TRIVIA

The U.S. Congress is in the midst of a debate over raising the national debt ceiling; without it, the federal government will default. This isn’t the first time this has happened. Because the federal government’s high level of debt is a chronic problem, there have been several “temporary government shutdowns” in recent decades. While Democrats and Republicans debate the issue: Do you know what percentage of U.S. GDP the federal government’s debt represents?

A) 89%

B) 128%

C) 179%

D) 205%

Answer: 

B) 128% At US$26.95 billones (millones de millones), the U.S. federal government’s public debt represents 128% of GDP. This figure compares with Chile’s gross public debt, which stood at 32.5% of GDP at the end of 2020. 

To view the U.S. national debt, you can visit https://datalab.usaspending.gov/americas-finance-guide/debt/