Botswana pula

The Pula was introduced on August 23, 1976, subsequently known as "Pula Day", replacing the South African rand at par.[5]

In 1976, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 thebe. The 1 thebe was struck in aluminum, 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 seven-sided 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.[6]

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. [7] 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 center in a ring made of aluminum-nickel-bronze.[8]

A new series of coins was introduced in 2013.[9] All previous coins were demonetized with effect from 28 August 2014, and remained exchangeable to current coins for 5 years until 28 August 2019.[10]

Botswana pula coins
Image	Value	Composition	Diameter	Weight	Thickness	Edge	Issued	Demonetized
	1 thebe	Aluminum	18.5 mm	0.8 g	1.22 mm	Smooth	1976-1991	July 1, 2014
	2 thebe	Bronze	17.4 mm (dodecagonal)	1.8 g	1.05 mm	Smooth	1981-1985	July 1, 2014
	5 thebe	Bronze	19.5 mm	2.8 g	1.17 mm	Reeded	1976-1989	July 1, 2014
	5 thebe	Bronze-plated steel	19.5 mm	2.8 g	1.28 mm	Smooth or reeded	1991-1996	July 1, 2014
	5 thebe	Bronze-plated steel	17 mm (heptagonal)	2.41 g	1.75 mm	Smooth	1998-2009	July 1, 2014
	5 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	18 mm (heptagonal)	2.218 g	1.3 mm	Smooth	2013	No
	10 thebe	Copper-nickel	22 mm	4 g	1.33 mm	Reeded	1976-1989	July 1, 2014
	10 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	22 mm	3.8 g		Reeded	1991	July 1, 2014
	10 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	18 mm	2.8 g	1.75 mm	Reeded	1998-2008	July 1, 2014
	10 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	20 mm	2.8 g	1.4 mm	Reeded	2013	No
	25 thebe	Copper-nickel	25 mm	5.8 g		Reeded	1976-1989	July 1, 2014
	25 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	25 mm	5.73 g		Reeded	1991	July 1, 2014
	25 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	20 mm (heptagonal)	3.5 g	1.8 mm	Smooth	1998-2009	July 1, 2014
	25 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	22 mm (heptagonal)	4.2 g	1.6 mm	Smooth	2013	No
	50 thebe	Copper-nickel	28 mm	11.4 g	2.3 mm	Reeded	1976-1985	July 1, 2014
	50 thebe	Copper-nickel	28 mm	11.4 g	2.3 mm	Reeded	1976-1985	July 1, 2014
	50 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	28 mm	11.4 g			1991	July 1, 2014
	50 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	21.3 mm	4.82 g	2.2 mm	Smooth	1996-2001	July 1, 2014
	50 thebe	Nickel-plated steel	24 mm	5.3 g	1.8 mm	Reeded	2013	No
	1 pula	Copper-nickel	29.5 mm; scalloped (with 12 notches)	16.4 g		Smooth	1976-1987	July 1, 2014
	1 pula	Nickel-brass	24 mm (heptagonal)	8.8 g	2.7 mm	Segmented (10 reeds per 7 sections)	1991-2007	July 1, 2014
	1 pula	Bronze-plated steel	26 mm	7.8 g		Smooth	2013-2016	No
	2 pula	Nickel-brass	26.4 mm (heptagonal)	6.3 g	2.4 mm	Segmented (19 reeds per 7 sections)	1994	July 1, 2014
	2 pula	brass-plated steel	24.6 mm (heptagonal)	6.02 g	2 mm	Segmented (19 reeds per 7 sections)	2004	July 1, 2014
	2 pula	Bi-metallic; bronze-plated steel in center, nickel-plated steel in ring	27 mm	7.3 g	2 mm	Reeded	2013-2016	no
	5 pula	Bi-metallic; copper-nickel in center, brass in ring	23.5 mm	6 g	2 mm	Reeded	2000-2007	July 1, 2014
	5 pula	Bi-metallic; copper-nickel in center, brass in ring	28 mm	8.7 g	2.2 mm	Segmented	2013-2016	no

On 23 August 1976,[11] 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 May 29, 1990 and August 23, 1993, respectively.[11] 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[12] 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 revealed a 10 pula banknote in polymer in November 2017 and was issued to the public on February 1, 2018.[13]

Banknotes of the Botswana pula (2009 issue)
Image	Value	Main colour	Obverse	Reverse	Watermark
	10 pula	Green	President Seretse Khama Ian Khama	Parliament building, Gaborone	Rampant zebra and electrotype 10
	20 pula	Red	Kgalemang Tumediso Motsete	Mining equipment	Rampant zebra and electrotype 20
	50 pula	Brown	President Sir Seretse Khama	Okavango Delta swamps, boat, fish eagle	Rampant zebra and electrotype 50
	100 pula	Blue	Three chiefs (Sebele I, Bathoen I, Khama III)	Diamond sorting, open-pit diamond mine	Rampant zebra and electrotype 100
	200 pula	Purple	Female teacher and children	Zebras	Rampant zebra and electrotype 200

Due to hyperinflation in Zimbabwe from 2006-08, the Government of Botswana has allowed circulation of foreign currency since September 2008. The Zimbabwean dollar became obsolete on April 12, 2009. Several currencies, including the South African rand and Botswana pula circulate in Zimbabwe,[14] along with the Zimbabwean bond notes and bond coins.

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.

• Economy of Botswana

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Botswana pula.

• Historical banknotes of Botswana