Portuguese public debt falls in 2018 but remains the 3rd largest in the EU
The Portuguese public debt fell in 2018 to 122.2% compared to the previous year, but remains the 3rd largest in the EU. In the euro zone, public debt fell to 85.9% of GDP and in the EU to 80.4%.
Portuguese public debt fell in 2018 to 122.2% of GDP, compared to the previous year, but remains the third largest in the European Union (EU), according to Eurostat’s second notification for 2018.
According to the European Statistical Office, public debt in the eurozone fell to 85.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 87.8% in 2017, while the EU’s debt fell to 80.4% (82.1% the previous year).
At the end of 2018, the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios were recorded in Estonia (8.4%), Luxembourg (21.0%), Bulgaria (22.3%), the Czech Republic (32.6%), Lithuania (34.1%) and Denmark (34.2%).
A total of 14 Member States had government debt ratios above 60% of GDP, with Greece leading (181.2%), followed by Italy (134.8%), Portugal (122.2%), Cyprus (100.6%), Belgium (100.0%), France (98.4%) and Spain (97.6%).
In 2017, the Portuguese public debt stood at 126.0% of GDP.