Interest paid on public debt (% of GDP) in the United States

This indicator measures gross interest payments by the general government as a percentage of GDP. It shows how much the consolidated public sector pays in interest on its liabilities in a given year, relative to the size of the economy. Amounts are gross: they do not deduct interest received on government financial assets.
The series refers to the general government sector, a consolidation of central, state, and local government, plus social security funds. A higher ratio usually reflects a combination of higher government debt, higher interest rates, or both.