The won became the official currency of North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) on December 6, 1947. It has the symbol ₩ and the code KPW. The won is issued by the Central Bank of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs) are being issued by the Bank of Trade for visitors. There are two varieties of FECs, one is of the color blue-green for capitalist countries, and the other is red for socialist countries. That is because that North Korean won are exclusively for North Korea citizens. The won is subdivided into 100 chon. There are reports saying that in some stores in Pyongyang, the won is not accepted. They trade with US Dollars or with Japanese Yen.

In 1947, banknotes of the first won were circulated at denominations of 15 chon, 20 chon and 50 chon with 1, 5, 10 and 100 won. They were later replaced by the second won in 1959. At the time of the Cold War, special systems for marking coins were done to differentiate groups of people. Coins with two stars dictate that it was for capitalists; coins with one star were for socialist visitors; the coin with no stars was for North Koreans. It was in 1988 that the Bank of Trade created two FECs. The design for capitalist countries is the Chollima statue, while the socialist notes showed the International Friendship Exhibition. Both certificates have 1 chon, 5 chon, 10 chon, 50 chon, ₩1, ₩5, ₩10, and ₩50 denominations on them. Banknotes of ₩1,000 and ₩5,000 were revised in 2006. A year later, the ₩500 was also revised and was further engraved to avoid counterfeits. The ₩100, ₩1,000 and ₩5,000 bills have exactly the same design, but they differ in color. The third won, in current times, issued banknotes of 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 won; with coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 50 chon and 1 won.

Exchange rates as of February 23, 2011 were as follows with 1 US Dollar = 135.000 North Korean Won; 1 North Korean Won = 0.007407 US Dollar.

The flag. A symbol of nationalism. For some it is just a piece of cloth flown from a pole. For some it is to be treated with respect and serves as a status symbol of nationalism. There are stories regarding people who have been thrown in jail for disrespecting a flag.

In the early days flags were simply used for military purposes. The flag serves as the symbol for troops or a kings’ army. Flags are designed uniquely. Sometimes man’s creativity is seen in the design itself. One good example of this is the flag of Finland.

Aside from being a symbol of a country there are also some institutions or government agencies that use the flag as a source of identification for their agency. One of them is the armed forces.

The flag of Finland sometimes called siniristilippu or the blue cross flag owes his history way back to the beginning of the 20th century. On the middle of the white background is a blue cross. Although there are many variants to the flag of Finland the only thing common about it is the blue cross.

It is believed that the basis of the flag is the Scandinavian cross. Its color represents the lakes and skies along with the white background representing the snow during winter season. But it was in 1861 when this flag was first used. After Finland gained its independence a contest was held for its design. Several entries were submitted, which ended up in two categories. The first one uses red and white to represent its emblem and the second one is its current colors of blue and white.

In accordance with the current Finnish law, its ratio is 11:18. Usually this flag is raised at 8 in the morning and is lowered at sunset. But there are instances where the flag is raised regardless of the time of the day or night. During Independence Day the flag is flown until 8 pm disregarding the dark.

In Finland there are a set of rules regarding the use or treatment of the flag. It is strictly forbidden to destroy the flag or use it in a disrespectful way. It is also forbidden to remove the flag from the pole without any permission. Anyone caught doing any of these acts will be fined.

It is believed that the flag of Finland is newer compared to other flags of other European countries. Although the flag is to be treated with respect, it is allowed to fly the flag at any given time of the day.

Even if it is not considered as one of the oldest flag in the world, it still carries with it a unique history. Its creation is based on two models, Sweden’s and Russia’s. Finland’s flag is born out of a desire to have a flag of its own after it got its independence from Russia. This flag tells that story. If it has a mind of its own it will tell its story from its humble beginnings to the present.

The currency of the country Nepal is the rupee. Formerly called as mohru in Nepalese language, the rupee has the code of NPR and is usually abbreviated as Rs. Responsible for issuing coins and banknotes of the country is the Nepal Rastra Bank. A rupee is subdivided in 100 paisa. In 1932, the Rupee finally replaced the silver mohar, with exchange rates of two mohar is equivalent to one rupee.

Beginning in 1932, 20 piasa, 50 piasa and 1 rupee coins, made out of silver, were introduced. Added sometime between 1933 and 1935 were the copper coins 1 paisa, 2 paisa, and 5 paisa. A fourth and a half paisa were circulated as copper coins with 5 paisa made out of nickel brass. During 1953, brass 1, 2 and 4 paisa, bronze 5 and 10 paisa, and cupro nickel 20, 25 and 50 paisa and 1 rupee were issued. However, the 20 paisa stopped circulating.

The government made banknotes in 1951, with denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 100 rupees. The state bank took control of the issuance of notes five years later. Ten years later, in 1966, aluminum coins were made in denominations of 1 paisa, 2 paisa, 5 paisa, and brass 10 paisa.

The 500 and 1000 rupee notes were added in the 1970’s as well as the 50 rupee note. In the 1980’s, they discontinued the production for the 1 rupee, after that, the 2 rupee note was introduced to the public. The 20 rupee notes were introduced and the 2 rupee notes gradually faded in public in 1982.

Though the state bank stopped producing the 1 rupee and 2 rupee notes, there are some that were still circulating. Printed on the obverse side of the 1 rupee note is Ama Dablam. Fifty paisa coins and the 1 rupee coins were made in stainless steel in 1987 and 1988 respectively. Small coins were issued such as the 10 and 25 paisa coins. Aluminium 50 paisa and brass-plated-steel 1 rupaiya, 2 rupaiya, 5 rupaiya and 10 rupaiya were also introduced.

As of February 23, 2011, 1NPR = 0.0138 USD.

The currency of Hungary is called the forint. Its ISO 4217 code is HUF and its symbol is ft. It is subdivided into 100 fillers, which came from the German word Heller, but fillers are no longer circulated. It was introduced in August 1946 and it remained stable until the 1980s.

The name came from Florence. Florentinus, a gold based currency, which was later called the forint, was used in 1325. In Hungary, the name forint was used from 1868 to 1892. It was reintroduced in 1946. Since then, the forint remained stable until during 1970s and 1980s. The forint inflated yearly after the shift in democracy for three years. The forint had a high value since the year 2000.

1, 2, and 5 forint coins and 2, 10, and 20 filler coins were introduced in 1946. In 1948, 5 and 50 fillers were introduced while 10 forint coins were introduced in 1971, and 20 forint coins in 1982.

50, 100, and 200 forint were introduced in 1992, together with a new series of coins. In the same year, 2 and 5 fillers ceased production. In 1999, the government withdrew all filler coins from circulation. 1 and 2 forint continued to circulate until the first quarter of 2008. A 200 forint coin was made in replacement for 200 forint notes on mid of 2009.

Bank notes with denominations of 10 and 100 forint notes were introduced by the Hungarian national bank in 1946. 10, 20, and 100 forint notes of higher quality were introduced in 1947 and 1948. 50 forint were introduced in 1953, 500 forint notes in 1970, A new series in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, and 20000 forint notes were introduced between 1997 and 2001.

In 1990, the exchange rate between the US dollar and Hungary forint is 1 USD = 62.54 HUF. The value continued to increase in the following years until it reached the rate of 1 USD = 279.62 HUF in 2001. From there, the value of HUF against the US dollar fluctuated. The current exchange rate is 1 USD = 198.73 HUF.

The krone or kroner in plural form is the official currency used in Denmark. Its ISO 4217 code is DKK and its symbol is kr, or DKR unofficially. Its English name is “Danish crown” since the krone means crown in English. The krone was pegged to the German mark before it was pegged to euro.

The krone was introduced in 1873, replacing the Danish rigsdaler. It was introduced when Denmark joined the Scandinavian Monetary Union in 1873, which lasted only until the First World War. In the monetary union, the krone was placed on the gold standard with 2480 kroner equaling to 1 kg gold. The abandonment of the gold standard was followed by the dissolution of the monetary union in 1914.

The Danish krone is used also in Greenland and Faroe Islands but the Faroese krona is just a separate set of the Danish krone.

Denmark opted out of the Maastricht Treaty which resulted in Denmark, along with Norway and Sweden, keeping its krone currency. The rest of the European Union braced the euro currency.

The krone is subdivided to 100 øre. The 1, 2, 5 øre denominations were made of bronze, 10, 25 øre, 1, 2 kroner in silver, and 10, 20 kroner in gold. In 1917, gold coins were ceased in production while the silver coins were ceased in 1919. In 1918 to 1924, Bronze was replaced with Iron, the 10, 25 øre in cupro-nickel, and 1, 2 kroner, ½ kroner in aluminum-bronze. Zinc coins were introduced in 1941.

The 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 øre coins all ceased production in 2008, with the 25 øre being the last. The current coins in circulation are the 50 øre in tin-bronze, 1, 2, 5 kroner in cupronickel, and 10, 20 kroner made in aluminum bronze. Notes that are in current circulation have denomination of 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 kroner. 10 krone notes were introduced in 1875 but were replaced by coins in 1979. On the same year was the introduction of 20 krone notes but was replaced by coins also. 5 krone notes were introduced in 1898 and were replaced by coins in 1960, 1 krone notes were circulated from 1914 to 1921.

In 1949, the exchange rate of the Danish krone to the US dollar was 1 USD = 6.91 kroner. In 1967, it had a rate of 1 USD = 7.5 kroner. Today, 1 USD equals to 5.4 DKK.

The Costa Rican colón (CRC) is the national currency of Costa Rica. It has an exchange rate of 500 CRC = 1 USD. The symbol for the colon is a C with two slashes (₡) but may well be represented with the cedi sign (₵).
The colón is known by many different names. The Costa Rican colón is also sometimes referred to as the peso, the Costa Ricans were used to saying peso before it was replaced. Another name or the colon is the caña, but it is more often used as a plural. The other one is teja, which means a roof tile, for one hundred colones. The 50 colones is referred to as media teja.

The colón was introduced to Costa Rica in 1896. It replaced the Costa Rican peso at 1:1 and the government decided that there was no immediate need of the production of new coins. After a year, 2, 5, 10 and 20 colones were produced and the 50 centimos (Costa Rican colón subunit) as well. Between 1864 and 1917, four private banks issued notes for Costa Rica. Currently circulating bank notes are the 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 and 20000 colones. The 50,000 note, which has been introduced in 2010, is the largest currency denomination in the world which is worth at least 100USD.

The Costa Rican colón notes are bright in colors and feature portrait of people of historical relevance up front, and floras and faunas at the back.

• 1000 colones – Color: Red; Width: 145 mm; Front: a portrait of Braullio Carrilo Colin; Back: a tree, a deer and a lotus flower
• 2000 colones – Color: Blue; Width: 132 mm; Front: a portrait of Mauro Fernández Acuña; Back: a shark, a starfish and an underwater scene
• 5000 colones – Color: Yellow; Width: 139 mm; Front: a portrait of Alfredo González Flores; Back: mangroves, a monkey and a crab
• 10000 colones – Color: Green; Width: 145 mm; Front: a portrait of José Figueres Ferrer; Back: a sloth and bamboos
• 20000 colones – Color: Orange; Width: 153 mm; Front: María Isabel Carvajal “Carmen Lyra”; Back: a hummingbird and a sunflower
• 50000 colones – Color: Purple; Width: 160mm; Front: Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno; Back: a butterfly, mushrooms and a palm tree

The Lao Kip is the current currency of Laos. Currently, its code is LAK, and the currency sign is ₭ or ₭N (encoded). Between the years 1945-1946, the Free Kip Government in Vientiane printed a series of paper money in 10, 20, 50 Att denominations. Even 10 kip was issued then, before the French took control and created the French Indochinese Piastre as the currency of Laos. The Royal Kips were introduced in the year 1952. Coins were also circulated.

The Institut d’Emission des Etats du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam, Laos Branch issued notes in two currencies, the kip and piastre, in 1953. They were both made at 1, 5 and 100 denominations. Four years later, the Laos government printed solely kip notes – the notes were of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 denominations. In 1963, 200 and 1000 kip notes were joined and 5000 kip notes were added later in the year 1975. During this time, the banknotes were printed in France.

A year later, another kip was introduced, called the Pathet Lao Kip. Banknotes with the denominations of 1, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 kip were circulated. This time, the notes were printed in China. Pathet Lao kips replaced the Royal kips throughout the country when Pathet Lao’s took over Laos. The exchange rate for the kip was 1 Pathet Lao kip = 20 royal kip.

In 1979, Pathet Lao kips were replaced with Lao PDR (People’s Democratic Republic) kip due to currency reformation. Banknotes were dispatched in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kip. Added in 1988 were 500 kip banknotes; then by 1000 kip in the year 1992; 2000 and 5000 kip in 1997; 10,000 and 20,000 kip in 2002; and 50,000 kip last January 2006.

Coins were once again circulated in the year 1980’s at denominations of 10, 20 and 50 Att. When the country celebrated its 10th Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 kips were issued. Currently, due to heavy inflation, no coins were dispatched around Laos.

Last November 2010, the government issued a 100,000 kip, commemorating the 450th anniversary of the founding of Vientiane and the 35th celebration of Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

As of February 23, 2011, 1 Lao Kip = 0.00012 U.S. Dollar. When a dollar is to be converted in Lao kip the value is 8056.0000 Lao Kip.

The Bermuda’s currency is the Bermudian dollar. To distinguish it from other dollars, it is specifically referred to as BMD. The Bermudian dollar is hooked with the U.S. dollar, which means that 1 USD is always equal to 1 BMD.

The first Bermudian banknote was a 5 CAD (Canadian dollar) made for the Merchant Bank of Halifax, which was converted to a £1 to be used in Bermuda. Before 1970, Bermuda has never issued coins except those commemorative ones, and those last issued in the 19th century.

In February of 1970, Bermuda converted from the pound, to a decimal currency that is pegged with the U.S. dollar. The people of Bermuda were introduced to dollars with 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 denominations. While earlier dollar notes were printed with Bermuda Government at the top, Bermuda Money Authority would be seen in later dollar notes.

In 1974, dollar notes production was taken over by the Bermuda Money Authority. The 100 dollar note was introduced in 1982. After 6 years, the 1 dollar note was replaced by a coin, while the 2 dollar note was introduced to the people. Meanwhile, previously issued banknotes are still legally tender and may circulate among the new notes.

The new Bermudian dollar notes that were redesigned and issued in 2009 incorporate themes and scenes from the country’s seascape, and are color-coded in bright colors like the pounds used before it.

• $2 – Blue; features a bluebird on the front; the Dockyard Clock Tower and the Statue of Neptune at the back
• $5 – Pink; features a blue marlin on the front; the Horseshoe Bay Beach and the Somerset Bridge at the back
• $10 – Purple; features a blue angelfish on the front; an Image of the Deliverance and the Commissioner’s House at the back
• $20 – Green; features a green whistling frog on the front; the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and St. Mark’s Church at the back
• $50 – Yellow; features a longtail on the front; St. Peter’s Church at the back
• $100 – Red; features a red cardinal bird on the front; the House of Assembly at the back

The Belize dollar (BZD) is Belize’s national currency and is pegged at the U.S. dollar at 2 BZ$ is to 1 US$ since the 1980s. U.S. dollars are generally accepted throughout Belize because of this peg. It is considered a waste of time to exchange USD to BZD when it is supposed to be used inside the borders of Belize. Belize dollars are also easily accepted in towns outside but close to the border of Belize. Inside the Corozal Free Zone in the Norther border inside Belize, only U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos are accepted.

In 1885, 1 cent bronze coins were introduced by the government. In 1894, the silver 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent coins followed. This same year, the government issued 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 and 100 dollar notes. After 1928, the 50 and the 100 dollar notes were stopped. In 1952, the 20 dollar note was introduced to the people of Belize. By 1990, both of the 50 and 100 dollar notes were in circulation again. The 1 dollar note has been replaced by a coin.

The Belize dollar and all coins of Belize are printed at Thomas De La Rue Ltd. All banknotes of Belize feature Queen Elizabeth II; Belize being a member of the British Commonwealth; the Queen being the Head of State. The 1 dollar note has an underwater scene printed on the back side and a stork on the front. The 2 dollar note shows the Mayan ruins of Belize and a fauna. The 5 dollar shows the medallion of Christopher Columbus and St. George’s Caye. The 10 dollars shows buildings of Belize. The 20 dollars shows the animals of Belize as well as a jaguar. The 50 dollar note shows bridges of Belize, a boat and a rental fish.

As Belize banks offer usual rates of 2.0175 dollars for a U.S. dollar, one may find ‘peseros’ or money changers all throughout Belize offering relatively low rates. A visitor who wishes not to fill out long forms and stand in long lines inside banks may want to have the exchange with these local money changers. While these ‘peseros’ are tolerated, the authorities may advise against them.

The Turkmenistan manat is the monetary unit in the country of Turkmenistan. This has replaced the Russian ruble. This was first launched in the 1st of November, 1993. The ruble and the manat are not of the same value; 1 manat, in fact, is equivalent to 500 Russian Rubles. The symbol for the said currency during this time is “m”; however, when the new manat was launched in January 2009, the currency code was changed into “TMT”. The value between the old and the new manat are also not the same, with a single new manat equivalent to 5000 old ones.

The word manat originally came from the Russians and means coin. The coins issued in 1993 came in 1, 5, 10, 20, as well as 50 denominations and are called tennesi. In 1999, two more coins were issued – the 500 and 1000 manat. All these were made of either copper-plated steel (for the coins with low value) or nickel-plated steel (for higher-value coins).

In the issuance of the new manat in 2009, the old manat coinage was replaced with a new one. Along with the old coin denominations, a 2-tenge denomination was likewise introduced. Bi-metallic coins of 1 and 2-manat values were issued in the following year. By this time, printing of all forms of the manat currency was done by the Royal Mint.

Like any other currency, for consolidation purposes, Manat bills were also produced. Denominated in seven faces, Manat bills feature the portraits of Saparmurat Niyazov, Ashgabat, Ahmed Sanjar, Oghuz Khan and Magtymguly Pyragy; these are all known personalities from the country of Turkmenistan.

It is interesting to note that there are two values of manat recognized by people. One is its official rate, the other is its worth in the black market, which has been said to be greater than the official rate by about 21%.

Turkmenistan is one of the independent Turkic States. Like the countries surrounding it, natural gas is the main resource available in the country. This has helped the country in the world industry through export. The country is mainly a big desert which produces substantial oil resources. Aside from this, the country is one also one of the largest cotton exporter in the world.

Thailand is a country which is known for its tourist destinations and attractions. Formerly Siam, this is a country of King and Queen, a country that is being run by constitutional monarchy. The king acts as the president of the country or the head of the state. He acts as the Defender of all Faiths. The country, being the world’s 50th largest country in the world has a very beautiful and attractive land that has contributed in the economic growth.

Thai baht or the Thai Onshore Baht is the monetary unit in this country. It is issued by the Bank of Thailand. The Symbol used for the Thai baht is THB. Originally, it was called Tical, a unit of weight used to determine the weight of Gold and Silver and was later on introduced as Baht. Baht is divided into 100 satang or Thai coins.

The first satang was made with cupronickel, nickel or bronze, depending on the value. Thai Baht bills were also introduced to slowly replace manufactured coins. It was issued in five faces. First is 20 baht, a green colored paper bill which was issued in March of 2003. The blue bill is another bill which was issued in October 2004. Third is the 100 baht which was issued October 2005. 500 baht was issued in August 2001.Lastly 1000 baht was issued in November 2005. All have the same Obverse, the H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyanej in the uniform of the Supreme Sommander of the Armed Forces.

As of today, the exchange rate of a Thai baht to USD is 0.03. Not bad for a country whose main source of income is the production of gems and jewelry. The export production has helped the country in their growing economy. Thailand, being the leader in gem productions, has trained its people in crafting, since this is one of their main sources of living. The country became known as one of the main producers of jewelry, comparable to Italy in terms of quality, design, and price.

The New Taiwan Dollar was initially issued by the Bank of Taiwan as the official currency of Taiwan. It has replaced the old Taiwan dollar and is now being issued by the Central Bank of China. This is often called Yuan which can be written in two ways. It is usually termed as Kuai, meaning a piece of money or “kho” meaning a piece of circle.

Like any dollar currency, the New Taiwan Dollar is subdivided to 100 cents. The symbol used for this is NT$, NTD and NT. Coins are manufactured by Central Mint of China while the paper bills are printed by China Engraving and Printer Works – both of course licensed by the Central Bank of China.

Paper Bills have five faces. First is the NT$100, red paper bill with Mei flower and the image of Chung Shan Building which was first issued on 2001. NT$200 is the green bill with orchid and the picture of the Office of the President which was issued January 2002. Third is the brown or dark brown NT$500 with bamboo design and image of Formosan Sika Deer and Dabajian Mountain, issued in the years 2000 and 2005. NT$1000 is the blue bill with chrysanthemum and image of Mikado Pheasant and Jade Mountain, issued 2000 and 2005. Lastly, NT$2000 the purple NTD which has the image of Pine and features Formosan landlocked salmon and Nanhu Mountain issued last 2002.The NT$200 and NT$2000 are the paper bills which are rarely used because these are the latest issued bills. People are not yet used to it in addition to the fact that NT$2000 is a very big amount of money to carry everyday.

Currently, New Taiwan Dollar is equivalent to .03 USD. It is continuously improving. The country itself, Taiwan, is one of the “Four Asian Tigers” in the World Market. The country unknowingly is the main manufacturer of integrated circuits that are mainly used in gadget manufacturing such as mobile phones and laptop computers. People in Taiwan are highly technical which made for a great contribution to the country’s progress.

They made Taiwan the main and one of the best contributors in the global market through Technological Innovations. In fact, in the year 2008-2009, Taiwan ranked 17th in Growth Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. Economists foresee the country to be the third in Asia’s list of Competitive countries in the next two more years. This will surely give way to a stronger new Taiwan Dollar.

Sri Lanka – like India, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Maldives and Afghanistan – uses Rupee as its monetary unit. Rupee, meaning “a coin of silver” or “something provided with an image, a coin,” was introduced by Emperor Sher Shah Suri of India in the year 1540-1545.

Initially, it was created with silver. Later on, they also introduced rupee in copper and gold and these three elements became the standard components of a rupee. Paper bills in 7 faces of different colors were also launched to complete and standardize the currency.

The Sri Lankan Rupee is divided into 100 cents. The feature of this currency is one of a kind because it is vertically printed on the back. This is being issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Paper bills in 7 faces of different colors were also launched to complete and standardize the currency.

They launched bills starting from 10 rupees which has Sinhalese Chinze on the front and flowers on the backside; 20 rupees which has bird mask on the obverse and fishermen; 50 rupees which features a man wearing a hat of ceremony; 100 rupees which has a picture of a large decorated earthenware and two parrots with women collecting sheets of tea; 500 rupees which features a kingfisher bird and is highlighted with flowers; 1000 rupees which has an image of an elephant with its mahout; and 2000 rupees which features the fortress of Sigiriya on an ancient cliff.

LKR is the symbol used to identify this currency. Since India and Pakistan also use Rupee, the import of their money is prohibited in this country. Nonetheless, all of the other countries are allowed.

Sri Lanka is known for tourism, tea export, textile, apparel and mostly agricultural products. They focus on beaches in the southern and eastern part of the country. They export high quality tea which made them the biggest tea exporter. They produce high quality garments which are exported to the US and Europe. They give attention to agricultural products for the temperature in this country is good which results in quality production.

However the country has experienced economic crisis because of the abusive use of their resources and because of the effect of the countries surrounding it. In the year 2001, Sri Lanka has experienced bankruptcy which made the government focus on mass production of goods for consumption.

As of February 2011, the Sri Lankan Rupee is equivalent to 0.009029 USD, still low but trying to recover from the past years of deficiency.

Sri Lanka, like any other country, continuously fights poverty with the help of the people living in the country. Through handwork and patience, their main goal to conquer the World Market will be surely achieved.

Balboa is one of the official currencies of Panama. It is subdivided into 100 centesimos. It is PAB under international currencies code and is known by the symbol B. The other official currency is the United States dollar.

Upon gaining independence from Columbia in 1904, the balboa replaced Columbian peso as the country’s currency. Silver coins of 2 ½, 5, 10, 25 and 50 centesimos were introduced. In 1907, a ½ cupro-nickel coin and a 2 ½-centesimo coin were introduced. In 1929, 5 centesimos coins were also made into cupro-nickel composition. In 1930, balboa coins of 1/10, ¼, as well as ½ denominations were issued, followed by the 1 balboa coin in 1931. The sizes and composition of the balboa coins were identical with the corresponding US coins. Years after, in 1935, 1 centesimo coins were minted in bronze, followed by bronze 1 ¼ centesimos in 1940.

In the year 1966, Panama altered the constitution of the currency’s silver coins. The 1/10 and the ¼ balboa were reintroduced as copper coins plated with cupro-nickel. In 1947, 1 balboa cupro-nickel-clad-copper coins were minted. In 1973, ½ balboa coins of the same composition were introduced. Since 1982, editions of the 1 balboa coins were made without reducing size.

Currently, 1 and 5 centesimos, as well as the 1/10, ½, and 1/4 coins all have the dimensions, weight, and compositions of the following US coins: half-dollar, quarter, dime, nickel, and cent. Panama commemorative coins of the following denominations – 5, 10, 20, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 and 500 balboas – were minted from time to time to celebrate important milestones in Panama’s history.

The relatively small size of the early mints of centesimos and balboas made it a very essential part of the collection of numismatists. They are referred to as Panama Pills, while others call them Panama Pearls.

Banknotes of the Panamanian balboas were printed under the rule of the then President Arnulfo Arias. However, the banknotes were recalled several days later, seven days to be exact, giving rise to a pun of The Seven Day Dollar, when referring to the banknotes. The recalled banknotes were burned seven days after. This incident made the Panamanian balboa banknotes to be of very high value to collectors. The few surviving copies of it were the only banknotes of the balboa which were left. Balboas are not released again as banknotes because US dollar banknotes have circulated since then.

The Panamanian balboa enjoys a strong exchange rate of 1 balboa to 1 US dollar. The balboa, ever since it was first legally used, has always been circulated along with the US dollar.

One of the most dominant and influential countries is England – though people oversees often perceive England and United Kingdom as one. Both are separate countries. The United Kingdom is not the capital of England. This country is known to be always in royalty, and the easiest trademark to identify this country is the palace where the Wales live.

Actually, this country greatly influenced the golden cinema of America, since they used to speak the old English language. Films like Paris When It Sizzles, as the character here was played by Audrey Hepburn and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho are one of the samples of the said era. This country is famous in being the venue of wedding events because of the renaissance background and also, the factor that makes this country a perfect location is because it is home to many royal marriages. At the same time, this country and its flag are really unique for their long history.

There is a tale that goes along with the history of English flag. St. George’s Cross is the flag of England. It all started from the time that the story of St. George slaughtered the dragon and saved the princess from becoming the offered; it appeared that St. George’s bravery inspired the knights and use his cross as an emblem, hence making it for the first time during the Welsh war on twelfth century. The flag is completely in white color and the red cross lies at the center, drawn out to each edge. It also means that the martyr’s red cross has arrived on the white grounds of honesty. Above all, the red cross means protection as it shields the white color for the purpose of eternal peace.

Lempira is the currency of the Latin American country of Honduras. It is divided into 100 centavos and is known as HNL under the international currencies code. It is symbolized by L.

The Honduran lempira was introduced in 1931. It replaced the peso which was the official currency at that time. In 1931, 5, 20 and 50 centavos coins and 1 lempira coins were minted and distributed for circulation. In 1932, 10 centavos was introduced. In 1935, 1 centavo was added and in 1939, 2 centavos were in circulation. Until 1937, the 1 lempira coins were minted in silver. They were replaced with cupro-nickel lempira coins in 1967 as well as with 20 and 50 centavos coins. Current coins in general circulation are 5, 10, 20 and 50-centavo coins.

The first Honduran lempira banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 denominations were introduced in 1932. In 1950, the Bank of Honduras took over the production of lempira bills. The bank introduced 50 lempiras banknotes in 1951. In 1975, 100 lempiras were added into general circulation, and in 1995, 500 lempiras were made. In January 2010, a new milestone was reached when 20 lempira notes made from polymer base were introduced.

The Honduran lempiras bear the images of some of the country’s most prominent historical figures, the most notable of which is Lempira himself on 1 lempira banknotes. Lempira was a 16th-century ruler of the indigenous Lencas who led his people’s resistance against the Spanish conquistadores.

The 2-lempira coin features Marco Aurelio Soto, who is a former president of the country. The 5-lempira has Francisco Morazan, the hero of Battle of La Trinidad. Former president Jose Trinidad Cabañas is featured on the 10 lempira coin. Honduran liberal leader Dionisio de Herrera has his portrait on 20 lempira bills while Juan Manual Galvez, another former president has his own portrait on every 50-lempira.

Jose Cecilio del Valle, popularly known as “The Wise”, is featured on the one hundred lempira; while biographer Ramon Rosa is featured on all 500 lempira notes. All of the lempira banknotes measure 156 x 67 mm.

The current exchange rate of US dollar to lempira is 18.92 lempiras per US dollar.

Won is the monetary unit in South Korea. This has been used since thousands of years ago – in both the South and North when they were not yet separated. A won is equivalent to 100 Jeon. Jeon means money, and originally refers to gold and copper coins. The South Korean won has also manufactured Won bills to consolidate their monetary needs.

The Bank of Korea initially issued six faces of South Korean Won. The first set of issues was W1, W5 and W10. These contain Bank of Korea’s symbol and were all issued on June 10, 1962. W1 was colored pink, W5 was blue and W10 was green. The second set was the W50, W100 and W500 also issued in June 10, 1962. W50, the orange bill, has the image of Haegeumgang near Geoje. W100, the green bill, has the logo of the Independence Gate. And finally, W500, the grey bill, features Namdaemun.

The South Korean Won was initially rated at 15 won per 1 US dollar. As of February 2011, a won is equivalent to 0.00089 US dollar. That means that the country has managed to stay on top. South Korea being one of the Asian Tigers is fully developed and is a continuously growing country in Asia and in the world.

South Korea is known for its automobile industry which is one of the main contributors in the country’s market. They became the world’s largest automobile producers. They are also known as ship producers that produce oil super tankers and oil drilling platforms. South Korea has conquered the global shipbuilding market when they dominated the world’s shipbuilders.

Another business that helps in the economic growth of the country is the construction industry. The country has focused on domestic market to be able to cope with the same business. Later on, large construction companies from South Korea began to rise.

South Korea is really one of the world’s most progressive countries in the world. People focus on what they have and what they can do to improve and help the country in building a better future for their families. They focus on what they have rather than to what other countries have.

Quetzal is the currency of Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America. It is divided into 100 cents known as centavos in the Spanish language, or lenes in native Guatemalan. It is GTQ under the currency codes. It can be written as Q.

The Guatemalan quetzal was first used in 1925 during the regime of the then President Jose Maria Orellana. It replaced the peso which was the country’s official currency at that time. Coins with centavo denominations of 1, 5, and 10 were introduced as well as ¼ and ½, and the 1 quetzal coins. 2 centavo coins were introduced in 1932. 5-centavo coins and above were minted in 72% silver until 1965.

During those span of time, most of the 1 quetzal coins were dropped from circulation. However, in 1998 until 1999, ½ and 1 quetzal coins were made into circulation again. Currently, coins in general circulation are 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos coins, as well as 1 quetzal.

The issuance of Guatemalan Quetzal banknotes is the task of the country’s Central Bank. Denominations were 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 quetzales. In 1933, the Central Bank added ½ quetzal notes. When the Bank of Guatemala gained control of banknotes issuance in 1946, the first issues were overprints on the previous notes issued by the Central Bank.

In 1967, 50 quetzales notes were introduced. In 2007, a polymer banknote of 20 quetzales was introduced. Current denominations in circulation are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 quetzales. In years to come, 500 and 1000 bills would be seen in circulation pending the approval of the congress.

Until 1987, the quetzal enjoyed strong exchange rate with the US dollar, with 1 quetzal equally pegged to 1 US dollar. The exchange rate for every US dollar is pegged at 7.77 quetzales.

The quetzal got its name after the national bird of Guatemala, which has the same name. Going back to the ancient Mayan culture, the feathers of the quetzal were used as currency.

Quite interesting with the quetzal notes were the reverse images, most of which contain allegories of things like coffee in 50 quetzales and marimba in 200 quetzales. These things have important contribution to the country’s history of development. Another interesting fact about quetzal notes is the representation of every note in Mayan numerals at the top right corner of the notes obverse face.

The Tunisian Dinar is the official currency of the country of Tunisia with currency code TND. A dinar is equivalent to 1,000 millimes. The “DT” abbreviation is most commonly used to symbolize the dinar rather than the TND because of the common use of the French language in Tunisia. DT is from the French word “Dinar Tunisien.” TND is more formal and is usually limited to financial circles. The symbol “TD” is likewise used in a few locations but is done so less frequently.

The dinar was issued and circulated in Tunisia in 1960. It replaced the franc as a medium of exchange after Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956; the exchange is 1,000 francs = 1 dinar. The Tunisian dinar was initially pegged with the US dollar at 0.42 dinar per US dollar. This was upheld until the year 1964 when the dinar experienced devaluation (0.525 dinar = 1 dollar). Further devaluation occurred in 1971. Today, 1 US dollar is equivalent to 1.40 TND.

Dinar coins currently circulated today are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 millimes and ½, 1, and 5 dinar. The 5 millime is made of aluminum while the 10, 20, 50, and 100 are made up of brass. The ½ and 1 dinar are minted with copper-nickel and the 5 dinar coins are bimetallic. Bank notes consist of 5, 10, 20, 30 dinars. It is authenticated by special elements. On the notes are a watermark – which are digital designations of small values and a representation of the bust of Princess Elissy of Tunisia – as well as a diving strip (metalized) located across the note which appears as a line of dashes on the reverse side. Also, to protect against counterfeits, holographic strips are used.

There are instances when Tunisians don’t say the word dinar whenever prices of commodities are referred to. They would, for instance, say “khamsin alf” to refer to 50 dinars or “sab’in maliun” for 70,000 dinars.

Importing and exporting Tunisian dinar is illegal. Therefore, taking out dinar currency out of Tunisia is prohibited. When leaving Tunisia, one is advised to exchange all dinars on hand to another foreign currency. No more than 3,000 worth of dinars is allowed for conversion to another currency.

Koruna is the currency of the Czech Republic since it was officially adopted in February 8, 1993 after disintegration from Czechoslovakia. A koruna is subdivided into 100 haleru. The ISO 4217 code for the koruna is CZK. It is written with the symbol Kc.

The first coins issued were of 10, 20 as well as 50 haleru denominations. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 along with 50 koruna coins were also minted. The haleru coins were made in aluminum while the coins 1, 2 and 5 koruna were made of steel that is nickel-plated. The 10 koruna coin was made of steel plated with copper, the 20 koruna was in a brass-plated material while the 50 koruna coin had a steel center that’s brass-plated and a steel ring plated with copper.

10 and 20 haleru coins were dropped from circulation by October 31, 2003 while the 50 haleru coin was taken out on August 31, 2008. Weakening purchasing power was the given reason behind the pull-outs. This incident makes the following koruna the only available coins in current circulation: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, as well as 50.

The obverse side of the coins features the state lion and the value on the reverse. Commemorative coins are also minted and introduced regularly since 1997 for numismatic or coin-collecting purposes. For instance in 2000, 10 and 20 koruna coins were minted with varying obverses or facades in commemoration of the Millennium.

The first koruna banknotes were over-stamped 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Czechoslovak koruna. Later in 1993 until 1994, new series were printed in 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 as well as 5000 denominations. The said denominations are in current circulation except for the 20 koruna note which was dropped from circulation on August 31, 2008. The 50 koruna note will also be taken out of circulation beginning April 1, 2011.

The koruna banknotes were upgraded with security features in 2006. The koruna banknotes feature famous Czechs on their obverse side and abstract works on the other, or reverse side.

The koruna is translated as crown into Czech language. Exchange rate is currently pegged at 18 korunas against a US dollar.

It is said that by 2012, Czech Republic will adopt the Euro as its currency. However, considerable oppositions to the plan have been present since 2007 causing the delay of the said adoption.

The kuna, since 1994, is the official currency of Croatia, a former constituent republic of Yugoslavia. It is subdivided into 100 lipa. It is known as HRK under ISO 4217 and is also written under the same symbol.

The kuna also served as a transitional currency for Croatia since the country used Croatian dinar before May 1994. During that period until December 1994, the kuna was exchanged for 1000 Croatian dinars.

Also an interesting and controversial fact to note is that the kuna is also the currency that the former Independent State of Croatia – which was established by the Ustase in 1941 – used. The very same name of currency was also issued by the Banovina of Croatia in 1939, under the Yugoslav Monarchy.

Since its introduction in 1994, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 lipa along with 1, 2 and 5 kuna coins. The coins featured common plants and animals of Croatia. What is unique about the coins is the difference in language used for odd and even-ending years. Coins minted in odd-ending years contain Croatian names while those issued in even-ending years have Latin names. There were also commemorative coins issued which are also accepted in circulation. The very same denomination of coins issued since 1994 are still in current circulation.

Kuna banknotes in current circulation are of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 denominations. The bills feature famous historical figures that have contributed greatly to various fields. The other side features Croatia’s known landmarks. There are also commemorative kuna bills which were issued to mark the 10th anniversary of using the kuna as Croatia’s currency. The bills were issued on May 30, 2004 exactly ten years after kuna was introduced.

Kuna’s current exchange rate to a US dollar is pegged at 5.40 kunas for every dollar.

Kuna’s etymology is also historical in roots. The word kuna means marten in native Croatian language. Marten skins were used as tax currencies in most Slavic countries during the Roman times. They were equated to some specific weight of silver during those times.

Currently, Croatia plans to accede with the European Union; replacement of the kuna is expected to take place within two to three years following its membership to the union.

What’s your standard when it comes to an ideal country to visit? The influences of the country such as foods, music, fashion, weather, environment, people or anything foreign as you want to be always in awe. All in all, you just wanted to have a vacation that you will never forget, and if you are planning to visit Denmark or it’s your first time there, be sure to know how the Danish greet with each other, say “Hej!” For Americans they say it as Hey! This Danish greeting made everyone come to love Carlsberg, Lurpak butter, and Lego toys.

It is nice to hear feel good stories, and this one will whet your interest in learning more about Denmark: for there is a tale behind the Danish flag. Each person is full of pride of their nation and of their flag. The Danes never failed to share the story of their flag; and this is called Dannebrog. The legendary story started in 1912 as the Danish team was caught to have a battle at Lyndanise. The team was about to fall when the flag suddenly fell down beside the Danish King Valdemar II. The fallen flag boosted his enthusiasm to win as it also motivates the whole team to conquer the battle. And so after the fight, this banner was declared by him as the country’s official flag. The flag of Denmark is entirely covered with red and the cross is color white that extends to the edges. This simply means that this country has intense patriotism to achieve peace. There is a belief and also the reason that makes this flag very unusual as to not touch the ground for it is sent by God, and never to be hoist at night for it is a means of salutation to devil.

Germany, which is officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western Europe. Its territory covers an area of about 357,021 km. Germany is a republic that consists of sixteen states, the largest of which is Berlin.

Germany uses tricolor band. Its flag represents the different colors of Germany which is black, red, and gold. These colors first appeared in the 19th century and became popular during the 1848 Revolution. After World War I the tricolor was officially used as the flag’s national colors.

Although the colors black, red, and gold had not always been used, the present color scheme had always been identified with the history of Germany. Its present colors represent freedom and unity.

It was believed that the colors black, red, and gold have always played a big part in their history. The colors of the modern flag may mean freedom: the freedom of Germany and freedom of its people.

It was said that the origin of the colors black, red, and gold started in the war against Napoleon. During the time the troops were wearing different colors. Therefore in order to have identity and uniformity they chose the standard color of black with golden buttons and red designs.

The German flag was introduced in their German Constitution of 1949. This flag is the only association they have with the government. Its flag, which is known as the state flag of the federal authorities, was introduced in 1950. German flags had their own uniqueness – considering the history of the country that goes back to the Nazi period, it was said that their flag represents every detail of that history. If you would look at their flag, you might remember the men and women who have shed their blood in fighting for their liberty and their will to live. But in recent years, the flag represents the pride they have for their country. If you are going to watch the World Cup and other such tournaments, traces of the past had been erased and what they are looking for is the future ahead of them.

In the country of Libya, the Libyan dinar is used as the legal currency up to this very day. The dinar is called “jni” in dialects in Western Libya while their Eastern counterparts refer to it as “jneh”. The dinar is subdivided into 1000 dirham. LYD is its ISO standard code. The name “dinar” is rarely being used outside the official boundaries of the country. Even its functional unit called the dirham is rarely or even not used in daily conversation. The word “garsh” is being used instead. It is said that 1 garsh is equivalent to 10 dirhams.

The introduction of the Libyan dinar in the country happened in the year 1971 after replacing the pound. Issuance of this monetary currency is handled by the Central bank of Libya that at that time oversaw the bank system, as well as regulates the credit. By the year 1972, however, it is the Libyan Arab Foreign Bank that has started to foresee dealings such as overseas investments.

Coins and banknotes were issued to represent the currency. The old coins issued in Libya in milliemes denomination circulated the country until 1975; the coins that bore the coat of arms of the Federation of Arab Republics were in use. The denominations during this time were of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dirham. In 1979 the second or next coin series was issued with similar denominations but this time the coins bore the image of a horseman. Later new coins in the denominations of ½ and ¼ were introduced; this was in the year 2004. Although, the 1, 5, 10 and 20 coins are seldom utilized as exchange units, they all remain to be legal type of the Libyan currency.

The banknotes on the other hand were brought in 1971 with denominations of ¼, ½, 1, 5 and 10 dinar. It was not later than 2002 that the 20 note was introduced in the country. The Central Bank of Libya had issued the 50 dinar notes to circulate the country on the 31st of August 2008. These circulated dinar notes hold within their print an image of Muammar al – Gaddafi as one of the country’s leaders in the obverse.

Throughout history and time, it is said that the Libyan currency was named by the Libyans as “Omar El–Mokhtar” in honor of the Libyan figure and freedom fighter. Such little change in a stable currency generates the idea of a well handled country. At present, one can exchange a US dollar for 1.22 Libyan dinar.

The lev is the basic monetary unit of the Balkan country, Bulgaria. It is divided into 100 stotinki. A cent is referred to as stotinka. The lev is known as BGL under the ISO 4217. It can be written as Lv.

The history of the lev (leva in plural form) is chronicled into four periods. The first period spanned from 1881 to 1952; the second from 1952-1962; the third in 1962-1999; and the fourth from 1999 up to the present.

Lev was introduced as Bulgaria’s currency in 1881. The first lev coins were introduced from 1881 to 1884. Mints of 2, 5 and 20 stotinki which were made from bronze were circulated as well as silver 50 stotinki coins, along with 1, 2 and 5 leva coins which were also made from silver. In 1888, cupro-nickel coins were introduced with denominations of 2 ½, 5, 10 and 20 stotinki. In 1894, gold 10 and 20 leva were made into circulation. In 1901, bronze 1 stotinka was made.

The stotinki and leva coins went through a series of reforms, mostly concerning their compositions. Current stotinki coins in general circulation are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 stotinki. The 1, 2 and 5 sotinki are made from brass-plated steel while the 10, 20 and 50 stotinki are made from cupro-nickel alloy. All the stotinki coins bear the Madara horseman on their obverse side. In 2002, 1 lev coin which is of bimetallic composition replaced the 1 lev banknotes. The lev coin has St. Ivan Rilski on its obverse.

The lev banknotes also has its own history beginning when the first notes were introduced by the Bulgarian National Bank in 1885 with denominations of 20 and 50 gold leva. In 1887, 100 gold leva was introduced followed by 5 and 10 gold leva in 1890. Several successions followed with regards to denominational changes as well as composition changes. In 1952, 3 leva notes were circulated, considering the fact that 3 is rarely used as a currency value.

Also in that year 500 lea notes were printed, however, they were not issued into public circulation. The biggest leva banknote ever issued was 50 000 leva which was printed in 1997. Current banknotes in circulation are 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva. 20 leva banknotes are commonly dispensed by ATMs.

The lev enjoys a currency exchange rate of 1.42 lev against the US dollar.

The lev’s etymology originated from the archaic Bulgarian word for lion. Lev will be a secondary currency in Bulgaria beginning 2013. Bulgaria will adopt the Euro as its new currency for being a new member of the European Union (EU).