United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) Profile

Currency name
United Arab Emirates dirham AED converter to world currencies »
Currency code
Currency symbol

DH or Dhs

Subunit
1/100,  fils;
Coins freq used
1 dirham, 25 fils, 50 fils
Coins rarely used
 
Banknotes freq used
5 dirhams, 10 dirhams, 20 dirhams, 50 dirhams, 100 dirhams, 200 dirhams, 500 dirhams, 1000 dirhams
Banknotes rarely used
 
Central bank
Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (www.centralbank.ae)
Currency users

United Arab Emirates (Federation of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain)

Currency notes
Currency user list

United Arab Emirates dirham users

The United Arab Emirates dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates (sometimes simply called the Emirates or the UAE), which is a West Asian Arab country. It is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula and on the Persian Gulf.

Once after independence from the United Kingdom, UAE was established on December 2, 1971. It is a federation of seven constituent emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. Each emirate is governed by a hereditary emir, and the federation is governed by a Federal Supreme Council made up of these seven emirs. The president and prime minister of the federation are chosen from the seven emirs.

United Arab Emirates dirham history

The United Arab Emirates dirham was introduced on May 19, 1973, replacing the Qatar and Dubai riyal at par and the Bahraini dinar (BHD) at 1 AED = 0.1 BHD. The Bahraini dinar was used in Abu Dhabi from 1966 to 1973, while the other six emirates used the Qatar and Dubai riyal during these years. Before 1966 back to 1959, the currency of Gulf rupee was used among all the seven emirates.

Qatar and Dubai riyal actually briefly adopted the Saudi riyal (SAR), which was with a rate of Indian rupee at 1 SAR = 1.065 INR in 1966. The exchange rate of Saudi riyal and the Indian rupee is at 1 SAR = 14.6451 INR as per the date of March 1, 2013.

Bahraini dinar was introduced in 1965, replacing the Gulf rupee at a rate of 1 BHD = 10 Gulf rupees. Gulf rupee was at par with the Indian rupee until 1966. The exchange rate of Bahraini dinar and the Indian rupee is 1 BHD = 145.608 INR as of the date of March 1, 2013.

The Gulf rupee, also known as the Persian Gulf rupee, was used in the countries of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula, equivalent to the Indian Rupee until 1966. The exchange rate of the United Arab Emirates dirham and the Indian rupee is 1 AED = 14.7993 INR as of the date of March 1, 2013.

The United Arab Emirates dirham has been pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 1 USD = 3.675 AED since November 1997.

United Arab Emirates dirham coins and banknotes

The United Arab Emirates dirham is subdivided into 100 fils.

Currently in circulation, coins are in denominations of 25, 50 fils and 1 dirham, and banknotes are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 dirhams.

United Arab Emirates dirham and the currency of rupee

The first rupee was introduced in the sixteenth century. It is still being used by many countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, Indonesia (as the rupiah). It was formerly used in Burma, Afghanistan, and many countries of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula.

United Arab Emirates used the Gulf rupee between 1959 and 1966, equivalent to the Indian rupee.

Countries formerly used rupee as official currency (exchange rate as per: March 1, 2013)
Nations Currency name Code 1 USD= 1 EUR= 1 GBP= Notes
Afghanistan Afghan afghani AFN 51.9798 67.6616 78.0652 The Afghani replaced the Rupee in 1925.
Myanmar (Burma) Myanmar (Burma) kyat MMK 861.497 1121.44 1293.72 Myanmar (Burma) Kyat replaced the Rupee in 1952 at par.
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates dirham AED 3.673 4.78127 5.51579 Gulf rupee was used in the United Arab Emirates between 1959 and 1966, equivalent to the Indian rupee.
Bahrain Bahraini dinar BHD 0.37703 0.49075 0.56618 1. Gulf rupee was used in Bahrain between 1959 and 1966, equivalent to the Indian rupee.
2. Bahraini dinar was introduced in 1965, replacing the Gulf rupee at a rate of 1 BHD = 10 Gulf rupees.
Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar KWD 0.28375 0.36934 0.4261 1. Gulf rupee was used in Kuwaiti between 1959 and 1961. It was equivalent to the Indian rupee.
2. Kuwaiti dinar was introduced in 1961, replacing the Gulf rupee at 1 dinar = 13⅓ Gulf rupee.
Oman Omani rial OMR 0.38505 0.50119 0.57822 1. Gulf rupee was used in Oman from 1959 to 1970 and was replaced by Oman rial Saidi at a rate of approximately 1 rial Saidi = 21 Gulf rupees.
2. Oman rial was introduced in 1973, replacing the rial Saidi at par.
Countries currently use rupee as official currency (exchange rate as per: March 1, 2013)
Nations Currency name Currency code 1 USD= 1 EUR= 1 GBP= Notes
Indonesia Indonesian rupiah IDR 9675.00 12592.3 14527.2 The Indonesian rupiah was introduced on 2 January 1949.
India Indian rupee INR 54.9081 71.4646 82.4457 The Indian rupee started to replace the various rupee currencies used by Indian autonomous states since 1845 and got all replaced by 1961.
Maldives Maldivian rufiyaa MVR 15.400 20.0433 23.1257 The Maldivian rufiyaa was introduced in 1947 with equal value to the rupee.
Mauritius Mauritian rupee MUR 30.930 40.2559 46.4468 The Mauritian rupee was introduced in 1876.
Nepal Nepalese rupee NPR 87.8971 114.404 131.990 The Nepalese rupee was introduced in 1932.
Pakistan Pakistani rupee PKR 98.2574 127.889 147.548 The Pakistan rupee was introduced after the partition from British India in 1947.
Seychelles Seychelles rupee SCR 12.3732 16.1046 18.5802 The Seychelles rupee was introduced in 1914.
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka rupee LKR 127.429 165.874 191.379 The Sri Lanka Rupee was used since January 1872.