Federal Debt, 1940-2009 (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. 

 

Source: Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government, FY2009, Historical Tables.