Euro Countries
Countries
using The
Euro
What is the unit of money
in Europe?
The Euro is the currency of 17
European Union countries (since 1 January 2011):
- Austria
- Belgium
- Cyprus (since 1 January 2008)
- Estonia (since 1 January 2011)
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Malta (since 1 January 2008)
- The Netherlands
- Portugal
- Slovakia (since 1 January 2009)
- Slovenia (since 1 January 2007)
- Spain
Special monetary agreements have been concluded with Monaco, the Vatican City
and San Marino. These agreements enable each of these countries to issue Euro
coins with their own national sides. This follows the tradition of earlier
agreements between France and Monaco, and between Italy and San Marino and Italy
and the Vatican, which had previously allowed these countries to issue their own
coins in French francs and Italian lira respectively.
In Andorra the Euro has replaced the Spanish peseta and French franc, both of
which previously circulated in the Principality.
Certain parts of the Euro area are located outside the
European continent, such as the four French overseas departments
(Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique and Reunion), as well as Madeira, the
Canary Islands. Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and Mayotte are French
overseas territorial communities not forming part of the EU which previously
used the French franc and now use the Euro by virtue of an agreement with
the Union.
The Euro is furthermore used as means of payment in Kosovo and Montenegro,
replacing the German mark which was formerly used as the de facto currency.
Currency in Europe: Euro (EUR)
Exchange rate to other major currencies
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NB: The Euro is NOT used in United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Wales,
Scotland) and Northern Ireland, Denmark, Sweden or the new entrant countries to
European Union.
The Euro - banknotes
The first Euro banknotes were introduced on 1st January 2002
and replaced twelve different sets of banknotes in the previous national
currencies.
The European Central Bank is responsible for the overall
authorisation of Euro banknote issues but the practical aspects of putting these
notes into circulation is carried out by the twelve national central banks of
the Euro area.
There are seven different denominations in the current Euro
banknote series, ranging from the €5 to the €500 note.
The designs of the notes are the same throughout the Euro
area and feature windows and gateways (on the front) and bridges (on the
reverse) from different periods in Europe's architectural history.
The Euro - coins
The first Euro coins were introduced on 1st January 2002 and
replaced twelve different sets of coins in the previous national currencies.
The Member States of the Euro area issue their own Euro
coins, although the volumes issued are subject to approval by the European
Central Bank.
Each Euro coin has a common European design on one side and
an individual national design on the other. However, the technical features of
the coins (size, weight, metals used) are identical across all Euro countries.
There are eight different denominations in the current Euro
coin series, ranging from the 1 cent to the €2 coin
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