Currency of Saudi Arabia

The currency of Saudi Arabia is called riyal and for convenience Saudi riyal. It is often denoted by SAR. Saudi riyal is very important and significant part of world’s economy at any forum. It is further divided into halalas. 1 Saudi riyal is equal to 100 halalas. Riyal was basically the currency of Hejaz and when Saudi Arabia was founded, riyal was made its official currency and is in use since then. Hejaz riyal was equivalent and in collaboration with the ottoman currency which was divided further into Ghirish. In late nineties 20 ghirish was equal to 1 riyal. However, later on for convenience halala was introduced in place of ghirish.

There are coins and banknotes for riyal. The coins are available in form of 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 halala while banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 riyal are available nowadays. Earlier king Abdul Fahad’s picture was shown on almost all bank notes but in 2007, after the death of King Fahad, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz’s portrait replaced the portrait of King Fahad, leaving the 500 banknote, which still has the portrait of King Abdul Aziz of Al-Saud, the founding father of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia Currency Riyal