The accompanying chart shows the size of national banking systems relative to their countries’ economies, measured in two ways, and also show how well capitalized the banks appear to be, through the latest reported data.

In general, higher figures in any of the graphics indicate increased danger. They do not pretend to show what shape the banks are in, but they do reflect the size of the problem each country would face if its banking system did get into trouble.

The first two charts look not at deposits but at short-term debt carried by the banks. The banks usually have long-term debt as well. But by its nature, that debt cannot be withdrawn if worries about a bank’s solvency suddenly increase. They also have deposits, but deposits are less likely to flee, at least if deposit guarantee systems are trusted. Short-term debt, on the other hand, matures within a year and may not be available to a bank that is in trouble.

The first comparison  the tinted circles  looks at the size of bank short-term debt as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product. Such figures are not directly comparable, since one is the total amount of income in a country over a year, and the other is the amount owed by banks that may have to be paid over that year. But the comparisons do show relative sizes.

In the United States, the banks have total short-term debt that is equal to 15 percent of G.D.P. But in some countries where banking systems have grown to international proportions, the debt exceeds G.D.P. That is true in Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and Britain.