Currency

Official name: Botswana pula

Currency code: BWP

Abbreviation: P

Pegged with: South African rand at par

Legal tender in: Botswana

Subdivided into: 100 thebe

Coins: 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe, 1, 2, 5 pula

Notes: 10, 20, 50, and 100 pula

Central bank: Bank of Botswana

Website: www.bankofbotswana.bw

Current exchange rates:

• http://finance.yahoo.com/currency ,

• http://www.xe.com , and

• http://www.oanda.com

As the national currency of the Republic of Botswana, the pula is one of Africa\'s most stable monetary units. Thanks in part to a lucrative, government-owned diamond mining industry, moderate inflation, and growing foreign investment in this landlocked African country, Botswana\'s economy grown significantly since becoming an independent nation in 1966. The pula has also benefited from a long-standing peg to the South African Rand and from sound fiscal policy administered by Botswana\'s Central Bank. Today, the largest threat to the pula – and to Botswana\'s economy in general – is Africa\'s growing AIDS epidemic, which has begun to take its toll in declining worker productivity and escalating healthcare costs.

Privacy

At this time Botswana has neither signed a Treaty with the United States nor has it signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US. Moreover, Botswana is not a participant in the European Union Savings Directive. As such, Botswana offers a high level of privacy for both EU and American citizens. Moreover, American investors are able to maintain a high level of asset security thanks to the lack of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between the US and Botswana. Overall, Botswana has shown a strong commitment to maintaining the privacy of its foreign investors.