Official Currencies
Official currencies in circulation, including currency codes, names, and symbols.
Quick Reference
Unit
list
Category
Travel Information
Metric Code
currencies
How It's Calculated
Object containing ISO 4217 currency codes as keys with corresponding currency names and symbols. Format: { USD: { name: "United States dollar", symbol: "$" }, EUR: { name: "Euro", symbol: "€" } }. Based on official national monetary policy and central bank designations. Includes all legal tender currencies if multiple are in use.
Why It Matters
Currency information is essential for travelers planning budgets, exchanging money, and understanding purchasing power. Multiple currencies indicate economic unions (Eurozone), dollarization (Ecuador uses USD), or monetary instability. Currency symbols help identify prices. Knowing currency codes (ISO 4217) is critical for international transactions, ATM withdrawals, and online bookings. Some countries use foreign currencies to control inflation or lack monetary independence (dependent territories).
Understanding the Values
Single currency: Most countries (150+) - Own sovereign currency: US Dollar (USD), Japanese Yen (JPY), British Pound (GBP), Indian Rupee (INR) - Foreign currency adoption (dollarization): Ecuador (USD), El Salvador (USD), Zimbabwe (USD), Panama (USD) Currency unions: Multiple countries share one currency (~35 countries) - Eurozone: 20 EU countries use Euro (EUR) - Germany, France, Italy, Spain, etc. - West African CFA Franc (XOF): 8 countries - Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Guinea-Bissau - Central African CFA Franc (XAF): 6 countries - Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon - Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD): 8 countries - Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Anguilla, Montserrat Multiple currencies in parallel: - Cuba: Cuban Peso (CUP) + Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC, discontinued 2021) - Lebanon: Lebanese Pound (LBP) + widespread USD use - Zimbabwe: Bond notes + USD + ZAR + multiple foreign currencies (multi-currency system) Dependent territories: Use parent country currency - French overseas: Euro (EUR) - UK territories: Pound Sterling (GBP) or local pegs (Gibraltar Pound, Falkland Pound) - US territories: US Dollar (USD) Cryptocurrency adoption: - El Salvador: Bitcoin (BTC) + US Dollar (legal tender since 2021) - Central African Republic: Bitcoin (legal tender 2022, rescinded 2023)
Related Metrics
GDP per Capita
Gross Domestic Product divided by population, measuring average economic output per person.
Independence Status
Indicates whether a country is a sovereign independent state or a dependent territory.
Inflation Rate
Annual percentage change in consumer price index, measuring cost of living increases.
Official Languages
List of official and nationally recognized languages spoken in the country.
Data Quality & Coverage
Coverage: 217 countries/territories Update frequency: Static (changes with monetary policy reforms) Source: REST Countries API (based on ISO 4217 currency codes) Limitations: Does not reflect unofficial/parallel market currencies (e.g., black market rates in Venezuela, Lebanon). Does not indicate currency strength or exchange rate volatility. Cryptocurrency adoption not uniformly tracked. Some territories have local currencies pegged to parent country (e.g., Falkland Islands Pound = GBP). Historical currencies not tracked (e.g., Venezuela's Bolívar redenominations 2008, 2018, 2021). Currency symbols vary regionally ($ used for USD, CAD, AUD, etc.).