HTG / ZAR

The Haitian gourde is the official currency of Haiti, a Caribbean nation on the island of Hispaniola. Issued by the Banque de la République d'Haïti, it is subdivided into 100 centimes and is commonly denoted by the symbol G or sometimes by the abbreviation “HTG”. The gourde replaced the Haitian franc in 1813 and has undergone several revaluations, the most recent being in 1982 when a new series of banknotes was introduced to combat inflation.

Despite chronic inflationary pressures, the gourde remains central to Haiti's economy, with banknotes ranging from 5 G to 5,000 G and coins in centime denominations. A quirky aspect of the currency is that the term “gourde” also means “large jug” in Haitian Creole, reflecting the historic practice of using large containers for trade. The currency is used alongside the US dollar in some transactions, especially in the informal sector.