Israel the Country and its currencies and coins
Israel is a country located in the Middle East, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest.
It has a population of approximately 9 million people, with a diverse mix of cultures and religions.
Israel's history dates back thousands of years, with the region playing a significant role in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Throughout history, the area has been conquered by various empires, including the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Ottomans.
In 1948, Israel declared its independence, which led to a war with its Arab neighbours who rejected the creation of a Jewish state.
Israel emerged victorious from the conflict, which resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
This event, known as the Nakba, continues to shape the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians today.
The currency of Israel is the Israeli new shekel (ILS), which has been in circulation since 1986. It is divided into 100 agorot.
The banknotes in Israel are available in denominations of 20, 50, 100, and 200 new shekels,
while the coins come in denominations of 10, 5, 2, and 1 new shekel, as well as 50 and 10 agorot.
Prior to the introduction of the Israeli new shekel in 1986, the currency of Israel was the Israeli pound (ILP), which was in use from 1948 to 1980.
The Israeli pound was introduced during the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and was initially pegged to the British pound at a rate of 1:1.
However, in 1952, the Israeli government devalued the pound, and it was then pegged to the US dollar at a rate of ILP 3.80 to USD 1.00.
Banknotes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 Israeli pounds were issued, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 agorot.
