Markets
Visualizing the Snowball of Government Debt
Visualizing the Snowball of Government Debt
Over the last five years, markets have pushed concerns about debt under the rug.
While economic growth and record-low interest rates have made it easy to service existing government debt, it’s also created a situation where government debt has grown in to over $63 trillion in absolute terms.
The global economic tide can change fast, and in the event of a recession or rapidly rising interest rates, debt levels could come back into the spotlight very quickly.
The Debt Snowball
Today’s visualization comes to us from HowMuch.net and it rolls the world’s countries into a “snowball” of government debt, colored and arranged by debt-to-GDP ratios. The data itself comes from the IMF’s most recent October 2018 update.
The structure of the visualization is apt, because debt can accumulate in an unsustainable way if governments are not proactive. This situation can create a vicious cycle, where mounting debt can start hampering growth, making the debt ultimately harder to pay off.
Here are the countries with the most debt on the books:
Rank | Country | Debt-to-GDP Ratio (2017) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Japan | 237.6% |
#2 | Greece | 181.8% |
#3 | Lebanon | 146.8% |
#4 | Italy | 131.8% |
#5 | Portugal | 125.7% |
#6 | Sudan | 121.6% |
#7 | Singapore | 111.1% |
#8 | United States | 105.2% |
#9 | Belgium | 103.4% |
#10 | Egypt | 103.0% |
Note: Small economies (GDP under $10 billion) are excluded in this table, such as Cabo Verde and Barbados
Japan and Greece are the most indebted countries in the world, with debt-to-GDP ratios of 237.6% and 181.8% respectively. Meanwhile, the United States sits in the #8 spot with a 105.2% ratio, and recent Treasury estimates putting the national debt at $22 trillion.
Light Snow
On the opposite spectrum, here are the 10 jurisdictions that have incurred less debt relative to the size of their economies:
Rank | Country | Debt-to-GDP Ratio (2017) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Macao (SAR) | 0.0% |
#2 | Hong Kong (SAR) | 0.1% |
#3 | Brunei | 2.8% |
#4 | Afghanistan | 7.0% |
#5 | Estonia | 9.0% |
#6 | Botswana | 14.0% |
#7 | Russia | 15.5% |
#8 | Saudi Arabia | 17.2% |
#9 | DRC | 18.1% |
#10 | Paraguay | 19.5% |
Note: Small economies (GDP under $10 billion) are excluded in this table, such as Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands
Macao and Hong Kong – both special administrative regions (SARs) in China – have virtually zero debt on the books, while the official country with the lowest debt is Brunei (2.8%).
The Most Popular TV Brands in the U.S.
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Every year, over 40 million TVs are sold in the U.S., making the device a flagship technology in many American homes.
In this graphic, we illustrate the most popular TV brands in the U.S. based on a 2023 Statista survey of over 8,000 American adults. Respondents were asked, ‘What brand is your main TV?’
Korean Brands Dominate the U.S. TV Market
Samsung and LG combined account for 52% of the TV market share. Interestingly, the two firms have a partnership in place, with LG supplying OLED TV panels to Samsung since 2023.
TV Brand | Country | % of Respondents |
---|---|---|
Samsung | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 33 |
LG | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 19 |
Vizio | 🇺🇸 U.S. | 11 |
Sony | 🇯🇵 Japan | 7 |
Hisense | 🇨🇳 China | 5 |
TCL | 🇨🇳 China | 5 |
Philips | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 3 |
Insignia | 🇺🇸 U.S. | 2 |
Sanyo | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2 |
Toshiba | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2 |
Sharp | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1 |
Other or don't know | -- | 9 |
Vizio, a California-based company, holds the third position, but its TVs aren’t manufactured in the United States. Rather, they are produced by Taiwanese companies AmTran Technology and Foxconn, the latter being a major manufacturer of the iPhone.
Further down the ranking is Insignia, owned by U.S. retailer Best Buy. While it’s uncertain who produces Insignia TVs, some speculate they’re made by China’s Hisense.
Despite holding the largest market share, South Korea ranks behind Japan in terms of the number of companies among the top brands. Japan boasts four brands on our list, with Sony ranked 4th overall, capturing 7% of the responses.
Growing Market
The U.S. is witnessing a surge in demand for high-definition televisions, driven by consumers’ desire for a more immersive home viewing experience.
Globally, the U.S. leads in revenue generation, with the American TV market projected to generate $18.2 billion in revenue in 2024.
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