{{short description|Currency of Botswana}} {{Infobox currency | image_1 = Botswana 2-pula banknote (1980s).png | image_2 = 2pulab.png | image_title_1 = Obverse of 2 pula (1980s) | image_title_2 = Reverse of 2 pula (1980s) | iso_code = BWP | subunit_ratio_1 = {{frac|100}} | subunit_name_1 = thebe | unit = pula | symbol = P | used_banknotes = 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 pula | used_coins = 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe, 1, 2, 5 pula | using_countries = {{flag|Botswana}} | unofficial_users = {{flag|Zimbabwe}} | issuing_authority = Bank of Botswana | issuing_authority_website = {{URL|www.bankofbotswana.bw}} | inflation_rate = 2.50% (April 2020) | inflation_source_date = [https://www.bankofbotswana.bw Bank of Botswana], 7 July 2016 | inflation_method = CPI | date_of_introduction = 23 August 1976 }}
The '''pula''' is the currency of Botswana. It has the ISO 4217 code ''BWP'' and is subdivided into 100 ''thebe''. ''Pula'' literally means "rain" in Setswana, because rain is very scarce in Botswana—home to much of the Kalahari Desert— playing a major role in rites of traditional Tswana belief; therefore valuable and the word extends its meaning as "blessing" or "fortune".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Gewald |first=Jan-Bart |title=El Negro, El Niño, Witchcraft and the Absence of Rain in Botswana |journal=African Affairs |date=Oct 2001 |volume=100 |issue=401 |pages=559-60 |doi=10.2307/3518701}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pula currency|url=https://factrepublic.com/facts/20785/|date=2018-11-09|website=FactRepublic.com|access-date=2020-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Botswana Currency {{!}} Bank of Botswana|url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/content/history-botswana-currency|website=www.bankofbotswana.bw|access-date=2020-05-26}}</ref> The word also serves as the national motto of the country.
A sub-unit of the currency is known as ''thebe'', or "shield",<ref>{{cite book|last=Masire|first=Ketumile|author-link=Ketumile Masire|title=Very brave or very foolish?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gb8VAQAAIAAJ |year=2006|publisher=Macmillan Botswana |isbn=978-99912-404-8-0 |page=81 |quote= ''Pula'' (rain) was an easy choice for the currency, and the decimal coins were called ''thebe'' (shield).}} (Memoirs of a former president of Botswana)</ref> and represents defence. The names were picked with the help of the public.<ref name=Chartered>{{cite book|title=Standard Chartered Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RMq3AAAAIAAJ |year=1976|publisher=Standard Chartered Bank|page=9|quote= The new names ''pula'' and ''thebe'' were chosen following an invitation to the public to submit a their suggestions [...] The meaning of "thebe" is shield — the traditional means of defence.}}</ref>
==History==
The pula was introduced on 23 August 1976, subsequently known as "Pula Day", replacing the rand at par. One hundred days after the pula was introduced, the rand ceased to be legal tender in Botswana.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Botswana Currency {{!}} Bank of Botswana|url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/content/history-botswana-currency|website=www.bankofbotswana.bw|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref>
At its introduction, the pula was pegged to the US dollar. In January 1979, the pula was changed to a floating, unpegged currency. Since June 1980, it has been pegged to a basket of currencies that reflects the country's trading patterns, comprising the South African rand and the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.bis.org/publ/bppdf/bispap17m.pdf |title=Botswana's exchange rate policy |last1=Masalila |first1=Kealeboga |last2=Motshidisi |first2=Oduetse |publisher=Bank for International Settlements |work=BIS Papers |volume=17 |number=13 |date=May 2003 |access-date=2025-06-28}}</ref>
==Coins==
In 1976, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe. The 1 thebe was struck in aluminium, with the 5 thebe in bronze and the others in cupro-nickel. These coins were round except for the scalloped 1 pula. Bronze, dodecagonal 2 thebe coins were introduced in 1981 and discontinued after 1985. In 1991, bronze-plated steel replaced bronze in the 5 thebe, nickel-plated steel replaced cupro-nickel in the 10, 25 and 50 thebe and the 1 pula changed to a smaller, nickel-brass, equilateral-curve heptagonal coin. A similarly shaped, nickel-brass 2 pula was introduced in 1994. In 2004, the composition was changed to brass-plated steel and the size was slightly reduced.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Botswana Currency {{!}} Bank of Botswana|url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/content/history-botswana-currency|website=www.bankofbotswana.bw|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref>
Following the withdrawal of the 1 and 2 thebe in 1991 and 1998 respectively, smaller 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe coins were introduced, with the 5 and 25 thebe coins being seven-sided and the 10 and 50 thebe coins remaining round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bankofbotswana.bw/assets/uploaded/SPEECH-BY%20H%20E%20THE%20PRESIDENT-%20LAUNCH%20-OF-NEW-COIN.pdf |title=OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE NEW FAMILY OF BOTSWANA COIN AT BANK OF BOTSWANA CASH MANAGEMENT CENTRE GABORONE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT |date=27 February 2014|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref> A bimetallic 5 pula depicting a mopane caterpillar and a branch of the mopane tree it feeds on was introduced in 2000 composed of a cupronickel centre in a ring made of aluminium-nickel-bronze.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coinage of Botswana|url=http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?topic=37409.15|website=www.worldofcoins.eu|access-date=2020-05-26}}</ref>
A new series of coins was introduced in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Family of Coins {{!}} Bank of Botswana|url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/index.php/press-release/new-family-coins|website=www.bankofbotswana.bw|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref> All previous coins were demonetized with effect from 28 August 2014, and remained exchangeable to current coins for 5 years until 28 August 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.bw/en/News/DEMONETISATION-OF-OLD-COIN-/ |title=Republic of Botswana - Government portal |website=www.gov.bw |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030045317/http://www.gov.bw/en/News/DEMONETISATION-OF-OLD-COIN-/ |archive-date=30 October 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The word "Ipelegeng" is found on the coins, which literally means "to carry your own weight" or "to be self-sufficient or independent" but in general has various different meanings in the Tswana language.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9364.html | title=1 Pula, Botswana }}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%" |- !colspan="9"| Botswana pula coins |- ! Image !! Value !! Composition !! Diameter !! Mass !! Thickness !! Edge !! Issued <!--These invisible spaces are just a hack to remove awkward line breaks in the entire column; "style="white-space: nowrap;" doesn't seem to work. Can someone who knows more about wikitables come up with a better "hack"?--> !! Demonetized |- style="text-align:center" | | 1 thebe | Aluminium | 18.5 mm | 0.8 g | 1.22 mm | rowspan="2" | Smooth | 1976–1991 | rowspan="5" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | | 2 thebe | Bronze | 17.4 mm (dodecagonal) | 1.8 g | 1.05 mm | style="white-space: nowrap;"|1981–1985 |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="4" | 5 thebe | Bronze | rowspan="2" | 19.5 mm | rowspan="2" | 2.8 g | 1.17 mm | Reeded | 1976–1989 |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="2" | Bronze-plated steel | 1.28 mm | Smooth or reeded | 1991–1996 |- style="text-align:center" | | 17 mm (heptagonal) | 2.41 g | 1.75 mm | rowspan="2" | Smooth | 1998–2009 |- style="text-align:center" | | Nickel-plated steel | 18 mm (heptagonal) | 2.218 g | 1.3 mm | 2013 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="4" style="white-space: nowrap;" |10 thebe | Copper-nickel | rowspan="2" | 22 mm | 4 g | 1.33 mm | rowspan="6" | Reeded | 1976–1989 | rowspan="3" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="3" | Nickel-plated steel | 3.8 g | | 1991 |- style="text-align:center" | | 18 mm | rowspan="2" | 2.8 g | 1.75 mm | 1998–2008 |- style="text-align:center" | | 20 mm | 1.4 mm | 2013 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="4" | 25 thebe | Copper-nickel | rowspan="2" | 25 mm | 5.8 g | | 1976–1989 | rowspan="3" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="3" | Nickel-plated steel | 5.73 g | | 1991 |- style="text-align:center" | | 20 mm (heptagonal) | 3.5 g | 1.8 mm | rowspan="2" | Smooth | 1998–2009 |- style="text-align:center" | | 22 mm (heptagonal) | 4.2 g | 1.6 mm | 2013 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="5" style="white-space: nowrap;" |50 thebe | rowspan="2" | Copper-nickel | rowspan="3" | 28 mm | rowspan="3" | 11.4 g | rowspan="2" | 2.3 mm | rowspan="2" | Reeded | rowspan="2" | 1976–1985 | rowspan="4" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="3" | Nickel-plated steel | | | 1991 |- style="text-align:center" | <br /> | 21.3 mm | 4.82 g | 2.2 mm | Smooth | 1996–2001 |- style="text-align:center" | | 24 mm | 5.3 g | 1.8 mm | Reeded | 2013 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="3" | 1 pula | Copper-nickel | 29.5 mm; scalloped (with 12 notches) | 16.4 g | | Smooth | 1976–1987 | rowspan="2" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | | Nickel-brass | 24 mm (heptagonal) | 8.8 g | 2.7 mm | Segmented (10 reeds per 7 sections) | 1991–2007 |- style="text-align:center" | | Bronze-plated steel | 26 mm | 7.8 g | | Smooth | 2013–2016 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="3" | 2 pula | Nickel-brass | 26.4 mm (heptagonal) | 6.3 g | 2.4 mm | rowspan="2" | Segmented (19 reeds per 7 sections) | 1994 | rowspan="2" | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | <br /> | Brass-plated steel | 24.6 mm (heptagonal) | 6.02 g | rowspan="3" | 2 mm | 2004 |- style="text-align:center" | | Bi-metallic; bronze-plated steel in center, nickel-plated steel in ring | 27 mm | 7.3 g | rowspan="2" | Reeded | 2013–2016 | current |- style="text-align:center" | | rowspan="2" | 5 pula | rowspan="2" | Bi-metallic; copper-nickel in center, brass in ring | 23.5 mm | 6 g | 2000–2007 | 1 July 2014 |- style="text-align:center" | | 28 mm | 8.7 g | 2.2 mm | Segmented | style="white-space: nowrap;"|2013–2016 | current |}
==Banknotes== On 23 August 1976, the Bank of Botswana introduced notes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 pula; a 20 pula note followed on 16 February 1978. The 1 and 2 pula notes were replaced by coins in 1991 and 1994, whilst the first 50 and 100 pula notes were introduced on 29 May 1990 and 23 August 1993, respectively.<ref name="banknotebook2011">{{cite book |last1=Linzmayer |first1=Owen |url=http://www.banknotebook.com |title=The Banknote Book |publisher=www.BanknoteNews.com |year=2011 |location=San Francisco, CA |chapter=Botswana |access-date=2011-08-21}}</ref> The 5 pula note was replaced by a coin in 2000. The original 1, 2 and 5 pula banknotes were demonetized on 1 July 2011.
The current series of notes was introduced on 23 August 2009<ref>{{Cite web|title=Botswana issues new note series|url=http://banknotenews.com/files/ce54dcf6036240f2af83ddef571253ea-761.php|website=BanknoteNews|access-date=2011-09-05|archive-date=2011-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625000753/http://banknotenews.com/files/ce54dcf6036240f2af83ddef571253ea-761.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> and contains, for the first time, a 200 pula banknote.
In response to the concern of the poor quality of the paper of the 10 pula banknote, the Bank of Botswana unveiled a 10 pula banknote in polymer in November 2017 which was issued to the public on 1 February 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=22&dir=2009/August/Monday24/|title=Khama Launches New Bank Notes|author=Lekopanye Mooketsi|date=15 February 2019|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>
In 2020, the Bank of Botswana issued a new 10 pula polymer banknote that features an image of the former President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi.<ref>[https://en.numista.com/catalogue/note280476.html 10 Pula] Numista (https://en.numista.com). Retrieved on 2021-09-19.</ref>
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; font-size:90%; border-width:1px;" ! colspan=9 | Current series (2009)<ref>{{cite web |title=Notes and Coins - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coins |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> |- ! rowspan=2 | Image ! rowspan=2 | Value ! rowspan=2 | Dimensions<br/>(mm) ! rowspan=2 | Substrate ! rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Main<br/>colour ! colspan=2 | Description ! rowspan=2 | Issued<br/>from |- ! Obverse ! Reverse |- | align=center | | rowspan=3 | P 10 | rowspan=3 align=center | 132 × 66 | Paper | rowspan=3 style="background:#80C080;"| | rowspan=3 | Green | rowspan=2 | Ian Khama | rowspan=3 | National Assembly building | 23 August 2009 |- | align=center | | rowspan=2 | Polymer | 1 February 2018 |- | align=center | <ref>{{cite web |title=P 10 - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coin/p10 |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> | Mokgweetsi Masisi | 22 February 2021 |- | align=center | <ref>{{cite web |title=P 20 - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coin/p20 |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> | P 20 | align=center | 138 × 69 | rowspan=4 | Paper | style="background:#FF8080;"| | Red | Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete | Orapa diamond mine | rowspan=4 | 23 August 2009 |- | align=center | <ref>{{cite web |title=P 50 - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coin/p50 |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> | P 50 | align=center | 144 × 72 | style="background:#C0A080"| | Brown | Sir Seretse Khama | Okavango delta |- | align=center | <ref>{{cite web |title=P 100 - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coin/p100 |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> | P 100 | align=center | 150 × 75 | style="background:#80C0FF;"| | Blue | Sebele I; Bathoen I; Khama III | Diamond mine and sorting |- | align=center | <ref>{{cite web |title=P 200 - Bank of Botswana |url=https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/notes-and-coin/p200 |website=www.bankofbotswana.bw |publisher=Bank of Botswana |access-date=5 February 2026}}</ref> | P 200 | align=center | 156 × 78 | style="background:#E080E0;"| | Violet | Woman teaching pupils | Zebras |- | colspan=9 | {{Standard banknote table notice|standard_scale=}} |}
{{Exchange rate|BWP|ZAR}}
==Use in Zimbabwe== Due to hyperinflation in Zimbabwe from 2006 to 2008, the government of Zimbabwe has allowed circulation of foreign currency since 2008. The Zimbabwean dollar became obsolete on 12 April 2009. Several currencies, including the South African rand and Botswana pula, circulate in Zimbabwe,<ref name="Zimbabwe">Alongside Zimbabwean dollar (suspended indefinitely from 12 April 2009), euro, US dollar, pound sterling, South African rand, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, Chinese yuan and Japanese yen. The US dollar has been adopted as the official currency for all government transactions in Zimbabwe.</ref> along with the Zimbabwean bond notes and bond coins.
==Lesotho== The word ''pula'' also serves as part of the national motto of the Kingdom of Lesotho. As in Botswana, it means "rain" in the Sotho language and is considered a synonym for "blessing".
==See also== *Economy of Botswana
==References== {{reflist}} {{refbegin}} *{{numis cite SCWC|date=1991}} *{{numis cite SCWPM|date=1994}} *Schön, Günter und Gerhard, ''Weltmünzkatalog 1900–2010'', 39. Auflage, 2011, Battenberg Gietl Verlag, {{ISBN|978-3-86646-057-7}} {{refend}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Botswana pula}} *[http://www.bis-ans-ende-der-welt.net/Botsuana-B-En.htm Historical banknotes of Botswana]
{{n-start}} {{n-before|currency=South African rand|ratio=at par|reason=creation of independent currency}} {{n-currency|location=Botswana|start=1976}} {{n-after}} {{end}} {{Botswana topics}} {{Currency signs}} {{Currencies of Africa}} {{Authority control}} {{Portal bar|Africa|Money|Numismatics}} Category:Currencies of Africa Category:Currencies of Botswana Category:Currencies of Zimbabwe Category:Currencies introduced in 1976 Category:Currency symbols Category:Circulating currencies