National Debt (% of GDP): Venezuela

Analysis# Venezuela National Debt (% of GDP) Venezuela's national debt stands at 164.3% of GDP in 2024, reflecting a nation grappling with severe fiscal imbalance. This figure remains far below the catastrophic peak of 336.5% recorded in 2020, yet towers above the 20.3% low achieved in 2008. Since 1998, Venezuela's debt burden has surged 435.2%, demonstrating a decades-long deterioration in public finances driven by economic mismanagement and institutional collapse. The trajectory reveals two distinct phases: a gradual climb from 1998 through 2015, followed by dramatic escalation after 2016. The 2020 debt spike coincided with Venezuela's currency collapse and humanitarian crisis, while subsequent years showed meaningful improvement—declining to 138.5% by 2023. The recent uptick to 164.3% in 2024 suggests stabilization efforts may face renewed pressure, warranting continued monitoring of fiscal sustainability trends.