national debt vs government debt

Both 'national debt' and 'government debt' are correct phrases, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'National debt' refers to the total amount of money that a country's government has borrowed, while 'government debt' specifically focuses on the debt owed by the government. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to emphasize the debt at a national level or specifically attribute it to the government.

Last updated: March 22, 2024 • 585 views

national debt

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to the total amount of money that a country's government has borrowed.

Use 'national debt' when referring to the overall debt of a country, encompassing all levels of government borrowing.

Examples:

The national debt of the United States continues to rise.
The national debt crisis is a major concern for many countries.
Reducing the national debt requires careful financial planning.
The national debt-to-GDP ratio is a key economic indicator.
Managing the national debt is a complex task for policymakers.

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Under President Obama, the national debt would double.
We are also of the opinion that a further reduction in the burden and reducing the national debt should be prioritised.
Our level of national debt is unsustainable.
Four dollars per is mounting like the national debt.
Instead, the task of the Member States must be to cut back on unnecessary expenditure, in order to curb national debt and achieve stability.
Twice the national debt, I'm afraid.
Crucial to these discrepancies is the manner in which national debt is calculated.
An alarming number of Member States have high levels of national debt.
Global warming, acid rain, the national debt...
Here is a chart to the US national debt for the same period.
Subject: Greece, the euro and calculation of national debt
Take a complex issue like interest rate trends or the dismantling of excessive national debt.
Otherwise, we would only have high inflation and massive increases in the mountain of national debt.
Some of the Member States, however, have not capitalised sufficiently on these favourable economic conditions to reduce their public deficits and their national debt.
A limited deficit of 3% means that the national debt is continually decreasing as a percentage of GDP.
Less than a third of the Greek national debt is secured by Credit Default Swaps.
Member States shall report to the Commission and the Eurogroup, ex ante and in a timely manner, on their national debt issuance plans.
Innovation does not simply mean inventing new taxes or re-labelling what has always been there, such as national debt.
And now, on top of that national debt, we are expected to contribute to these European recovery programmes.
That's why the solution does not lie in discussing the size of the national debt rather it lies in reforming our banking system.

Alternatives:

public debt
sovereign debt
country's debt
federal debt
state debt

government debt

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to specifically refer to the debt owed by a government.

Use 'government debt' when focusing on the debt incurred by a specific government entity, such as a national or local government.