The rial (; sign: ﷼; abbreviation: YRl (singular) and YRls (plural) in Latin, ,ر.ي in Arabic; ISO code: YER) is the official currency of the Republic of Yemen. It is technically divided into 100 fils, although coins denominated in fils have not been issued since Yemeni unification. Due to the ongoing political instability, the value of the Yemeni rial has fallen significantly.
The Yemeni civil war has caused the currency to diverge. In southern Yemen, which is primarily controlled by UAE-backed separatists and the internationally recognized government backed by Saudi Arabia, ongoing printing has caused the currency's value to plummet. However, in northern Yemen, which is primarily controlled by the Houthis with support from Iran, banknotes printed after 2017 are not considered legal tender. Therefore, the exchange rate has remained stable. The differences in banknotes printed before and after 2017 can be determined by their size.
History In the 18th and 19th centuries, the rial was traditionally associated with the Maria Theresa thaler, a currency that was widely used in Yemen owing to the Mocha coffee trade with the French, and a Yemeni request that its produce be paid for in thalers.
As Yemen progressed, it developed its own legal currency. After the union between the North (the Yemen Arab Republic) and the South (the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen) in 1990, both the northern rial and the southern dinar remained legal tender during a transitional period, with an exchange rate set at 1 dinar to 26 rials. On 11 June 1996, the dinar was withdrawn from circulation. In 1993, the first coins were issued for the Republic of Yemen. The value of the Yemeni rial against the United States dollar dropped significantly, compared to 12.01 rials per dollar in the early 1990s.
Since the mid-1990s, the Yemeni rial has been freely convertible. Though it dropped from YRls 20 to approximately YRls 215 against the US dollar since then, the rial was stable for several years. However, since 2010 the Central Bank of Yemen has had to intervene many times to protect the currency's value, resulting in a serious decline of foreign reserves.Ghalib bin Awadh al-Qu'aiti, The Maria Theresa Thaler in Hadhramaut: Some Reflections, pub. by: The British-Yemeni Society Due to the war, the exchange rate for the Yemeni rial has hovered between 250 and 500 Yemeni rials for 1 US dollar.
In January 2025, the currency further deteriorated to a historic low point, where 1 USD was traded at 2150 Yemeni rials due to the lack of foreign currency availability in exchange markets and the failure of government authorities to intervene with solutions for this issue. This decline was observed in areas under the control of the internationally-supported Presidential Leadership Council, while the Yemeni rial exchange rate remained stable in areas controlled by the Houthis, where the dollar was approximately 530 rials.
Coins Before unification, North Yemen issued coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 fils, and 1 rial. The fils denominations have all disappeared from circulation. In 1993, new coins were introduced by the Central Bank of Yemen in denominations of 1 and 5 rials. These were followed by 10-rial coins in 1995 and 20-rial coins in 2004.
For the first time in nearly a decade, Yemen's Houthi-led de facto government has announced the issuing of a newly minted 100 riyal coin, a move which has prompted outcry from the internationally recognised government and its central bank based in Aden as a “dangerous escalation.”
YRl 1 YRls 5YRls 10YRls 20
Banknotes At the time of unification, the Central Bank of Yemen issued banknotes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 rials. In 1993, the 1 and 5 rial notes were replaced by coins, with the same happening to the 10 rial notes in 1995, and 20 rial notes in 2004. In 1996, 200 rial notes were introduced, followed by 500 rials in 1997 and 1,000 rials in 1998. A 250 rial banknote was issued in 2009.Yemen new 250rial note confirmed, BanknoteNews.com. Retrieved 2011-09-06.BanknoteNews.com Retrieved 2011-09-06.
In 2017, the Central Bank of Yemen, now relocated in Aden, its interim capital due to the civil war, issued 500 and 1,000 rial banknotes with revised security features and different dimensions. In 2018, the Central Bank of Yemen reintroduced the 200 rial banknote and has issued a new 100 rial banknote.
In 2025 the Houthi administration in Sanaa issued a 200 rial banknote, inscribed Central Bank of Yemen, i.e. the same as regular banknotes issued by the internationally recognized government, which warned all citizens, financial institutions, banks, and money exchange companies against dealing with "counterfeit currencies" from an "illegal terrorist entity" and of punishment for anyone found possessing or using them.
1990-2009 series + Currently circulating banknotes (1994–2009) Image Value Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Printing IssueYRls 1GreenAl-Bakiriyya MosqueCoffea arabica1990YRls 5Light redBuildings in Old Sana'aAl-Qahira Castle in TaizYRls 10Blue and blackAl-Bakiriyya MosqueMarib Dam1992YRls 20Dark brownSculpture of Dionysus with grapesA dhow in Aden Harbor1995YRls 50Olive-greenBronze statue of Ma'adkarib, ancient king of HaramShibam city, Hadramaut1993 YRls 100 Purple Cisterns of Tawila, Aden City view of Sana'a with mosque minaret and mountains YRls 200 Green Alabaster sculpture Mukalla 1996 YRls 250 Orange & blue Al-Saleh mosque, Sana'a Khor Al-Mukalla 2009 November 14, 2009YRIs 500PurpleCentral Bank building, Sana'aThrone of Queen Bilqis in Ma'rib1997YRls 500BlueDar al-Hajr (Palace of the Rock)Al-Muhdhar Mosque, Tarim2001 Cyan 2007 YRls 1,000 Green & yellow Seiyun Palace, Hadhramaut Bab al-Yaman, San'a 1998, 2004, 2009 August 2010
2017–2018 series + Currently circulating banknotes (2017–2018 series) Image Value Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Printing IssueYRls 100Red and violetDragon Blood Tree of Socotra. Qamariya stained glass window art. Outline of a mosque as a latent image.Terraced agricultural farming fields. Queen Arwa Mosque Mihrab decorated niche2018YRls 200YellowZabid fortress, Al Hudaydah GovernorateHawf, Al Mahrah GovernorateAugust 2018YRls 500Light CyanAl-Muhdhar Mosque, TarimDar al-Hajar2017YRls 1,000GreenSeiyun Palace, HadhramautBab al-Yaman, San'a
Houthi-issued notes The recognized central bank in Aden and other authorities consider the note illegal. + Houthi-issued note Image Value Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Printing IssueYRls 200Pink, light blue, yellow, and blackAl-Janad Mosque in TaizOil tankers in Al Ma’alla port in Aden July 16, 2025
See also Economy of Yemen Ahmed A AL-Samawi Iranian rial Omani rial Qatari riyal Saudi riyal
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