United States - Gross External Debt





United States: Gross External Debt

Mnemonic GDBTEXT.IUSA
Unit Mil. USD, NSA
Adjustments Not Seasonally Adjusted
Quarterly
Data 2024 Q4 8,949,636
2024 Q3

Series Information

Source U.S. Department of the Treasury
Release Treasury International Capital - Gross External Debt Position
Frequency Quarterly
Start Date 9/30/2014
End Date 12/31/2024

United States: Government

Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Gross External Debt 2024 Q4 8,949,636 Mil. USD, NSA Quarterly
Government Budget Balance Mar 2024 -236,457 -296,275 Mil. USD, NSA Monthly
Government Expenditures Mar 2024 568,548 567,401 Mil. USD, NSA Monthly
Government Revenues Mar 2024 332,091 271,126 Mil. USD, NSA Monthly
Outstanding Public Debt Mar 2024 34,586,532 34,471,082 Mil. USD Monthly

Release Information

Gross external debt is the overall magnitude of U.S. indebtedness to foreigners. The gross external debt position divides that debt among five institutional sectors (government, monetary authorities, banks, other, and direct investment). These figures are reported quarterly as part of the Treasury International Capital system.

Active:

  • Framework: IMF BPM6
  • Measurement: Millions of U.S. dollars (Mil. USD)
  • Adjustment: Not seasonally adjusted (NSA)
  • Native frequency: Quarterly
  • Start date: Uniformly 2014Q3

Predecessor:

  • BPM5 - 2003 to 2014

The source switched from BPM5 to BPM6 as of 2014Q3.

Some line items are reported as either zero or blank in different periods.

Periodicity and timeliness

The position data are reported as of the end of each quarter, beginning with June 30, 2003 (Q2 2003), and are published on the last business day of the following quarter (a one-quarter lag).

Revised data for the previous June, September and December are normally released on the last business day of June. Revisions include the results of the Survey of Foreign Holdings of U.S. Securities at the end of the previous June.

Using in Data Buffet

Line items that are reported exclusively as "blank" (as distinct from zero) do not have Data Buffet time series.  Series that alternate between zero and blank may appear to lag, i.e., if the latest period(s) are reported as blank, they are stored in Data Buffet as "ND", and the "last value" attribute in Mnemonic 411 will reflect the final numeric (zero) period.

Numbered footnotes

2
All debt are presented at face value. Exception: long-term debt securities in memoradum section are valued at market value, as recommended.
3
It is recommended that all currency and depositsbe included in the short-term category unless detailed information is available to make the short-term/long-term attribution.
4
Other debt liabilities comprise insurance, pension, and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable. It is recommended that insurance, pension, and standardized guaranteed schemes be classified as long term.
5
Arrears are recorded in the original debt instrument.
6
In line with BPM6, SDR allocations should be reported as long-term external debt liabilities.

Further reading