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26/02/2021

Which countries own the most debt?

Which countries own the most debt?

According to the Federal Reserve and U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of 7.03 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. treasury securities as of June 2021. Of the total 7.2 trillion held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions.

Which country is in debt?

Ranking the Top 10 in Government Debt

Rank (2021) Country Debt-to-GDP (2019)
#1 Japan 235%
#2 Sudan 200%
#3 Greece 185%
#4 Eritrea 189%

Who is the U.S. debt owed to?

Public Debt The public holds over $22 trillion of the national debt. 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 savings bonds.

Does China owe the United States money?

China takes the second spot among foreign holders of U.S. debt with $1.07 trillion in Treasury holdings in April 2020, just behind Japan.

Why do countries have so much debt?

Countries can be in debt for different reasons: 1) Trade deficit. When a country’s imports are worth more than a country’s exports, the country loses money and therefore it is forced to borrow money from other countries or international organisations to try and cover the losses. 2) Natural disasters and tied aid.

How do countries deal with debt?

Sovereign Debt. Sovereign debt is a promise by a government to pay those who lend it money.

  • Debt Issued in Foreign Currencies. Investors prefer investments in currencies they know and trust,such as the U.S.
  • Risk and Reputation.
  • The Impact of Defaulting.
  • The Causes of Debt Default.
  • Debt Default Examples.
  • Investing in Debt.
  • Conclusion.
  • More from Investopedia:
  • Which country has the worst debt?

    These Countries Have the Worst Debt Burden. With a debt that recently topped the $22 trillion mark, the United States has the biggest debt of any nation in the world in sheer dollar count – that remains undisputed.

    Are there any countries in the world that are not in debt?

    Brunei , Liechtenstein and Palau are the only countries with no external debt. Also, Macau (a Chinese special administrative region) and the British Virgin Islands (a British Overseas territory ) do not have any external debt, but are not countries.