Which currency has been Botswana’s official money since 1976?

Botswana’s official currency since 1976 has been the Botswana pula.

The pula was introduced on 23 August 1976, replacing the South African rand. Botswana had become independent in 1966, and creating a national currency a decade later strengthened its monetary independence.

The word pula means “rain” in Setswana. Rain is especially important in Botswana’s semi-arid environment, so the name expresses a valuable national resource rather than referring to a person or place. The currency is divided into 100 thebe, a word meaning “shield.”

The Bank of Botswana is responsible for issuing the pula. Botswana’s currency is sometimes confused with the South African rand because the countries are neighbours and both belong to the Southern African region. However, the pula is Botswana’s distinct national currency and has its own ISO 4217 code, BWP.