kids encyclopedia robot

Botswana pula facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Botswana pula
Obverse of 2 pula (1980s) Reverse of 2 pula (1980s)
Obverse of 2 pula (1980s) Reverse of 2 pula (1980s)
ISO 4217 Code BWP
Official user(s)  Botswana
Unofficial user(s)  Zimbabwe
Inflation 2.50% (April 2020)
Source Bank of Botswana, 7 July 2016
Method CPI
Subunit
1⁄100 thebe
Symbol P
Coins 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe, 1, 2, 5 pula
Banknotes 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 pula

The pula (also known as the Botswana dollar) 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 and a blessing. The word also serves as the national motto of the country.

A sub-unit of the currency is known as thebe, or "shield", and represents defence. The names were picked with the help of the public.

History

The pula was introduced on 23 August 1976, subsequently known as "Pula Day", replacing the rand at par. One hundred days after the pula was introduced, the rand ceased to be legal tender in Botswana.

Coins

In 1976, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe. 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 and 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.

Following the withdrawal of the 1 and 2 thebe in 1991 and 1998 respectively, 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 depicting a mopane caterpillar and a branch of the mopane tree it feeds on was introduced in 2000 composed of a cupronickel centre in a ring made of aluminium-nickel-bronze.

A new series of coins was introduced in 2013. All previous coins were demonetized with effect from 28 August 2014, and remained exchangeable to current coins for 5 years until 28 August 2019.

The word "Ipelegeng" is found on the coins, which literally means "to carry your own weight" or "to be self-sufficient or independent" but in general has various different meanings in the Tswana language.

Botswana pula coins
Image Value Composition Diameter Weight Thickness Edge       Issued       Demonetized
1 thebe Aluminium 18.5 mm 0.8 g 1.22 mm Smooth 1976–1991 1 July 2014
2 thebe Bronze 17.4 mm (dodecagonal) 1.8 g 1.05 mm Smooth 1981–1985 1 July 2014
5 thebe Bronze 19.5 mm 2.8 g 1.17 mm Reeded 1976–1989 1 July 2014
5 thebe Bronze-plated steel 19.5 mm 2.8 g 1.28 mm Smooth or reeded 1991–1996 1 July 2014
5 thebe Bronze-plated steel 17 mm (heptagonal) 2.41 g 1.75 mm Smooth 1998–2009 1 July 2014
5 thebe Nickel-plated steel 18 mm (heptagonal) 2.218 g 1.3 mm Smooth 2013 current
10 thebe Copper-nickel 22 mm 4 g 1.33 mm Reeded 1976–1989 1 July 2014
10 thebe Nickel-plated steel 22 mm 3.8 g Reeded 1991 1 July 2014
10 thebe Nickel-plated steel 18 mm 2.8 g 1.75 mm Reeded 1998–2008 1 July 2014
10 thebe Nickel-plated steel 20 mm 2.8 g 1.4 mm Reeded 2013 current
25 thebe Copper-nickel 25 mm 5.8 g Reeded 1976–1989 1 July 2014
25 thebe Nickel-plated steel 25 mm 5.73 g Reeded 1991 1 July 2014
25 thebe Nickel-plated steel 20 mm (heptagonal) 3.5 g 1.8 mm Smooth 1998–2009 1 July 2014
25 thebe Nickel-plated steel 22 mm (heptagonal) 4.2 g 1.6 mm Smooth 2013 current
50 thebe Copper-nickel 28 mm 11.4 g 2.3 mm Reeded 1976–1985 1 July 2014
50 thebe Copper-nickel 28 mm 11.4 g 2.3 mm Reeded 1976–1985 1 July 2014
50 thebe Nickel-plated steel 28 mm 11.4 g 1991 1 July 2014

50 thebe Nickel-plated steel 21.3 mm 4.82 g 2.2 mm Smooth 1996–2001 1 July 2014
50 thebe Nickel-plated steel 24 mm 5.3 g 1.8 mm Reeded 2013 current
1 pula Copper-nickel 29.5 mm; scalloped (with 12 notches) 16.4 g Smooth 1976–1987 1 July 2014
1 pula Nickel-brass 24 mm (heptagonal) 8.8 g 2.7 mm Segmented (10 reeds per 7 sections) 1991–2007 1 July 2014
1 pula Bronze-plated steel 26 mm 7.8 g Smooth 2013–2016 current
2 pula Nickel-brass 26.4 mm (heptagonal) 6.3 g 2.4 mm Segmented (19 reeds per 7 sections) 1994 1 July 2014

2 pula brass-plated steel 24.6 mm (heptagonal) 6.02 g 2 mm Segmented (19 reeds per 7 sections) 2004 1 July 2014
2 pula Bi-metallic; bronze-plated steel in center, nickel-plated steel in ring 27 mm 7.3 g 2 mm Reeded 2013–2016 current
5 pula Bi-metallic; copper-nickel in center, brass in ring 23.5 mm 6 g 2 mm Reeded 2000–2007 1 July 2014
5 pula Bi-metallic; copper-nickel in center, brass in ring 28 mm 8.7 g 2.2 mm Segmented 2013–2016 current

Banknotes

On 23 August 1976, the Bank of Botswana introduced notes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 pula; a 20 pula note followed on 16 February 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 29 May 1990 and 23 August 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 current series of notes was introduced on 23 August 2009 and contains, for the first time, a 200 pula banknote.

In response to the concern of the poor quality of the paper of the 10 pula banknote, the Bank of Botswana unveiled a 10 pula banknote in polymer in November 2017 which was issued to the public on 1 February 2018.

In 2020, the Bank of Botswana issued a new 10 pula polymer banknote that features an image of the current President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Banknotes of the Botswana pula (2009 issue)
Image Value Main colour Obverse Reverse Watermark
10 pula Green President Seretse Khama Ian Khama Parliament building, Gaborone Rampant zebra and electrotype 10
20 pula Red Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete Mining equipment Rampant zebra and electrotype 20
50 pula Brown President Sir Seretse Khama Okavango Delta swamps, boat, fish eagle Rampant zebra and electrotype 50
100 pula Blue Three chiefs (Sebele I, Bathoen I, Khama III) Diamond sorting, open-pit diamond mine Rampant zebra and electrotype 100
200 pula Purple Female teacher and children Zebras Rampant zebra and electrotype 200
Banknotes of the Botswana pula (10 Pula polymer banknotes)
Image Value Main colour Obverse Reverse Watermark
10 pula Green President Seretse Khama Ian Khama Parliament building, Gaborone Rampant zebra window
10 pula Green President Mokgweetsi Masisi Parliament building, Gaborone Rampant zebra window
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: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR
From fxtop.com: AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD ZAR

Zimbabwe

Due to hyperinflation in Zimbabwe from 2006 to 2008, the government of Zimbabwe has allowed circulation of foreign currency since 2008. The Zimbabwean dollar became obsolete on 12 April 2009. Several currencies, including the South African rand and Botswana pula, circulate in Zimbabwe, along with the Zimbabwean bond notes and bond coins.

Lesotho

The word pula also serves as part of the national motto of the Kingdom of Lesotho. As in Botswana, it means "rain" in the Sotho language and is considered a synonym for "blessing".

See also

  • Economy of Botswana
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Botswana pula Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.