The World’s First Global Debt Clock

Photo used under Creative Commons license by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roby72/">Roby©</a>.

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World leaders are gathered today at the UN General Assembly to discuss reforming the international financial system, laying the groundwork for a global climate change agreement and many other costly and contentious issues. They would do well to remember the money that has already been wasted through inaction (and costly wars) by consulting the Economist Intelligence Unit’s new Global Debt Comparison tool.

Featuring the EIU’s reams of data on countries around the world from as far back as 1999 and economic forecasting stretching out through 2011, this nifty display allows one to compare public debt per capita, public debt as a percentage of GDP, total public debt, and the yearly rate of change in debt. As of this morning, the clock rang in at an eye-watering $35 trillion…and growing. Check it out!

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