For other uses, see Birr (disambiguation).

The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well. Centime is French for cent, and is used in English as the name of the fraction currency in several Francophone countries (including Switzerland and formerly France), where it is one hundredth of a franc. ... National Bank of Ethiopia is the Central Bank of the African country Ethiopia. ... Birr is: A town in Ireland - Birr. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

History

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Maria Theresa thalers and blocks of salt called amoleh served as currency in Ethiopia. Birr (literally meaning "silver") was the local name for the Maria Theresa thaler. Maria Theresa Thaler. ... A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) In chemistry, a salt is any ionic compound composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ...

Menelik II began issuing coins in 1894. The birr, equivalent to the Maria Theresa thaler, was divided into 20 ghersh (the name coming from the Ottoman Empire's qirsh) or 32 bessa. Emperor Menelek II (August 17, 1844 – December 12, 1913), Conquering Lion of Judah, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia was negus negust (emperor) of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... now. ... Qirsh, Gersh and Kuruş are all names for currency denominations in and around the territories formerly part of the Ottoman Empire. ...

In 1903, the currency system was changed to 16 ghersh = 1 birr. Banknotes were also issued, with the name thaler being used for birr in the French text on the notes. In 1931, Ethiopia decimalized, with the Birr equal to 100 metonnyas (often written matonas). 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

Before 1931, the banknotes were issued by the Bank of Abyssinia. In 1931, when the Emperor of Ethiopia formally requested that the international community use the name Ethiopia instead of Abyssinia, the issuing bank became the Bank of Ethiopia. Thus, the pre-1931 currency could be considered the Abyssinian birr, and the post-1931 currency the Ethiopian birr, although it was the same country and the same currency before and after. 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

In 1936, following the occupation of Ethiopia by Italy, the Italian lira was introduced at a rate of 1 birr = 5 lire. In 1938, the Italian East African lira was introduced in banknote form only. Liberation in 1941 brought the introduction of the British East African currency, the shilling. This replaced the lira at a rate of 24 lire = 1 shilling. 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The lira (plural lire) was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. ... The lira was the currency of Italian East Africa between ca. ... This article is about the year. ... The East African Shilling is the proposed name for the common currency the East African Community plans to introduce by 2009. ...

The birr was reintroduced in 1945 at a rate of 1 birr = 2 shillings. The name Ethiopian dollar was used in the English text on the banknotes. It was divided into 100 santim (derived from the French centime). The name birr became the official name used in all languages in 1976. 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

Denominations

Coins in circulation: A coin is usually a piece of hard material, generally metal and usually in the shape of a disc, which is issued by a government to be used as a form of money. ...

• 1 santim
• 5 santim
• 10 santim
• 25 santim "semuni"
• 50 santim

Banknotes in circulation: A £20 Ulster Bank banknote. ...

• 1 birr
• 5 birr
• 10 birr
• 50 birr
• 100 birr

As of 16 September 2006, the rate was
1 USD = 8.76860 ETB
1 EUR = 11.0905 ETB
1 GBP = 16.4639 ETB
edit this exchange rate September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 3. ... ISO 4217 Code EUR User(s) European Union; Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Montenegro, Kosovo, French Guiana, Réunion, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte. ... For details of notes and coins, see British coinage and British banknotes. ...

References

• Global Financial Data currency histories table
• Tables of modern monetary history: Ethiopia
• Tables of modern monetary history: Eritrea

External links

• Coins

Maria Theresa Thaler. ... This article needs cleanup. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The lira (plural lire) was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. ... Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana) was an Italian colony in Africa. ... The East African Shilling is the proposed name for the common currency the East African Community plans to introduce by 2009. ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The nakfa is the currency of Eritrea, divided into 100 cents. ...