Interfax reported that as of May 1st 2009, Belarus' foreign state debt had increased since the start of the year by 33.8% to USD 4.976 billion.

Direct governmental debt increased by USD 4.858 billion while debt incurred by enterprises with government guarantees dropped by 9.2% to USD 118.07 million.

Belarus' foreign state debt in ruble equivalent went up during this period by 70.6% to BYR 13.96 trillion.

The main lenders to Belarus in April were Russia, the IMF, Venezuela, the World Bank, China and Italy.

In 2008, the country's state debt increased by 50.2% to the equivalent of 16.787 trillion Belarusian rubles after an increase of 60.3% in 2007. Foreign state debt as of January 1st 2009 went up by 59.7% to USD 3.719 billion. Domestic debt increased by 40% to BYR 8.585 trillion.

(Sourced from Interfax)