The official currency of Saudi Arabia is known as the Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit or SAMU. Its spelling can be broken down phonetically as /sɔːdi əˈreɪbiən ˈmʌnɪtri ˈjuːnɪt/. SAMU is abbreviated as SAR and its coin denominations include halalahs and riyals. Saudi Arabia is the largest oil exporter in the world and its currency is pegged to the US dollar. The SAMU is managed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, which was established in 1952.
The term "Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit" refers to the currency of Saudi Arabia, the official unit of exchange within the country. Also known as the Saudi Riyal (SAR), it is issued and regulated by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA).
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit is denoted by the symbol "ريال" (pronounced "riyal") and its international currency code is SAR. It is further divided into 100 smaller units called halalas, which are rarely used in daily transactions.
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit has been the official currency of Saudi Arabia since 1925, when it replaced the Hejaz Riyal. The currency underwent various transformations in terms of both design and value over the years, with the most recent series of banknotes introduced in 2016.
As a fiat currency, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit is not backed by a physical commodity like gold or silver; instead, its value is determined by market forces such as supply and demand and the overall economic conditions of the country. The Central Bank, SAMA, plays a crucial role in ensuring price stability and maintaining the value of the currency through its monetary policies.
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Unit is widely accepted within Saudi Arabia for all types of transactions, from everyday purchases to larger financial transactions. It is also accepted in some neighboring countries, given the close economic ties and shared currency arrangements within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).