Euro

The euro (sign: €; code: EUR) is the single currency shared by (currently) 17 of the European Union's Member States, which together make up the eurozone. The banknotes and coins were introduced in 2002.

The euro was adopted by the following countries:
 * In 1999, by Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland
 * In 2001 by Greece
 * In 2007 by Slovenia
 * In 2008 by Cyprus and Malta
 * In 2009 by Slovakia
 * In 2011 by Estonia

The euro is also used as an official or de facto currency in the following countries:
 * Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City have monetary agreements with the EU and can produce limited quantities of euro coins with their own design
 * Andorra has replaced the Spanish peseta and the French franc that were previously in circulation with the euro.
 * Kosovo and Montenegro also use the euro as a domestic currency without any agreements with the EU, following the tradition of the German mark which had previously been their de facto currency.

Links

 * Whither the Euro? by Hans F. Sennholz, January 2002
 * "On the edge" The Economist, July 2011
 * Practical steps to withdraw from Euro (pdf) by Philipp Bagus, October 2011
 * Euro and International status and usage of the euro at Wikipedia