Franc Zone

Africa

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June 26, 2026

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The Franc Zone refers to a group of African countries whose currencies are linked to the euro at a fixed rate. Many of these nations are former French colonies, including those that were part of French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa. Countries like the Central African Republic and Chad use the CFA Franc BEAC (XAF) as their monetary unit. Historically, these currencies were pegged to the French franc before transitioning to the euro.1234

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franc
…Africa, became members of the Franc Zone; their currencies were linked to the French franc at a fixed rate of exchange and were freely convertible into that franc. In 1999, however, as France began to phase out the French franc, the currencies became linked to the euro.
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…Africa, became members of the Franc Zone; their currencies were linked to the French franc at a fixed rate of exchange and were freely convertible into that franc. In 1999, however, as France began to phase out the French franc, the currencies became linked to the euro.
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Equatorial Guinea
Finance and trade
…1985 the country entered the Franc Zone, whereby its currency, the epkwele (formerly linked to the Spanish peseta), was replaced by the CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) franc and linked to the French franc. With the phasing out of the French franc during 1999–2002, the CFA franc became linked to the…
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…1985 the country entered the Franc Zone, whereby its currency, the epkwele (formerly linked to the Spanish peseta), was replaced by the CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) franc and linked to the French franc. With the phasing out of the French franc during 1999–2002, the CFA franc became linked to the…
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Guinea-Bissau
Independence of Guinea-Bissau
…Economic Monetary Union and the Franc Zone. However, fiscal volatility caused in part by these actions contributed to political unrest that came to a head in 1998 when Vieira dismissed military chief of staff Brig. (later Gen.) Ansumane Mané. Almost immediately Mané initiated a revolt that was fueled by widespread…
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…Economic Monetary Union and the Franc Zone. However, fiscal volatility caused in part by these actions contributed to political unrest that came to a head in 1998 when Vieira dismissed military chief of staff Brig. (later Gen.) Ansumane Mané. Almost immediately Mané initiated a revolt that was fueled by widespread…
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