Botswana pula

The pula is the currency o Botswana. It haes the ISO 4217 code BWP an is subdividit intae 100 thebe. Pula literally means "rain" in Setswana, acause rain is vera scarce in Botswana - hame tae muckle o the Kalahari Desert - an therefore valuable. Pula an aa means "blessing" as rain is considered a blessing. Thebe means "shield".

History

The pula wis introduced in 1976, replacin the Sooth African rand at par. Despite a 12% devaluation in Mey 2005, the pula remains ane o the strangest currencies in Africae.

Coins

In 1976, coins wur introduced in denominations o 1, 5, 10, 25 an 50 thebe an 1 pula. The 1 thebe wis struck in aluminium, wi the 5 thebe in bronze an the ithers in cupro-nickel. These coins were round except for the scalloped 1 pula. Bronze, dodecagonal 2 thebe coins wur introduced in 1981, but discontinued efter 1985. In 1991, bronze-platit steel replaced bronze in the 5 thebe, nickel-platit steel replaced cupro-nickel in the 10, 25 an 50 thebe an the 1 pula chynged tae a smawer, nickel-brass, equilateral-curve seiven-sidit coin. A similarly shapit, nickel-brass 2 pula wis introduced in 1994. In 1998, follaeinthe athdrawal o the 1 an 2 thebe, smawer 5, 10, 25 an 50 thebe coins wur introduced, wi the 5 an 25 thebe coins being seiven-sidit an the 10 an 50 thebe coins remainin roond. A bimetallic 5 pula wis introduced in 2000 composed o a cupronickel center in a brass ring.