Currency in Botswana

The currency in Botswana is the pula. One pula is worth 100 Thebe. The ISO code of the Botswana currency is BWP. The official and local abbreviation is p for Pula and t for Thebe. The symbol corresponds to the typical local abbreviation P.

The Botswana pula is a very weak currency and is not used in any other country apart from Botswana itself. Interfaces are small village communities that are located on the border areas with the surrounding African countries and are not rivaled by conflicts of interest. It is a good idea to change any kind of currency into Botswana on site or at the airport.

History of currency

While the country was granted sovereignty in the mid-1960’s, it took another ten years for Botswana to decide on its own currency. This was mainly due to the economic upturn that began in the early 1970’s.

In 1976 the time had come. Botswana introduced the pula. What Botswana promised itself was more independence and freedom from South Africa. Nevertheless, the country remained dependent on traffic technology and also economically.

Since then, the pula has slowly but steadily established itself as a stable, albeit weak, currency. It is subject to the typical market fluctuations of a brave, ambitious African developing country.

The currency has been pegged to the dollar since 1980.

Exchange into the currency of Botswana

As already briefly mentioned, it is best to exchange the currency on site. This is actually how you get the best exchange rate. You should generally avoid dealers on the street.

ATMs and official exchange offices in the larger cities make exchanging easier. The airports are also a good place to go to exchange your Euros in Pulas.

We generally advise against taking travelers checks with you. This form of money exchange is no longer welcomed and accepted in Botswana.

But with one of the usual credit cards one is well and safely equipped. Rural regions should be treated with caution compared to well and comfortably equipped cities. Here it is best to travel to the more remote areas with enough cash.