 95.7 | 38.5 |
| 1987 | – | 41.9 |
| 1986 | – | 42.1 |
| 1985 | – | 40.9 |
| 1984 | – | 36 |
| 1983 | – | 29.5 |
| 1982 | – | 24.4 |
| 1981 | – | 19.5 |
| 1980 | – | 16.1 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Italy | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 137.9 | 97.6 |
| 2027 | 137.6 | 95.2 |
| 2028 | 137 | 93.2 |
| 2029 | 136.2 | 92 |
| 2030 | 135.8 | 90.7 |
| 2031 | 135.6 | 89.4 |
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