2008 CE: GROSS US NATIONAL DEBT AT 70% OF GDP

(Includes Social Security debt)

Now, as comparison,

$ DEBT
in trillions
as %
of GDP
2008 8.68 65.7
2000 5.63 58.0
1990 3.21 55.9
1980 0.91 33.3 < 68 year low %
1970 0.38 37.6
1960 0.29 56.1
1950 0.26 94.1
(1946 0.27 121.2) < 68 year peak %
1940 0.04 52.4

The above total deficits incorporated the following annual additions to the US public debt

year $ increases
to US deficit
in trillions
as %
of GDP
2008 1.02 7.4
2007 .46 3.4
2006 .54 4.1
2005 .52 4.3
2004 .61 5.3
2003 .59 5.5
2002 .41 3.9
2001 .14 1.4

By the end of 2008, the largest foreign holders of US debt were the People’s Republic of China (PRC) 24.1 %, and Japan (20.7%). The next largest foreign government holder was Brazil at 4.4%.

Israel actually held $16.9 trillion of US debt, or 55/100 of 1 percent of US gross national debt. Egypt held almost precisely the same amount.