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Author: Admin | 2025-04-27
Do you want to send money home to Ethiopia — or if you’re planning a trip to this country in the Horn of Africa — you may want to turn your U.S. dollars, euros, pounds, or other currency into Ethiopian birr.Do you want to know the current birr-to-dollar (or dollar-to-birr) exchange rate? Here is today’s rate with Remitly.The Ethiopian birr is the official currency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The symbol for the birr is either “Br” (using the Latin alphabet), “ብር” (using Ethiopic script), or “ETB” (the ISO currency code). It is subdivided into 100 santim. The National Bank of Ethiopia issues the currency.Banknotes in circulation are in the following denominations:1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 200 birrsCoins in circulation are in the following denominations:1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 santim1 birr5 Interesting Facts About the Ethiopian Birr1. The birr was not the first currency used in Ethiopia.In the 18th and 19th centuries, Maria Theresa thaler coins and blocks of salt called “amole tchew” served as currency in Ethiopia.The Maria Theresa Thaler coin was a silver bullion coin used for trade throughout the world during this time. Named after Maria Theresa, who ruled Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia during the 1700s, this coin was minted in Austria and is still being produced by the Austrian mint today.2. Lions are prominently featured on birr coins.The 1-birr coin is bimetallic, meaning that it is made of two metals: It has a nickel-brass center and a nickel-plated steel outer ring. In the center of the coin is the image of a lion’s head, representing the Lion of Judah.The lion is commonly used as a symbol of leadership, and the lion used on birr coins is no different. The Lion of Judah is the symbol of the Israelite tribe of Judah from the Book of Genesis. In Ethiopia, the Lion of Judah is the national symbol, and “Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah” is the title given to every Ethiopian emperor.3. New banknote denominations were introduced in 2020.In 2020, the Ethiopian government announced that it would introduce new banknotes of 10, 50, 100, and 200 birrs. The 200-birr banknote is a new denomination aimed at tackling inflation. Older issues of 10-, 50-, and 100-birr bills were demonetized in December 2020. These efforts were aimed at stabilizing the Ethiopian economy, managing inflation, and reducing sovereign debts.4. Ethiopian birrs are printed in Europe.Like more than two-thirds of its African neighbors, Ethiopia prints its currency in Europe and North America. Ethiopia, specifically, has its money printed by a British printer called De La Rue.Only a handful of countries on the continent have enough resources to print their own banknotes or mint their own coins.
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