Using a subset of the national debt referred to as "credit card debt held by the public", U.S. Debt held by the general public rose noticeably as a result of the Great Recession and its aftermath. In 2001 the countrywide debt was $5.7 trillion having said that, the personal debt-to-GDP ratio remained at 1990 amounts. With a as well smaller pinhole, nevertheless, the sharpness worsens, thanks to diffraction.