Federal Debt, 1940-2008 (As a Percentage of the GDP)

The following chart shows the gross federal debt as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP). Gross domestic product is a measurement of the size of the economy. This indicates the burden of the public debt in the context of the size of the economy.

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Source: Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government, FY2008, Historical Tables.