Ethiopian Birr ETB

The Ethiopian Birr is the official currency of Ethiopia. One Ethiopian Birr is divided into 100 santim. Banknotes are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100, while coins are issued in 1 birr and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 santim.

History of the Ethiopian Birr

The first Ethiopian Birr was introduced in 1855 and its name is derived from the Amharic word for silver. Although the Indian rupee and Mexican dollar were also used in Ethiopia at that time, the birr became the official and sole currency in 1893 until World War II. After the war, the birr was reestablished as Ethiopia's independent currency.

Interesting Facts About the Ethiopian Birr

The first paper birr banknotes were printed in 1915, with a total value of 280,000 birr, and were known as talari. The National Bank of Ethiopia was established in 1963 and immediately announced the printing of new paper birr notes.