Botswana pula

Botswana pula
Obverse of 2 pula (1980s) Reverse of 2 pula (1980s)
ISO 4217 code	BWP
Central bank	Bank of Botswana
Website	www.bankofbotswana.bw
Official user(s)	Botswana
Unofficial user(s)	Zimbabwe
Inflation	8.4%,12.5% (CIA World Factbook, 2008 est.)
Source	Bank of Botswana, 19 February 2008
Method	CPI
Subunit
1/100	thebe
Symbol	P
Coins	5, 10, 25, 50 thebe, 1, 2, 5 pula
Banknotes	10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 pula

The pula is the currency of Botswana. It has the ISO 4217 code BWP and is subdivided into 100 thebe. Pula literally means "rain" in Setswana, because rain is very scarce in Botswana - home to much of the Kalahari Desert - and therefore valuable. Pula also means "blessing" as rain is considered a blessing. Thebe means "shield".

History

The pula was introduced in 1976, replacing the South African rand at par. Despite a 12% devaluation in May 2005, the pula remains one of the strongest currencies in Africa.

Coins

In 1976, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe and 1 pula. The 1 thebe was struck in aluminium, with the 5 thebe in bronze and the others in cupro-nickel. These coins were round except for the scalloped 1 pula. Bronze, dodecagonal 2 thebe coins were introduced in 1981, but discontinued after 1985. In 1991, bronze-plated steel replaced bronze in the 5 thebe, nickel-plated steel replaced cupro-nickel in the 10, 25 and 50 thebe and the 1 pula changed to a smaller, nickel-brass, equilateral-curve seven-sided coin. A similarly shaped, nickel-brass 2 pula was introduced in 1994. In 2004, the composition was changed to brass-plated steel and the size was slightly reduced. In 1998, following the withdrawal of the 1 and 2 thebe, smaller 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe coins were introduced, with the 5 and 25 thebe coins being seven-sided and the 10 and 50 thebe coins remaining round. A bimetallic 5 pula was introduced in 2000 composed of a cupronickel center in a ring made of Aluminium-Nickel-Bronze.

Banknotes

On August 23, 1976, the Bank of Botswana introduced notes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 pula; a 20-pula note followed on February 16, 1978. The 1 and 2 pula notes were replaced by coins in 1991 and 1994, whilst the first 50 and 100 pula notes were introduced on May 29, 1990, and August 23, 1993, respectively. The 5 pula note was replaced by a coin in 2000. The original 1, 2 and 5 pula banknotes were demonetized on 1 July 2011.

The latest series of notes was introduced on 23 August 2009, and contains for the first time, a 200-pula banknote.

Banknotes of the Botswana pula (2009 issue)
Image	Value	Main color	Obverse	Reverse	Watermark
[1]	10 pula	Green	President Seretse Khama Ian Khama	Parliament building, Gaborone	Rampant zebra and electrotype 10
[2]	20 pula	Red	Kgalemang Tumedisco Motsete	Mining equipment	Rampart zebra and electrotype 20
[3]	50 pula	Brown	President Sir Seretse Khama	Okavango Delta swamps; Boat; Fish eagle	Rampart zebra and electrotype 50
[4]	100 pula	Blue	Three Chiefs (Sebele I, Bathoen I, Khama III)	Diamond sorting; open pit diamond mine	Rampart zebra and electrotype 100
[5]	200 pula	Purple	Female teacher and children	Zebras	Rampart zebra and electrotype 200

Zimbabwe

Due to hyperinflation in Zimbabwe in 2006 to 2008, the government of Zimbabwe has allowed circulation of foreign currency since September 2008 and local currency became obsolete since 12 April 2009. Both South African rand and Botswana pula circulate in Zimbabwe.

Current BWP exchange rates
From Google Finance:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR
From Yahoo! Finance:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR
From XE.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR
From OANDA.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR
From fxtop.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR

See also

• Economy of Botswana

References

• Krause, Chester L., and Clifford Mishler (1991). Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1801–1991 (18th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873411501. 
• Pick, Albert (1994). Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: General Issues. Colin R. Bruce II and Neil Shafer (editors) (7th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87341-207-9. 
• Schön, Günter und Gerhard, Weltmünzkatalog 1900--2010, 39. Auflage, 2011, Battenberg Gietl Verlag, ISBN 978-3-86646-057-7

External links

Preceded by: South African rand Reason: creation of independent currency Ratio: at par

Currency of Botswana 1976 –

Succeeded by: Current