1. Introduction
The world consists of approximately 195 countries (193 UN member states + 2 permanent observer states: Vatican City and Palestine). Each country generally has its own official currency that serves as legal tender.
Knowledge of countries, capitals, and currencies is essential for understanding global geography, international relations, trade, travel, and economics.
Why Countries and Currencies Matter
- Facilitates international travel and trade.
- Helps in studying global economics and financial systems.
- Enables smooth cross-border business transactions.
- Reflects a nation’s economic structure, stability, inflation levels, and overall financial health.
2. What is a Currency?
A currency is the official medium of exchange of a country. It consists of banknotes (paper money) and coins and performs three main functions:
- Medium of exchange – used for buying and selling goods/services.
- Store of value – can be saved and used later.
- Unit of account – measures the value of goods, services, and assets.
Key Points:
- Most countries have unique national currencies.
- Some countries share a common currency (e.g., Euro in many European nations, West African CFA franc, Central African CFA franc, East Caribbean Dollar).
- Currency values fluctuate based on inflation, demand-supply, economic performance, interest rates, political stability, and global market forces.
- A few countries have adopted a foreign currency (dollarization), most commonly the United States Dollar (e.g., Ecuador, El Salvador, Timor-Leste, Panama uses both Balboa and USD).
3. Countries and Currencies by Continent
A. Africa (54 countries)
Africa is the second-largest continent by area and population. It has rich cultural, linguistic, and economic diversity. Many West and Central African countries use the CFA franc (pegged to the Euro).
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Algeria
|
Algerian Dinar
|
|
Angola
|
Angolan Kwanza
|
|
Benin
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Botswana
|
Botswana Pula
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Burundi
|
Burundian Franc
|
|
Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)
|
Cape Verdean Escudo
|
|
Cameroon
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Central African Republic
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Chad
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Comoros
|
Comorian Franc
|
|
Congo (Brazzaville / Republic of the Congo)
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Congo (Kinshasa / DR Congo)
|
Congolese Franc
|
|
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Djibouti
|
Djiboutian Franc
|
|
Egypt
|
Egyptian Pound
|
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Eritrea
|
Eritrean Nakfa
|
|
Eswatini
|
Swazi Lilangeni
|
|
Ethiopia
|
Ethiopian Birr
|
|
Gabon
|
Central African CFA franc
|
|
Gambia
|
Gambian Dalasi
|
|
Ghana
|
Ghanaian Cedi
|
|
Guinea
|
Guinean Franc
|
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Kenya
|
Kenyan Shilling
|
|
Lesotho
|
Lesotho Loti
|
|
Liberia
|
Liberian Dollar
|
|
Libya
|
Libyan Dinar
|
|
Madagascar
|
Malagasy Ariary
|
|
Malawi
|
Malawian Kwacha
|
|
Mali
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Mauritania
|
Mauritanian Ouguiya
|
|
Mauritius
|
Mauritian Rupee
|
|
Morocco
|
Moroccan Dirham
|
|
Mozambique
|
Mozambican Metical
|
|
Namibia
|
Namibian Dollar
|
|
Niger
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Nigeria
|
Nigerian Naira
|
|
Rwanda
|
Rwandan Franc
|
|
São Tomé and Príncipe
|
Dobra
|
|
Senegal
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Seychelles
|
Seychellois Rupee
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Sierra Leonean Leone
|
|
Somalia
|
Somali Shilling
|
|
South Africa
|
South African Rand
|
|
South Sudan
|
South Sudanese Pound
|
|
Sudan
|
Sudanese Pound
|
|
Tanzania
|
Tanzanian Shilling
|
|
Togo
|
West African CFA franc
|
|
Tunisia
|
Tunisian Dinar
|
|
Uganda
|
Ugandan Shilling
|
|
Zambia
|
Zambian Kwacha
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
ZiG
|
Notable Features:
- West African CFA franc used by 8 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo).
- Central African CFA franc used by 6 countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon).
- South African Rand is also used (or accepted) in some neighbouring countries (e.g., Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini under the Common Monetary Area).
B. North America (23 countries)
Includes Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands.
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Bahamas
|
Bahamian Dollar
|
|
Barbados
|
Barbadian Dollar
|
|
Belize
|
Belize Dollar
|
|
Canada
|
Canadian Dollar
|
|
Costa Rica
|
Costa Rican Colón
|
|
Cuba
|
Cuban Peso
|
|
Dominica
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
Dominican Peso
|
|
El Salvador
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Grenada
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Guatemala
|
Guatemalan Quetzal
|
|
Haiti
|
Haitian Gourde
|
|
Honduras
|
Honduran Lempira
|
|
Jamaica
|
Jamaican Dollar
|
|
Mexico
|
Mexican Peso
|
|
Nicaragua
|
Nicaraguan Córdoba
|
|
Panama
|
Balboa / United States Dollar
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Saint Lucia
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
East Caribbean Dollar
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar
|
|
United States
|
United States Dollar
|
Notable Features:
- East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) used by several OECS countries.
- El Salvador and (partially) Panama use the US Dollar.
- Strong influence of the US Dollar across the region.
C. South America (12 countries)
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Argentina
|
Argentine Peso
|
|
Bolivia
|
Boliviano
|
|
Brazil
|
Brazilian Real
|
|
Chile
|
Chilean Peso
|
|
Colombia
|
Colombian Peso
|
|
Ecuador
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Guyana
|
Guyanese Dollar
|
|
Paraguay
|
Paraguayan Guaraní
|
|
Peru
|
Peruvian Sol
|
|
Suriname
|
Surinamese Dollar
|
|
Uruguay
|
Uruguayan Peso
|
|
Venezuela
|
Venezuelan Bolívar
|
Notable Features:
- Ecuador is fully dollarized (uses USD).
- Venezuela has faced severe hyperinflation, leading to multiple currency reforms.
- Brazil (Real) and Chile (Peso) are among the more stable currencies in the region.
D. Asia (≈48–50 countries)
Asia is the largest and most populous continent.
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Afghanistan
|
Afghani
|
|
Armenia
|
Armenian Dram
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
Azerbaijani Manat
|
|
Bahrain
|
Bahraini Dinar
|
|
Bangladesh
|
Bangladeshi Taka
|
|
Bhutan
|
Bhutanese Ngultrum
|
|
Brunei
|
Brunei Dollar
|
|
Cambodia
|
Cambodian Riel
|
|
China
|
Chinese Yuan (Renminbi)
|
|
Cyprus
|
Euro
|
|
Georgia
|
Georgian Lari
|
|
India
|
Indian Rupee
|
|
Indonesia
|
Indonesian Rupiah
|
|
Iran
|
Iranian Rial
|
|
Iraq
|
Iraqi Dinar
|
|
Israel
|
Israeli Shekel (New Israeli Shekel)
|
|
Japan
|
Japanese Yen
|
|
Jordan
|
Jordanian Dinar
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
Kazakhstani Tenge
|
|
Kuwait
|
Kuwaiti Dinar
|
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
Kyrgyzstani Som
|
|
Laos
|
Lao Kip
|
|
Lebanon
|
Lebanese Pound
|
|
Malaysia
|
Malaysian Ringgit
|
|
Maldives
|
Maldivian Rufiyaa
|
|
Mongolia
|
Mongolian Tögrög (Tugrik)
|
|
Myanmar
|
Burmese Kyat
|
|
Nepal
|
Nepalese Rupee
|
|
North Korea
|
North Korean Won
|
|
Oman
|
Omani Rial
|
|
Pakistan
|
Pakistani Rupee
|
|
Palestine
|
Israeli Shekel (mainly)
|
|
Philippines
|
Philippine Peso
|
|
Qatar
|
Qatari Riyal
|
|
Russia
|
Russian Ruble
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
Saudi Riyal
|
|
Singapore
|
Singapore Dollar
|
|
South Korea
|
South Korean Won
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
Sri Lankan Rupee
|
|
Syria
|
Syrian Pound
|
|
Taiwan
|
New Taiwan Dollar
|
|
Tajikistan
|
Tajikistani Somoni
|
|
Thailand
|
Thai Baht
|
|
Timor-Leste
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Turkey
|
Turkish Lira
|
|
Turkmenistan
|
Turkmenistani Manat
|
|
United Arab Emirates
|
UAE Dirham
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
Uzbekistani Som
|
|
Vietnam
|
Vietnamese Dong
|
|
Yemen
|
Yemeni Rial
|
Notable Features:
- Japan (Yen), China (Yuan), and India (Rupee) are major global currencies.
- Several Gulf countries use strong, oil-backed currencies (Dinar, Riyal, Dirham).
- Russia is transcontinental (Europe + Asia).
- Cyprus and parts of Turkey use the Euro or are closely linked to Europe.
E. Europe (≈44–51 countries depending on classification)
Europe has the highest number of countries using a single currency — the Euro (€).
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Albania
|
Albanian Lek
|
|
Andorra
|
Euro
|
|
Austria
|
Euro
|
|
Belarus
|
Belarusian Ruble
|
|
Belgium
|
Euro
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Convertible Mark
|
|
Bulgaria
|
Euro
|
|
Croatia
|
Euro
|
|
Cyprus
|
Euro
|
|
Czech Republic
|
Czech Koruna
|
|
Denmark
|
Danish Krone
|
|
Estonia
|
Euro
|
|
Finland
|
Euro
|
|
France
|
Euro
|
|
Germany
|
Euro
|
|
Greece
|
Euro
|
|
Hungary
|
Hungarian Forint
|
|
Iceland
|
Icelandic Króna
|
|
Ireland
|
Euro
|
|
Italy
|
Euro
|
|
Kosovo
|
Euro
|
|
Latvia
|
Euro
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
Swiss Franc
|
|
Lithuania
|
Euro
|
|
Luxembourg
|
Euro
|
|
Malta
|
Euro
|
|
Moldova
|
Moldovan Leu
|
|
Monaco
|
Euro
|
|
Montenegro
|
Euro
|
|
Netherlands
|
Euro
|
|
North Macedonia
|
Macedonian Denar
|
|
Norway
|
Norwegian Krone
|
|
Poland
|
Polish Złoty
|
|
Portugal
|
Euro
|
|
Romania
|
Romanian Leu
|
|
Russia
|
Russian Ruble
|
|
San Marino
|
Euro
|
|
Serbia
|
Serbian Dinar
|
|
Slovakia
|
Euro
|
|
Slovenia
|
Euro
|
|
Spain
|
Euro
|
|
Sweden
|
Swedish Krona
|
|
Switzerland
|
Swiss Franc
|
|
Ukraine
|
Ukrainian Hryvnia
|
|
United Kingdom
|
Pound Sterling
|
|
Vatican City
|
Euro
|
Notable Features:
- Eurozone members use the Euro.
- Non-Eurozone EU members: Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania.
- Bulgaria officially adopted the euro on January 1, 2026, making it the 21st member of the eurozone.
- Switzerland and Liechtenstein use the Swiss Franc (CHF) — one of the world’s strongest and most stable currencies.
- The United Kingdom uses the Pound Sterling (GBP).
- Several microstates (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City) and Montenegro/Kosovo use the Euro without being formal Eurozone members.
F. Australia & Oceania (≈14 countries)
Scattered islands across the Pacific Ocean plus Australia and New Zealand.
|
Country
|
Currency
|
|
Australia
|
Australian Dollar
|
|
Fiji
|
Fijian Dollar
|
|
Kiribati
|
Australian Dollar
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Micronesia
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Nauru
|
Australian Dollar
|
|
New Zealand
|
New Zealand Dollar
|
|
Palau
|
United States Dollar
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
Papua New Guinean Kina
|
|
Samoa
|
Samoan Tala
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
Solomon Islands Dollar
|
|
Tonga
|
Tongan Paʻanga
|
|
Tuvalu
|
Australian Dollar
|
|
Vanuatu
|
Vanuatu Vatu
|
Notable Features:
- The Australian Dollar is used by several smaller Pacific island nations (Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu).
- Several Micronesian countries use the US Dollar.
