A Historical Public Debt Database

November 1, 2010

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

This paper describes the compilation of the first truly comprehensive database on gross government debt-to-GDP ratios, covering nearly the entire IMF membership (174 countries) and spanning an exceptionally long time period. The database was constructed by bringing together a number of other datasets and information from original sources. For the most recent years, the data are linked to the IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) database to facilitate regular updates. The paper discusses the evolution of debt-to-GDP ratios across country groups for several decades, episodes of debt spikes and reversals, and a pattern of negative correlation between debt and growth.

Subject: Financial crises, Global financial crisis of 2008-2009, Oil prices, Prices, Public debt

Keywords: country, country size, debt, Debt Database, debt ratio, Debt-to-GDP, GDP, GDP data, Global, Global financial crisis of 2008-2009, Gross Debt, Historical Debt, historical public debt database, HPDD Debt-to-GDP observation, HPDD shed, information, Oil prices, PPP GDP series, Public Debt, public debt debt ratio, WP

Pages:
26
Volume:
2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781455209453.001
Issue:
245
Series:
Working Paper No. 2010/245
Stock No:
WPIEA2010245
ISBN:
9781455209453
ISSN:
1018-5941

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