The net public debt reached $ 44 billion at the end of December 2009, up 5 percent from the end of 2008, the figures show.

Domestic currency debt totaled $28 billion, increasing by 7.6 percent compared to end of December 2008.

Foreign currency debt totaled $21 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2009, an increase of nearly 1 percent from the end of December 2008, the Bulletin said.