East Caribbean dollar facts for kids

An East Caribbean dollar

The East Caribbean dollar (sign: $; code: XCD) is the currency of eight of the nine members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (the exception is the British Virgin Islands).

It has existed since 1965, when it replaced the British West Indies dollar, and it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $ or, alternatively, EC$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.

The EC$ is subdivided into 100 cents. It has been pegged to the United States dollar since 1976 and the exchange rate is currently at US$1 = EC$2.70.

Members of the Currency Union

Six of the eight countries which use the EC$ are independent (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). The other two are British overseas territories: Anguilla and Montserrat.

All of the countries except Dominica are Commonwealth realms.

See also

In Spanish: Dólar del Caribe Oriental para niños