<P> This table lists the U.S. federal debt as a percentage of gross domestic product, or GDP, each year since World War II . The gross federal debt shown below reached 102.7% of GDP at the end of 2012, the most recent figure available; it was the highest percentage since 1945 and the first yearly percentage figure to go over 100% since then . (The gross federal debt in the table includes intra-government debt--that is, money owed by one branch of the federal government to another . When this latter amount is subtracted, the remaining quantity is known as the public debt .) </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Congressional session </Th> <Th> Years </Th> <Th> President </Th> <Th> President's party </Th> <Th> Debt - to - GDP ratio at start of period </Th> <Th> Debt - to - GDP ratio at end of period </Th> <Th> Change in debt (in billions of dollars) </Th> <Th> Change in debt - to - GDP ratio (in percentage points) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 77--78 </Td> <Td> 1941--1945 </Td> <Td> Roosevelt </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 50.4% </Td> <Td> 117.5% </Td> <Td> + 203 </Td> <Td> + 67.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 79--80 </Td> <Td> 1945--1949 </Td> <Td> Roosevelt, Truman </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 117.5% </Td> <Td> 93.1% </Td> <Td> - 8 </Td> <Td> - 24.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 81--82 </Td> <Td> 1949--1953 </Td> <Td> Truman </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 93.1% </Td> <Td> 71.4% </Td> <Td> + 13 </Td> <Td> - 21.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 83--84 </Td> <Td> 1953--1957 </Td> <Td> Eisenhower </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 71.4% </Td> <Td> 60.4% </Td> <Td> + 6 </Td> <Td> - 11.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 85--86 </Td> <Td> 1957--1961 </Td> <Td> Eisenhower </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 60.4% </Td> <Td> 55.2% </Td> <Td> + 20 </Td> <Td> - 5.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 87--88 </Td> <Td> 1961--1965 </Td> <Td> Kennedy, Johnson </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 55.2% </Td> <Td> 46.9% </Td> <Td> + 30 </Td> <Td> - 8.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 89--90 </Td> <Td> 1965--1969 </Td> <Td> Johnson </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 46.9% </Td> <Td> 38.6% </Td> <Td> + 43 </Td> <Td> - 8.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 91--92 </Td> <Td> 1969--1973 </Td> <Td> Nixon </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 38.6% </Td> <Td> 35.6% </Td> <Td> + 101 </Td> <Td> - 3.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 93--94 </Td> <Td> 1973--1977 </Td> <Td> Nixon, Ford </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 35.6% </Td> <Td> 35.8% </Td> <Td> + 177 </Td> <Td> + 0.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 95--96 </Td> <Td> 1977--1981 </Td> <Td> Carter </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 35.8% </Td> <Td> 32.5% </Td> <Td> + 288 </Td> <Td> - 3.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 97--98 </Td> <Td> 1981--1985 </Td> <Td> Reagan </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 32.5% </Td> <Td> 43.8% </Td> <Td> + 823 </Td> <Td> + 11.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 99--100 </Td> <Td> 1985--1989 </Td> <Td> Reagan </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 43.8% </Td> <Td> 53.1% </Td> <Td> + 1,050 </Td> <Td> + 9.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 101--102 </Td> <Td> 1989--1993 </Td> <Td> Bush Sr . </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 53.1% </Td> <Td> 66.1% </Td> <Td> + 1,483 </Td> <Td> + 13.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 103--104 </Td> <Td> 1993--1997 </Td> <Td> Clinton </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 66.1% </Td> <Td> 65.4% </Td> <Td> + 1,018 </Td> <Td> - 0.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 105--106 </Td> <Td> 1997--2001 </Td> <Td> Clinton </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 65.4% </Td> <Td> 56.4% </Td> <Td> + 401 </Td> <Td> - 9.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 107--108 </Td> <Td> 2001--2005 </Td> <Td> Bush </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 56.4% </Td> <Td> 63.5% </Td> <Td> + 2,135 </Td> <Td> + 7.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 109--110 </Td> <Td> 2005--2009 </Td> <Td> Bush </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 63.5% </Td> <Td> 84.2% </Td> <Td> + 3,971 </Td> <Td> + 20.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 111--112 </Td> <Td> 2009--2013 </Td> <Td> Obama </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 84.2% </Td> <Td> 102.7% </Td> <Td> + 6,061 </Td> <Td> + 18.5 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Congressional session </Th> <Th> Years </Th> <Th> President </Th> <Th> President's party </Th> <Th> Debt - to - GDP ratio at start of period </Th> <Th> Debt - to - GDP ratio at end of period </Th> <Th> Change in debt (in billions of dollars) </Th> <Th> Change in debt - to - GDP ratio (in percentage points) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 77--78 </Td> <Td> 1941--1945 </Td> <Td> Roosevelt </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 50.4% </Td> <Td> 117.5% </Td> <Td> + 203 </Td> <Td> + 67.1 </Td> </Tr>

When was the last time us debt was zero