About the Currency of Botswana: Botswana Pula
Pula is the official currency of Botswana. This currency is further subdivided into 100 thebe. The meaning of Pula is “rain” in Setswana language as rain is quite scarce in Botswana where the Kalahari Desert lies. The world Pula also means “blessing” as rain is a blessing in a desert. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO 4217) has given the code BWP for the currency. This is a three letter code that describes the international standard and defines it from the rest of the country codes.
Currency of Botswana: Botswana Pula - Coins
Coins with denominations of 1¸ 5¸ 10¸ 25 and 50 thebe and 1 pula were introduced in 1976. 1 thebe was made in aluminium and 5 thebe made in bronze while rest of it was made in cupro nickel. All these coins were round other than 1 pula. The 2 thebe coins made in bronze was introduced in 1981 but the circulation was stopped in 1985. Eventually a 2 pulla nickel brass was introduced in 1994 and in 2000¸ a bimetallic coins of cupronickel center with a brass ring in between was introduced.
Currency of Botswana: Botswana Pula- Banknotes
The Bank of Botswana introduced banknotes in denominations of 1¸ 2¸ 5¸ 10 and 20 pula in 1976. In 1991 and 1994¸ the 1 and 2 pula notes were replaced respectively and in 1992 and 1993¸ 50 and 100 pula notes were introduced. In the year 2000¸ the 5 pula note was replaced. According to information on 1 July 2006¸ the old 1¸ 2 and 5 pula banknotes got demonetized. Later in 2009¸ new series of notes was introduced.
The Botswana pula is represented by the symbol P. In 1976¸ Botswana pula replaced the South African rand. The Botswana pula is completely convertible after the foreign exchange got abolished in 1999. Much before the South African rand¸ other currencies were being replaced which included the British pound sterling. This was in use till 1920 while the South African pound was in use till 1961 after being replaced with South African rand. It was only in 1976¸ August 23¸ that the exchange rate was 1:1 with the rand. This was therefore considered very valuable.
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