Finance:Djiboutian franc

Short description: Currency of Djibouti

Djiboutian franc

franc djiboutien (French) الفرنك الجيبوتي (Arabic)
5 Djiboutian francs, minted in 1991.
ISO 4217
Code	DJF (numeric: 262)
Unit
Symbol	Fdj‎
Denominations
Subunit
​1⁄100	centime
Banknotes	40 (commemorative), 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 Fdj
Coins	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 Fdj
Demographics
User(s)	Djibouti
Issuance
Central bank	Central Bank of Djibouti
Website	www.banque-centrale.dj
Printer	Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych (pl)
Website	Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych
Valuation
Inflation	2.1% (2015 est.)
Source	The World Factbook, 2013 est.
Pegged with	United States dollar = 177.721 francs

The Djiboutian franc (Arabic: فرنك, French: franc) is the currency of Djibouti. Its ISO 4217 currency code is DJF. Historically, it was subdivided into 100 centimes.

History

100 Djiboutian francs (1977).

From 1884, when the French Somaliland protectorate was established, the French franc circulated alongside the Indian rupee and the Maria Theresa thaler. These coexisted with 2 francs = 1 rupee and 4.2 francs = 1 Maria Theresa thaler.

From 1908, francs circulating in Djibouti were legally fixed at the value of the French franc. Starting in 1910, banknotes were issued for the then colony by the Bank of Indochina. Chamber of Commerce paper money and tokens were issued between 1919 and 1922.

In 1948, the first coins were issued specifically for use in Djibouti, in the name of the "Côte Française des Somalis". In 1949, an independent Djiboutian franc came into being when the local currency was pegged to the US dollar at a rate of 214.392 francs = 1 dollar. This was the value which the French franc had under the Bretton Woods system until a few months before. Consequently, the Djiboutian economy was not affected by the further devaluations of the French franc.

In 1952, the Public Treasury took over the production of paper money. French Somaliland's change of name in 1967 to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas was reflected on both the territory's coins and notes. In 1971 and 1973, the franc was revalued against the US dollar, first to a rate of 197.466 to the dollar, then 177.721, a rate which has been maintained ever since. A further change in coin and banknote design followed independence in 1977.

Coins

10 and 20 Djiboutian francs, reverse (c. 1991 and 1983).

Between 1920 and 1922, the Chamber of Commerce issued tokens struck in zinc, aluminium, bronze and aluminium-bronze in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 centimes and 1 franc. Shapes included round, hexagonal and octagonal.

In 1948, aluminium 1, 2 and 5 francs were introduced. Aluminium-bronze 20 francs were introduced in 1952, followed by 10 francs in 1965. Cupro-nickel 50 and 100 francs were introduced in 1970, with aluminium-bronze 500 francs added in 1989.

From 2013, new coins of 250 francs were put in circulation to complement the other denominations.

Coins of the Djiboutian franc (1977–present)
Image		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Dates
Obverse	Reverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	Year of minting	Year of issue
		1 franc	23 mm	1.4 mm	1.3 g	Aluminum	Smooth	Coat of arms of Djibouti	Head of waterbuck	1977, 1996, 1997, 1999	1977
		2 francs	27.1 mm	1.4 mm	2.2 g					1977, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999
		5 francs	31.1 mm	2.3 mm	3.75 g					1977, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999
		10 francs	20 mm	1.3 mm	3 g	Aluminium-bronze			Djibouti harbour	1977, 1983, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017
		20 francs	23.5 mm	1.45 mm	4					1977, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2017
		50 francs	25.5 mm	2.1 mm	6.9 g	Copper-nickel	Milled		Two dromedaries	1977, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2017
		100 francs	30 mm	2.3 mm	12 g					1977, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2017
		250 francs	29 mm	2.1 mm	10g	Bimetallic: copper-nickel centre in brass ring			Djibouti francolin	2012	2012
		500 francs	28 mm	3 mm	12.9 g	Aluminium-bronze	Smooth		Laurel wreath	1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2010	1989

Banknotes

Banque de l'Indochine, 5 French Somaliland Francs (1943).

Between 1910 and 1915, banknotes were introduced in denominations of 5, 20 and 100 francs. Chamber of Commerce notes were introduced in 1919 in denominations of 5, 10 and 50 centimes and 1 franc. The decline in the value of the French franc following World War I caused 500 and 1000 franc banknotes to be introduced in 1927 and 1938, respectively. 10 franc notes were introduced in 1946.

When the Public Treasury took over the production of paper money in 1952, the 5, 10 and 20 franc notes ceased production and 5000 franc notes were introduced. In 1970, the 50 and 100 franc notes were replaced by coins. In 1977, the National Bank of Djibouti took over production of banknotes. The only subsequent changes have been the introduction of 10,000 franc notes in 1984 and the replacement of the 500 franc note with a coin in 1989.

Banknotes of the Djiboutian franc (1979–1988)
Image		Value	Main Colour	Dimensions	Description			Date of issue
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	Year of printing	Year of issue
		500 francs	Multiple colors	140 × 75 mm	Man at left, rocks in sea, storks at right	Stern of ship at right	Coat of arms of Djibouti	1979, 1988	1979
		1000 francs	Red	152 × 81 mm	Woman at left, people by diesel passenger trains at center	Trader with camels at center		1979, 2005
		5000 francs	Multiple colors	162 × 87 mm	Man at right, forest scene at center	Aerial view		1979
		10,000 francs	Brown and red	170 × 90 mm	Woman holding baby	Fish and harbor scene		1984	1984
Banknotes of the Djiboutian franc (1997–2009)
Image		Value	Main Colour	Dimensions	Description			Date of issue
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	Year of printing	Year of issue
		1000 francs	Red	155 × 70 mm	Ali Ahmed Oudoum	Port of Djibouti	Coat of arms of Djibouti	2005	2005
		2000 francs	Blue	160 × 80 mm	Young girl and camel caravan	Statue with shield and government building		1997, 2008	1997
		5000 francs	Violet	168 × 80 mm	Mahmoud Harbi	Dancers		2002	2002
		10,000 francs	Green	175 × 81 mm	President Hassan Gouled Aptidon	Central Bank building		1999, 2009	1999
Banknotes of the Djiboutian franc (2017)
Image		Value	Main Colour	Dimensions	Description			Date of issue
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	Year of printing	Year of issue
		40 francs	Multicolored	153 × 70 mm	Whale shark, corals	Port of Djibouti	Coat of arms of Djibouti	2017	2017

See also

• Economy of Djibouti