LKR / ZAR

The Sri Lankan rupee is the official legal tender of Sri Lanka, issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. First introduced in 1872 to replace the Indian rupee, it has since been the backbone of the island’s monetary system, with banknotes and coins bearing national symbols such as the lion flag, the elephant and historic landmarks.

One rupee is divided into 100 cents, although cent coins are no longer in circulation and prices are normally rounded to the nearest rupee. The currency is commonly denoted by the symbol “Rs” and appears on price tags in both Sinhala (ශ්‍රී ලංකා රුපියල) and Tamil (இலங்கை ரூபாய்). Recent series of banknotes have incorporated enhanced security features to combat counterfeiting, reflecting the country’s ongoing economic reforms.