ROME, April 15 (Reuters) - Italy's public debt rose to a record 1.708 trillion euros ($2.26 trillion) in February, the Bank of Italy said on Wednesday, as the worst economic downturn in decades sapped tax revenues.
Tax revenues fell to 25.217 billion euros in February, from 27.902 billion a year earlier. Income in January was also sharply down at 29.675 billion, from 31.271 billion in the previous year. February's debt compared with a figure of 1.699 trillion euros in January.
A Reuters poll of 19 analysts predicted the euro zone's third largest economy would shrink by 3.7 percent this year, its worst performance for more than 50 years.
Italy has the third largest public debt in the world, equivalent to more than the country's annual gross domestic product (GDP). The Bank of Italy did not provide a GDP figure.