 500 franc (100 ariary) banknote (1993) | |
| ISO 4217 | |
| Code | MGA (numeric: 969) |
| Subunit | 0.01 |
| Unit | |
| Plural | The language(s) of this currency do(es) not have a morphological plural distinction. |
| Symbol | Ar |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄5 | iraimbilanja (franc) |
| Banknotes | |
| Freq. used | 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 Ar |
| Rarely used | 20,000 Ar |
| Coins | |
| Freq. used | 10, 20, 50 Ar |
| Rarely used | 1, 2 iraimbilanja; 1, 2, 4, 5 Ar |
| Demographics | |
| Replaced | Malagasy franc |
| User(s) |  Madagascar |
| Issuance | |
| Central bank | Banky Foiben'i Madagasikara |
| Website | www |
| Valuation | |
| Inflation | 8.8% |
| Source | The World Factbook, 2013 est. |
The ariary (sign: Ar;[1] ISO 4217 code MGA) is the currency of Madagascar. It is notionally subdivided into 5 iraimbilanja and is one of only two non-decimal currencies currently circulating (the other is the Mauritanian ouguiya). The names ariary and iraimbilanja derive from the pre-colonial currency, with ariary (from the Spanish word "real") being the name for a silver dollar. Iraimbilanja means literally "one iron weight" and was the name of an old coin worth 1⁄5 of an ariary. However, as of May 2023, the unit is effectively obsolete since the iraimbilanja has practically no purchasing power, and the coins have fallen into disuse.
- ^ "Banky Foiben'i Madagasikara [Central Bank of Madagascar]" (in French). Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.