MGA / ZAR

The Ariary is the official currency of Madagascar, introduced in 2005 when it replaced the Malagasy franc at a rate of five francs to one ariary. It is the sole legal tender across the island nation and is used for everyday transactions, from street‑market purchases to electronic banking.

Unlike most modern currencies, the ariary is non‑decimal: one ariary is divided into five iraimbilanja. Coins are issued in 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20 and 50 iraimbilanja as well as 1, 2, 4 and 5 ariary, while banknotes range from 10 ariary up to 200,000 ariary. The Central Bank of Madagascar (Banque Centrale de Madagascar) is the sole issuer, and the currency is denoted by the symbol “Ar”.