The Birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. It was first called the Ethiopian dollar and was introduced in 1945, and then renamed into Birr in 1976. 1 birr equals 100 cents. As of April 1, 2005, the United States dollar was worth 8.658600 birr.
Coins in circulation
- 1 cent
- 5 cents
- 10 cents
- 25 cents
- 50 cents.
Banknotes in circulation
- 1 Birr
- 5 Birr
- 10 Birr
- 50 Birr
- 100 Birr
The first national currency of Ethiopia was the Talari , or "Menelik talers", which were issued since 1894. In 1934 the occupying Italian forces caused Italian lire to be Ethiopian legal tender until the end of WW2.
Last updated: 05-07-2005 13:27:44