什么是危地马拉格查尔

货币名称格查尔（Quetzal）的由来：在中美洲地区，特别是危地马拉北部的深山密林，栖息着一种啄木鸟的同宗---“格查尔”。格查尔是印第安语，意思是 “金绿色的羽毛“。它是有名的“森林医生”，也是世界上极美的鸟儿。雌鸟大小如鸽子，全身羽毛艳丽，红腹绿背，头和胸部呈浅色。一会儿黄，一会儿绿，一会儿又变成红、橙、五光十色，绚丽多彩。格查尔鸟在危地马拉人民心中目享有崇高的地位。它性情高洁，酷爱自由，所以有“自由之鸟”的美称。格查尔鸟喜欢成双成对地生活，形影不离，所以它又是爱情的象征。青年男女间说意思就是亲爱的。美丽的格查尔鸟是危地马拉人民的骄傲，危地马拉人民把它视为自由、爱国、友谊的象征，经政府正式宣布，定它为国鸟。把它作为钱币上的标志，还用法律规定禁止捕捉格查尔鸟。

币值与进位换算：

1GTQ=100 centavos（分），铸币币值有: 1、5、10、25分

The history of Guatemalan Quetzal

The Guatemalan quetzal was first Introduced as the national currency in 1925, it replaced the Guatemalan peso at a rate of sixty pesos to one quetzal. The quetzal is named after the national bird of Guatemala, the Quetzal bird or Resplendent Quetzal. In ancient Mayan times, the Quetzal bird’s tail feathers were used as currency.

In 1945 it was decided that the issue of banknotes would only be allowed by the state and during the same year The Banco de Guatemala was formed. In 1948 the Banco de Guatemala issued its first banknotes and since it has been the sole banknote issuer in the country until this day.

Up until 1979 the value of the quetzal was pegged equal to the US dollar. Both US dollars and quetzals circulated side by side in the country. After 1979 the value of the quetzal has traded freely against other world currencies.

The Guatemalan quetzal is divided into 100 centavos, and its ISO 4217 code is GTQ. The plural of quetzal is quetzales in Spanish or in anglicized form quetzals.

Current banknotes in circulation come in denominations of 50 centavos, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 quetzals. Coins currently come in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 centavos and 1 quetzal.

The Banco de Guatemala issued a new 100 quetzales banknote early this year. The new banknotes is similar to the previous design but has a holographic strip added to improve security. The Banco de Guatemala has announced that a new polymer 1 quetzal banknote will be issued in May 2007. It is also planned that in the not to distant future the Banco de Guatemala will issued new high value banknotes in 200, 500 and 1000 quetzal denominations. The main designs of the front and back, as well as the dominating color of the new banknotes will be determined by the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala, but as of yet no final decision has been announced.

危地马拉格查尔样币

危地马拉格查尔铸币