Financial and Monetary Systems

What is government debt - and how is it paid back?

what is government debt economy bonds loans

Soaring government debt is a pandemic legacy we are going to be living with for years to come. Image: Unsplash/Towfiqu Barbhuiya

Simon Read
Senior Writer, Formative Content
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A bar chart showing general government debt in different countries.
General government debt as a percentage of GDP. Image: OCED

A graphic displaying how government bonds work.
An example of how a government bond works. Image: IG

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