The Somali shilling is the currency issued by the government prior to 1991. It has depreciated sharply since then: in 1989 the rate was SH252 to US$1, and by 1999 the rate was SH2,600 to US$1. It is most surprising that the currency is still in circulation at all as, until 2000, there has been no government to enforce the currency as legal tender (the acceptance of the currency in making payments). U.S. dollars are widely used for anything other than small transactions.
Exchange rates: Somalia | |
Somali shillings per US$1 | |
Nov 2000 | 11,000 |
Jan 1999 | 2,620 |
Nov 1997 | 7,500 |
Jan 1996 | 7,000 |
Jan 1995 | 5,000 |
Jul 1993 | 2,616 |
Note: The Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country notrecognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling. | |
SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2001 [ONLINE]. |
GDP per Capita (US$) | |||||
Country | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
Somalia | 600 | N/A | 600 | 600 | 600 |
United States | 28,600 | 30,200 | 31,500 | 33,900 | 36,200 |
Dem. Rep. of Congo | 400 | N/A | 710 | 710 | 600 |
Ethiopia | N/A | 530 | 560 | 560 | 600 |
Note: Data are estimates. | |||||
SOURCE: Handbook of the Nations , 17th,18th, 19th and 20theditions for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 data; CIA World Factbook 2001 [Online] for 2000 data. |
The self-declared Republic of Somaliland started issuing its own currency, the Somaliland shilling (SoSh), in January 1995, which was set at SoSh80 to US$1.