Ratios between debt and GDP soar as Greece leads igonminious list with figure of 160%
The debt to GDP ratio in the eurozone has reached a new record of 92.2% as high unemployment, tumbling trade flows and a prolonged recession in the single currency bloc take their toll.
Ireland topped the list of fastest risers after its debts jumped 7.7 percentage points to 125.1% of GDP. The bloc is in the longest recession since the creation of the single currency in 1999, with five members receiving international aid.
The first-quarter figure compares with a debt to GDP ratio of 90.6% in the last three months of 2012.
Germany cut its public debt to 81.2% of GDP by the end of March from 81.9% in the previous quarter, according to data from the European Union's statistics office, Eurostat.
Estonia, which adopted the euro in 2011 as the 17th country of the European Union, brought its debt down to 10% from 10.1% of GDP – the lowest debt ratio in Europe.
There are five eurozone members with debt to GDP ratios higher than 100%, led by Greece with 160% of GDP and followed by Italy with a debt of 130%, Portugal on 127% and then Ireland.
Across the 27-member EU, public debt is now €11.1tn (£9.5tn).
The UK's ratio is the seventh largest in the EU, at 88.2%, level-pegging with Spain.
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