http://www.businessinsider.com/wef-...el-of-government-debt-vs-gdp-2016-4?r=UK&IR=T
Singapore was a surprise!
Singapore was a surprise!
The 17 countries with the highest level of government debt
- Thread starter dealmaker
- Start date
Singapore being high on this list illustrates the dangers of ignoring the devil in the details and relying solely on the headline figures.
debt is measured in money. GDP could be anything.
What?
Same thing, same day, different year?
We have nothing to worry about, since we can print dollars 
I was surprised to see so many European nations on the list and not as many South American and African nations. Maybe their treasuries are not as transparent as ours in the West.
2 Greece 173%
5 Italy 132%
6 Portugal 128 %
7 Ireland 122%
8 Cyprus 112%
10 USA 104%
12 Belgium 99%
14 Spain 93%
15 France 93%
17 Iceland 90%
2 Greece 173%
5 Italy 132%
6 Portugal 128 %
7 Ireland 122%
8 Cyprus 112%
10 USA 104%
12 Belgium 99%
14 Spain 93%
15 France 93%
17 Iceland 90%
The international debt mkts don't have a lot of appetite for South American and African sovereign debt, given its propensity to default. That means that govts in those regions are not capable of issuing a lot and thus can't have a high debt/GDP.