Birbal Shortens Road

Birbal Shortens Road

The emperor Akbar was travelling to a distant place along with some of his courtiers. It was a hot day and the emperor was tiring of the journey.
"Can't anybody shorten this road for me?" he asked, querulously.
"I can," said Birbal.
The other courtiers looked at one another, perplexed. All of them knew there was no other path through the hilly terrain. The road they were travelling on was the only one that could take them to their destination.
"You can shorten the road?" said the emperor. "Well, do it."
"I will," said Birbal. "Listen first to this story I have to tell."
And riding beside the emperor's palanquin, he launched upon a long and intriguing tale that held Akbar and all those listening, spellbound. Before they knew it they had reached the end of their journey.
"We've reached?" exclaimed Akbar. "So soon!"
"Well," grinned Birbal, "you did say you wanted the road to be shortened."

The Sharpest Shield and Spear

The Sharpest Shield and Spear

A man who made spears and shields once came to Akbar's court.
"Your Majesty, nobody can make shields and spears to equal mine," he said. "My shields are so strong that nothing can pierce them and my spears are so sharp that there's nothing they cannot pierce."
"I can prove you wrong on one count certainly," said Birbal suddenly.
"Impossible!" declared the man.
"Hold up one of your shields and I will pierce it with one of your spears," said Birbal with a smile.

Deny Birbal's Generosity

Deny Birbal's Generosity

One day a man stopped Birbal in the street and began narrating his woes to him.
"I've walked twenty miles to see you," he told Birbal finally, "and all along the way people kept saying you were the most generous man in the country."
Birbal knew the man was going to ask him for money.
"Are you going back the same way?" he asked.
"Yes," said the man.
"Will you do me a favor?"
"Certainly," said the man. "What do you want me to do?"
"Please deny the rumor of my generosity," said Birbal, walking away.

Birbal's Visit to Persia

Birbal's Visit to Persia

Birbal was in Persia at the invitation of the king of that country. Parties were given in his honor and rich presents were heaped on him. On the eve of his departure for home, a nobleman asked him how he would compare the king of Persia to his own king.
"Your king is a full moon," said Birbal. "Whereas mine could be likened to the quarter moon."
The Persians were very happy. But when Birbal got home he found that Emperor Akbar was furious with him.
"How could you belittle your own king!" demanded Akbar. "You are a traitor!"
"No, Your Majesty," said Birbal. "I did not belittle you. The full moon diminishes and disappears whereas the quarter moon grows from strength to strength. What I, in fact, proclaimed to the world is that your power is growing from day to day whereas that of the king of Persia is about to go into decline."
Akbar grunted in satisfaction and welcomed Birbal back with a warm embrace.

Akbar's Dream

Akbar's Dream

Emperor Akbar was narrating a dream. The dream began with Akbar and Birbal walking towards each other on a moonless night. It was so dark that they could not see each other - and they collided, and fell.
"Fortunately for me," said the Emperor. "I fell into a pool of payasam. But guess what Birbal fell into?"
"What, your Majesty?" asked the courtiers.
"A gutter!"
The court resounded with laughter. The emperor was thrilled that for once he had been able to score over Birbal. But Birbal was unperturbed.
"Your Majesty," he said when the laughter had died down. "Strangely, I too had the same dream. But unlike you I slept on till the end. When you climbed out of that pool of delicious payasam and I, out of that stinking gutter we found that there was no water with which to clean ourselves and so guess what we did?
"What?" asked the emperor, warily.
"We licked each other clean!"
The emperor became red with embarrassment and resolved never to try to get the better of Birbal again.

Justice and Gold Coins

Justice and Gold Coins

One day Emperor Akbar asked Birbal what he would choose if he were given a choice between justice and a gold coin.
"The gold coin," said Birbal.
Akbar was taken aback.
"You would prefer a gold coin to justice?" he asked, incredulously.
"Yes," said Birbal.
The other courtiers were amazed by Birbal's display of idiocy.
For years they had been trying to discredit Birbal in the emperor's eyes but without success and now the man had gone and done it himself!
They could not believe their good fortune.
"I would have been dismayed if even the lowliest of my servants had said this," continued the emperor. "But coming from you it's. . . it's shocking - and sad. I did not know you were so debased!"
"One asks for what one does not have, Your Majesty!" said Birbal, quietly. "You have seen to it that in our country justice is available to everybody. So as justice is already available to me and as I'm always short of money I said I would choose the gold coin."
The emperor was so pleased with Birbal's reply that he gave him not one but a thousand gold coins.

Birbal and Noble Beggar

Birbal and Noble Beggar

Emperor Akbar asked Birbal if it was possible for a man to be the 'lowest' and the 'noblest' at the same time.
"It is possible," said Birbal.
"Then bring me such a person," said the emperor.
Birbal went out and returned with a beggar.
"He is the lowest among your subjects," he said, presenting him to Akbar.
"That might be true," said Akbar. "But I don't see how he can be the 'noblest'."
"He has been given the honour of an audience with the emperor," said Birbal. "That makes him the noblest among beggars."

Akbar Birbal Quarrel

Akbar Birbal Quarrel

Birbal was missing. He and the emperor had a quarrel and Birbal had stormed out of the palace vowing never to return. Now Akbar missed him and wanted him back but no one knew where he was.
Then the emperor had a brainwave. He offered a reward of 1000 gold coins to any man who could come to the palace observing the following condition. The man had to walk in the sun without an umbrella but he had to be in the shade at the same time.
"Impossible," said the people.
Then a villager came carrying a string cot over his head and claimed the prize.
"I've walked in the sun but at the same time I was in the shade of the strings of the cot," he said. It was a brilliant solution. On interrogation the villager confessed that the idea had been suggested to him by a man living with him.
"It could only be Birbal!" said the emperor, delighted. Sure enough it was Birbal and he and the emperor had a joyous reunion.

Birbal Identifies Guest

Birbal Identifies Guest

Birbal had been invited to lunch by a rich man. Birbal went to the man's house and found him in a hall full of people. His host greeted him warmly.
"I did not know there would be so many guests," said Birbal who hated large gatherings.
"They are not guests," said the man. "They are my employees, all except one man. He is the only other guest here beside you."
Then a crafty look came on the man's face.
"Can you tell me which of them is the guest?" he asked.
"Maybe I could," said Birbal. "Talk to them as I observe them. Tell them a joke or something."
The man told a joke that Birbal thought was perhaps the worst he had heard in a long time. When he finished everyone laughed uproariously.
"Well," said the rich man. "I've told my joke. Now tell me who my other guest is."
Birbal pointed out the man to him.
"How did you know?" asked his host, amazed.
"Employees tend to laugh at any joke told by their employers," explained Birbal. "When I saw that this man was the only one not laughing at your joke, and in fact, looked positively bored, I at once knew he was your other guest."

Birbal and Loyal Gardener

Birbal and Loyal Gardener

One day the Emperor Akbar stumbled on a rock in his garden. He was in a foul mood that day and the accident made him so angry that he ordered the gardener's arrest and execution.

The next day when the gardener was asked what his last wish was before he was hanged, he requested an audience with the emperor. This wish was granted, but when the man neared the throne he loudly cleared his throat and spat at the emperor's feet. The emperor was taken aback and demanded to know why he had done such a thing. The gardener had acted on Birbal's advice and now Birbal stepped forward in the man's defense.

"Your Majesty," he said, "there could be no person more loyal to you than this unfortunate man. Fearing that people would say you hanged him for a trifle, he has gone out of his way to give you a genuine reason for hanging him."

The emperor, realizing that he had been about to do a great injustice, set the man free.

Birbal and The Cabbages

Birbal and The Cabbages

One day Akbar and Birbal were riding through the countryside and they happened to pass by a cabbage patch.
"Cabbages are such delightful vegetables!" said Akbar. 

"I just love cabbage, "The cabbage is king of vegetables!" said Birbal.
A few weeks later they were riding past the cabbage patch again. This time however, the emperor made a face when he saw the vegetables. "I used to love cabbage but now I have no taste for it." said Akbar.
"The cabbage is a tasteless vegetable" agreed Birbal.
The emperor was astonished.
"But the last time you said it was the king of vegetables!" he said.
"I did," admitted Birbal. "But I am your servant Your Majesty, not the cabbage's."

Birbal and One Question

Birbal and One Question

One Day a scholar came to the court of Emperor Akbar and challenged Birbal to answer his questions and thus prove that he was as clever as people said he was. He asked Birbal, "Would you prefer to answer a hundred easy questions or just a single difficult one?"
Both the emperor and Birbal had had a difficult day and were impatient to leave.
"Ask me one difficult question," said Birbal.
"Well, then, tell me," said the man, "which came first into the world, the chicken or the egg?"
"The chicken," replied Birbal.
"How do you know?" asked the scholar, a note of triumph in his voice.
"We had agreed you would ask only one question and you have already asked it" said Birbal and the emperor walked away leaving the scholar gaping.

Birbal and The Child

Birbal and The Child

Birbal arrived late for a function and the emperor was displeased.
"My child was crying and I had to placate him," explained the courtier.
"Does it take so long to calm down a child?" asked the emperor. "It appears you know nothing about child rearing. Now you pretend to be a child and I shall act as your father and I will show you how you should have dealt with your child. Go on, ask me for whatever he asked of you."
"I want a cow," said Birbal.
Akbar ordered a cow to be brought to the palace.
"I want its milk" said Birbal, imitating the voice of a small child.
"Milk the cow and give to him," said Akbar to his servants.
The cow was milked and the milk was offered to Birbal. He drank a little and then handed the bowl back to Akbar.
"Now put the rest of it back into the cow, put it back, put in back, put it back..." wailed Birbal.
The emperor was flabbergasted and quietly left the room.

Birbal and Four Fingers

Birbal and Four Fingers

One day Akbar asked his courtiers if they could tell him the difference between truth and falsehood in three words or less.
The courtiers looked at one another in bewilderment.
"What about you, Birbal?" asked the emperor. "I'm surprised that you too are silent."
"I'm silent because I want to give others a chance to speak," said Birbal.
"Nobody else has the answer," said the emperor. "So go ahead and tell me what the difference between truth and falsehood is in three words or less."
"Four fingers" said Birbal
"Four fingers?" asked the emperor, perplexed.
"That's the difference between truth and falsehood, your Majesty," said Birbal. "That which you see with your own eyes is the truth. That which you have only heard about might not be true. More often than not, it's likely to be false."
"That is right," said Akbar. "But what did you mean by saying the difference is four fingers?'
"The distance between one's eyes and one's ears is the width of four fingers, Your Majesty," said Birbal, grinning.

Sweet Reply of Birbal

Sweet Reply of Birbal

One day the Emperor Akbar startled his courtiers with a strange question.
"If somebody pulled my whiskers what sort of punishment should be given him?" he asked.
"He should be flogged!" said one courtier.
"He should be hanged!" said another.
"He should be beheaded!" said a third.
"And what about you, Birbal?" asked the emperor. "What do you think would be the right thing thing to do if somebody pulled my whiskers?"
"He should be given sweets," said Birbal.
"Sweets?" gasped the other couriers.
"Yes, said Birbal. "Sweets, because the only one who would dare pull His Majesty's whiskers is his grandson."
So pleased was the emperor with the answer that he pulled off his ring and gave it to Birbal as a reward.

Birbal and Limping Horse

Birbal and Limping Horse

A nobleman's prized racehorse began to limp for no apparent reason. Veterinarians who were called found nothing wrong with the leg - no fracture, no sprain, no soreness - and they were baffled.
The nobleman finally consulted Birbal, man known for his wisdom.
"Has anything changed for the horse in the last few months?" he asked.
"I changed his trainer a few weeks ago," said the nobleman.
"Does the horse get on well with his new trainer?"
"Very well! In fact, he's devoted to him."
"Does the trainer limp?"
"Uh... yes, he does."
"The reason for the horse's limp is clear," said the Birbal. "He's imitating his handler. We all tend to imitate those whom we admire. The company we keep has a great influence on us."
The nobleman put the horse in the charge of another trainer, and the horse soon stopped limping.

Birbal and True King

Birbal and True King

The King of Iran had heard that Birbal was one of the wisest men in the East and desirous of meeting him sent him an invitation to visit his country.
In due course, Birbal arrived in Iran. When he entered the palace he was flabbergasted to find not one but six kings seated there. All looked alike. All were dressed in kingly robes. Who was the real king?
The very next moment he got his answer. Confidently, he approached the king and bowed to him.
"But how did you identify me?" the king asked, puzzled.
Birbal smiled and explained: "The false kings were all looking at you, while you yourself looked straight ahead. Even in regal robes, the common people will always look to their king for support."
Overjoyed, the king embraced Birbal and showered him with gifts.

True Owner of the Tree

True Owner of the Tree

Ramu and Somu both claimed ownership of the same mango tree. One day they approached Birbal and asked him to settle the dispute. Birbal said to them: "There is only one way to settle the matter. Pluck all the fruits on the tree and divide them equally between the two of you. Then cut down the tree and divide the wood".
Ramu thought it was a fair judgement and said so. But Somu was horrified.
"Your Honor" he said to Birbal "I've tended that tree for seven years. I'd rather let Ramu have it than see it cut down."
"Your concern for the tree has told me all I wanted to know" said Birbal, and declared Somu the true owner of the tree.

The Bull's Music Winner

The Bull's Music Winner

Famous musicians once gathered at Akbar's court for a competition. The one who could capture a bull's interest was to be declared the winner.
One by one, they played the most heavenly music but the bull paid no attention. Then Birbal took the stage. His music sounded like the droning of mosquitoes and the mooing of cows. But to everyone's amazement the bull suddenly became alert and began to move in a lively manner.
Akbar declared Birbal the winner.

Birbal Question for Akbar Question

Birbal Question for Akbar Question

One day Akbar said to Birbal: "Can you tell me how many bangles your wife wears?"
Birbal said he could not.
"You cannot?" exclaimed Akbar. "You see her hands every day while she serves you food. Yet you do not know how many bangles she has on her hands? How is that?"
"Let us go down to the garden, Your Majesty," said Birbal, "and I'll tell you."
They went down the small staircase that led to the garden. Then Birbal turned to the emperor: "Your Majesty," he said, "You go up and down this staircase every day. Can you tell me how many steps there are in the staircase?"
The emperor grinned sheepishly and quickly changed the subject.

Birbal and Painting

Birbal and Painting

Once Akbar told Birbal "Birbal, make me a painting. Use imagination in it. To which the reply was "But hoozoor, I am a minister, how can I possibly paint?".The king was angry and said "If I don't get a good painting by one week then you shall be hanged!". The clever Birbal had an idea. After one week, he went to the court and with him he carried a covered frame. Akbar was happy to see that Birbal had obeyed him, until he opened the cover. The courtiers rushed to see what was wrong. What they saw made them feel very happy. At last, they would not see Birbal in court! The painting was nothing but ground and sky. There were a few specs of green on the ground. The Emperor, angrily, told Birbal "what is this!" To which the reply was "A cow eating grass hozoor!". Akbar said "where is the cow and grass?" the Birbal told "I used my imagination. The cow ate the grass and returned to its shed!"

Birbal's Intelligence

Birbal's Intelligence

One fine morning , a minister from Emperor Akbar's court had gathered in the assembly hall. He informed the Emperor that all his valuables had been stolen by a thief the previous night. Akbar was shocked to hear this beause the place where that minister lived was the safest place in the kingdom. He invited Birbal to solve the mystery. Akbar said "It is definitely not possible for an outsider to enter into the minister's house and steal the valuables. This blunder is definitely committed only by another minister of that court." Saying so he arranged for a donkey to be tied to a pillar . He ordered all the courtiers to lift the donkey's tail and say "I have not stolen." Birbal added "Only then we can judge the culprit." After everyone had finished, he asked the courtiers to show their palm to him. All the courtiers except Alim Khan had a black patch of paint on their palm. Birbal had actually painted the donkey's tail with a black coat of paint. In the fright, the guilty minister did not touch the donkey's tail at all. Thus Birbal once again proved his intelligence and was rewarded by the king with 1000 gold coins.

Birbal and Blind Saint

Birbal and Blind Saint

There lived a Blind saint in an ashram in the kingdom of Emperor Akbar. He was believed to prophecy the future correctly. Once he had a visitor who had come to treat their niece. The child's parents were killed in front of the girl's eyes. Once she saw the saint, she started to scream loudly saying that the saint was the culprit. Angered by the girl's words the saint demanded the couple to get away with their child. The whole day the girl cried which made the couple to realize that the girl was not lying. Therefore, they decided to seek the help of Raja Birbal. Birbal consoled them and asked them to wait at the Emperor's assembly. Birbal had invited the saint to Akbar's court too. Then in front of all the ministers he drew a sword and neared the saint to kill him. The saint in bewilderment immediately drew another sword and began to fight. Thus by this act of the saint it was proved that he wasn't blind. Therefore
Akbar demanded to hang the culprit and rewarded the girl for her bravery for telling the truth even at the critical situation.

Birbal and Well in dispute

Birbal and Well in dispute

Once there was a complaint at King Akbar's court. There were two neighbours who shared their garden. In that garden, there was a well that was possessed by Iqbal khan. His neighbour, who was a farmer wanted to buy the well for irrigation purpose. Therefore they signed an agreement between them, after which the farmer owned the well. Even after selling the well to the farmer, Iqbal continued to fetch water from the well. Angered by this, the farmer had come to get justice from King Akbar. King Akbar asked Iqbal the reason for fetching water from the well even after selling it to the farmer. Iqbal replied
that he had sold only the well to the farmer but not the water inside it. King Akbar wanted Raja Birbal who was present in the court listening to the problem to solve the dispute. Birbal came forward and gave a solution. He said " Iqbal, You say that you have sold only the well to the farmer. And you claim that the water is yours. Then how come you can keep your water inside another person's well without paying rent?" Iqbal's trickery was countered thus in a tricky way. The farmer got justice and Birbal was fairly rewarded.

Birbal and List of Blind

Birbal and List of Blind

Once King Birbal questioned Raja Birbal if he knows the number of blind citizens of their kingdom. Raja Birbal had requested Akbar to give him a weeks time. The next day Raja Birbal was found to be mending shoes in the town market. People were astonished to see Birbal doing such work. Many of them started to question "Birbal! What are you doing?" Once when he was asked this question by someone he started writing something. It continued for a week when on the 7th day King Akbar himself asked Birbal the same question. Giving him no answer, Birbal reported at the court the next day and handed over a note to King Akbar. Akbar read the note when he found that it was the big list of people who were blind. Emperor Akbar was stunned when he found his own name in the list. Angered by this, Akbar asked Birbal the reason for writing his name in the list. Birbal said "O! My majesty! Like all other people you also saw me mending the slippers but you still asked me what I was doing. Therefore I had to include your name too." Akbar started laughing at this and everyone enjoyed Birbal's sense of humour.

Birbal and The Khichdi

Birbal and The Khichdi

It was winter. The ponds were all frozen. At the court, Akbar asked Birbal, "Tell me Birbal! Will a man do anything for money?" Birbal replied, 'Yes'. The emperor ordered him to prove it.
The next day Birbal came to the court along with a poor brahmin who merely had a penny left with him. His family was starving. Birbal told the king that the brahmin was ready to do anything for the sake of money. The king ordered the brahmin to be inside the frozen pond all through the night without any attire if he needed money. The poor brahmin had no choice. The whole night he was inside the pond, shivering. He returned to the durbar the next day to receive his reward.
The king asked "Tell me Oh poor brahmin! How could you withstand the extreme temperature all through the night?" The innocent brahmin replied "I could see a faintly glowing light a kilo meter away and I withstood with that ray of light." Akbar refused to pay the brahmin his reward saying that he had got warmth from the light and withstood the cold and that was cheating. The poor brahmin could not argue with him and so returned disappointed and bare-handed.
Birbal tried to explain to the king but the king was in no mood to listen to him. Thereafter, Birbal stopped coming to the durbar and sent a messenger to the king saying that he would come to the court only after cooking his khichdi.
As Birbal did not turn up even after 5 days, the king himself went to Birbal's house to see what he was doing. Birbal had lit the fire and kept the pot of uncooked khichdi one metre away from it. Akbar questioned him "How will the khichdi get cooked with the fire one metre away? What is wrong with you Birbal?"
Birbal replied "Oh my great King of Hindustan! When it was possible for a person to receive warmth from a light that was a kilometre away, then it is possible for this khichdi, which is just a metre away from the source of heat, to get cooked." Akbar understood his mistake. He called the poor brahmin and rewarded him 2000 gold coins.

Birbal and Jealous Courtiers

Birbal and Jealous Courtiers

One day Emperor Akbar was inspecting the law and order situation in the kingdom. One of his ministers, who was jealous of Raja Birbal, complained that the Emperor gave importance only to Birbal's suggestions and all the other ministers were ignored. Akbar wanted the minister to know how wise Birbal was.
There was a marriage procession going on. The Emperor ordered the minister to enquire whose marriage it was. The minister found out and walked towards the Emperor wearing a proud expression on his face. Then the king called Birbal and asked him too to enquire whose marriage was going on. When Birbal returned, Akbar asked the minister "Where are the couple going?" The minister said that the king had only asked him to enquire whose marriage was going on. Then Akbar asked Birbal the same question. "O My Majesty! They are going to the city of Allahabad," replied Raja Birbal. Now the King turned towards the minister and said, "Now do you understand why Birbal is more important to me? It is not enough if you complete a task. You have to use your intelligence to do a little more work. The minister's face fell. He had learnt the importance of being Birbal, the hard way.

The Greedy Guard

Greedy Guard and Half Reward

Mahesh Das was a citizen in Akbar's kingdom. He was an intelligent young man. Once when Akbar went hunting in the jungle, he lost his way. Mahesh Das who lived in the outskirts helped the king reach the palace. The emperor rewarded him with his ring.
The Emperor also promised to give him a responsible posting at his court. After a few days Mahesh Das went to the court. The guard did not allow him to enter. Mahesh Das showed the guard the ring which the king had given him. Now the guard thought that the young man was sure to get more rewards by the king. The greedy guard agreed to allow him inside the court on one condition. It was that Mahesh Das had to pay him half the reward he would get from the Emperor. Mahesh Das accepted the condition. He then entered the court and showed the ring to the King. The King who recognized Mahesh asked him "Oh young man! What do you expect as a reward from the King of Hindustan?" "Majesty! I expect 50 lashes from you as a reward." replied Mahesh Das. The courtiers were stunned. They thought that he was mad. Akbar pondered over his request and asked him the reason. Mahesh Das said he would tell him the reason after receiving his reward. Then the king's men whipped him as per his wish. After the 25th lash Mahesh Das requested the King to call the guard who was at the gate. The guard appeared before the King. He was happy at the thought that he was called to be rewarded. But to his surprise, Mahesh Das told the King ,"Jahampana! This greedy guard let me inside on condition that I pay him half the reward I receive from you. I wanted to teach him a lesson. Please give the remaining 25 lashes to this guard so that I can keep my promise to him."
The King then ordered that the guard be given 25 lashes along with 5 years of imprisonment. The King was very happy with Mahesh Das. He called him 'RAJA BIRBAL' and made him his chief minister.

Birbal and The Thief

Birbal and The Thief



Birbal was one of the nine gems in the court of emperor Akbar. He was respected by everyone for his intelligence and wit. Whenever Akbar was in difficulty, he called Birbal for help.
Akbar was very fond of jewelry. He had many rings of gold, pearls and diamonds. His favorite ring was the one with a large diamond at the centre and pearls around.
At the emperor's palace, there were eight servants who looked after his clothes and jewelry. They also helped him get ready to go to the court. No one else was allowed to enter his room.
One day, the Emperor wanted to wear his favorite ring. But it was missing. Akbar ordered a search for the ring. But no one could find it.
Akbar then asked his men to call Birbal. When Birbal came, he told him about the robbery and asked for help. Birbal called all the eight servants who were in charge of the Emperor's room.
He gave each of them a stick of the same size and asked them to come back with it the next day. He told them that the stick of the person who had stolen the ring would become longer by one inch that night.
The next morning, the eight servants stood in a line with their sticks. Birbal caught hold of one of them and took him to Akbar.
The man fell at Akbar's feet and admitted that he had stolen the ring.
The king was surprised. He asked Birbal how he found out the culprit. Birbal said the thief had cut his stick by an inch fearing that it would grow.

Trip Around the Earth

Trip Around the Earth


As usual a lot of people were present in Akbar's durbar. A famous astrologer had come from a far away country. He was talking about the Solar System and the Earth's shape.
At one point Akbar said, "If the earth is round, and if one travel strait towards one direction, he will come back to the same spot from where he has started the journey."
"Theoretically it is correct", said the astrologer.
"Why not in real life?", asked the king.
"One has to cross oceans, mountains and forests to keep the path straight." the astrologer said.
"Sail through the oceans, make tunnels in the mountains and use elephants to cross the forests." Akbar found the solution.
"Still it is impossible" said the astrologer.
"Why?" Asked Akbar.
"It may take years to complete the whole journey" said the astrologer
"Years? How many?" asked Akbar.
"I don't know. May be a hundred years or more" said the astrologer
"Don't worry I will ask my ministers. They have an answer for everything" Akbar looked at the ministers.
"Impossible to calculate"
"Around 25 years"
"Fifty years or less"
"80 days"
"Why Birbal, you haven't uttered a word" the king showed his surprise at Birbal's silence.
"I was just calculating the time required to go round the earth" explained Birbal.
"And did you get the answer?" asked the king.
"Sure." Said Birbal "It will take just one day."
"Just one day! Birbal it is Impossible! Even it will take more than one day to cross our country." Said Akbar.
"It is possible. Provided you travel at the speed of the Sun" said Birbal with a smile.

Chimera

Chimera


The Chimera, in mythology, is a Greek monster with the body and head of a lion with a snake for a tail and a fire-breathing goat head coming from its back. Different versions of Chimera mythology have slightly different descriptions, such as wings on the back or the back legs of a snake, but most follow the description above.

No matter how you describe it, the Chimera is the daughter of Greek monster gods Typhon and Echidna, which means its siblings include other famous Greek monsters such as The Sphinx, Cerberus, and Ladon.

Merely seeing the Chimera was a bad omen. The Greek monster regularly appeared before disasters such as shipwrecks, violent storms, and volcanic eruptions.

The most famous moment involving the Chimera in Greek mythology is when the Greek hero Bellerophon, with the help of his trusty winged steed, Pegasus, killed the Chimera with a bow and arrow from the sky above.

Beyond mythology, the term "chimera" is used in scientific research to explain an animal that contains more than one set of genetic codings. This is a clear nod to the Greek monster, in that the monster itself is a combination of three different 'normal' animals.

The use of the word "chimera" as a way of describing a hybrid "monster" of sorts seems to be the most lasting element of the Chimera mythology. In later medieval usage, the word was used to describe any hybrid monster combination, and had a deep connection to the evil and demonic. There are many hybrid monsters, even if you just look at Greek monsters alone, so it's somewhat interesting that the Chimera was the one of all of them to end up defining a term that is still used in multiple purposes today.

Charybdis

Charybdis


Charybdis (Greek mythology) is one of several Greek monsters that appeared in multiple famous myths, such as "The Odyssey" and "Jason and the Argonauts". She is often known only in her most vicious form - a swirling whirlpool of death that swallowed enormous amounts of water and anything that got caught in it.

She wasn't always this way. Originally she was a naiad, a water nymph, and the goddess of the tide. She was the beautiful and immortal daughter of the sea god Poseidon (Greek mythology) and the earth goddess Gaia (Greek mythology). In this form, she served her father as something of a conqueror in his quest for dominance of sea over land. Poseidon would create storms on the sea which his daughter would ride onto the land, flooding and inundating towns, forests, and beaches alike.
She was so successful that Zeus took notice of her claims on his land and grew furious. He transformed her into a sea monster, a giant bulbous beast with a giant mouth, and chained her to the bottom of the sea in the Strait of Messina. Three times a day her sea monster form would suck down water from the sea and spit it back out, forever continuing her duties of creating the tides, but swallowing anything that got caught in her whirlpool.

Charybdis famously sits directly across the Strait of Messina from another sea monster, Scylla. Together they make travel through the Strait a nightmare decision - be eaten by Scylla or swallowed by the whirlpool.

In The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus chooses to sail closer to Scylla and lose a few of his men rather than risk his entire ship swallowed up in the inescapable whirlpool. The Argonauts, with help from Hera (Greek mythology) were able to avoid both sea monsters altogether.

Cerberus

Cerberus


Cerberus (Greek mythology) is best known as the guardian to the gates of Hades (the Underworld).
In Greek mythology Cerberus is depicted as a dog with three ferocious heads and the tail of a snake. He is one of the great Greek monsters born unto Typhon and Echidna.
His sole task is essentially be the "bouncer" of Hades. As the rules go, only the dead may enter the Underworld, and none may leave.

There are only a couple of myths in Greek mythology where a hero gets the better of Cerberus. The first is when Orpheus (Greek mythology), the famed musician, sneaks into Hades by lulling the usually unstoppable Cerberus to sleep with his beautiful music.

The second myth is when Hercules (Greek mythology), with the approval of Hades (Greek mythology), the god of the Underworld, gets Cerberus in a choke hold, knocks him out, and kidnaps him. He is eventually returned to his post where he remains to this day.



Other than these myths, the three-headed hound of Hell is an unmatched force for anyone trying to get in or out of Hades without express permission.

In vampire mythology, it is said that the souls of all vampires are held in a container (a coffin, appropriately), somewhere in Hades. According to the Vampire Origin Story, because of a deal made by the first vampire, if any vampire should ever return to Hades they can get in (because technically they are dead), but they can never leave again.

Some believe that due to his unmatched dedication to the gods of ancient Greece, Cerberus was eventually released by Hades and was able to join the gods in a more human immortal form, thereafter being known by the name Naberius.

Centaur

Centaur


Centaur mythology revolves around half-horse / half-human creatures whose origin is little understood.

In ancient Greek mythology centaurs are basically frat boys with horse bodies. I'm talking the body of a horse up to its neck, then the torso, head, and arms of a total human being.

In general they were wild and rude, loud and unruly, and generally just liked to run around the countryside getting drunk and being jerks.

There was one key exception and that was Chiron, who was pretty much the exact opposite of all the other centaurs. He was smart, well-spoken, skilled in art and music, and on top of it all he was kind and friendly to all humans. People liked Chiron so much that the higher class citizens, including many of the demi-gods, had him tutor their children. Among the more famous names were Aesculapius, who became the god of medicine, and the immortally strong Hercules.

Chiron is often mistakenly credited as the figure in the Sagittarius myth, when he is actually the figure in the constellation Centaurus.

Either way he is the exception to the centaur rule. The rest of his kind were loud, obnoxious, and often drunk. One famous story told of Hercules swiping some centaur wine and getting into a huge brawl over it. The lesson? Never take a drunk's wine. Especially that of someone who is half-horse.

Later legends show more evolved centaurs who are not quite as wild, but just as dangerous. These centaurs are more focused hunters, though for the most part they aren't particularly crazy about humans.

Except for Amazons. Apparently, Amazons, the wild warrior women of myth, play a key part in late centaur mythology. They are the lovers of male centaurs. Try not to picture what that looks like, it's probably illegal.

There's not a lot more to say about them other than the fact that despite being legendary monsters from thousands of years ago, most people know enough about centaur mythology to at least know what a centaur is. That's actually a pretty good accomplishment.

If you don't believe me, ask the next person you see if they know what a centaur is. Chances are they might not know their history, but they'll know they are half-men/half-horses. Then ask that same person what a basilisk is. Both creatures are from the same era known to many of the same ancient peoples, but the truth is that most people won't know what you are talking about. And by now they are probably going to be looking at you funny wondering why you are asking them such strange questions.

The point is - centaur mythology has been around for a very long time, and shows no sign of going away any time soon.

Golem

Golem


The term "golem" is largely misunderstood due in part to the difference between popular uses of the moniker in different mythologies.

In its original and primary meaning, a golem is a humanoid creature made of some sort of inanimate mineral and brought to life through magic. A person with the right skills could build "person" out of sand, dirt, clay, stone, or like material and then magically animate and controlling the creature. Golems can be brought to life through various magical methods, but the most common is either etching a magic word into their foreheads or writing a magic word on a piece of paper and putting it in their mouths.

Golems first appeared in Jewish mythology, with the most famous being the Golem of Prague. According to legend, this clay creature was created in the late 16th century by Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the chief rabbi of Prague, to protect the Jews in Prague from persecution by the Roman Emperor. Various versions of the tale exist, but it seems to end with the Emperor begging the Rabbi to deactivate the the creature in exchange for the end of the persecution. To do so, the Rabbi removed the first letter from the magic word on the golem's forehead, changing it from "emet" (truth, real) to "met" (dead). This deactivated creature is said to still exist in the attic of the Old New Synagogue in Prague, able to be reactivated by someone with knowledge of the proper activation ritual. The attic is not open for public viewing.

More modern recreations of golem mythology have made of various materials such as lava or ice, but most commonly they are made of clay or stone. Kevin Smith's 1999 movie "Dogma" even features a golem made of... how to say this nicely... human excrement. Okay, that's definitely reaching pretty far, but it goes to show that golems can be created out of just about anything.

An important note about golems is that they do not have a mind of their own. They are quite like robots in the sense that they can't think for themselves, they can only follow commands. It is important also to remember that golems take their orders literally. Their controllers must be very specific so the golem doesn't cause more trouble than it helps.

One of the most popular references to the name "golem" comes in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic "Fellowship Of The Rings" series. In it a creature known as "Golem" plays a central role in the primary quest of the main characters, but is not in any way the same as the golems discussed thus far. Most likely this use of the term comes from the old use of "golem" as an insult towards people who don't think for themselves. Tolkien's "Golem" was once a human that was so obsessed with the power of a magical ring that he lost his ability to think of anything else.

Bigfoot

Bigfoot


A very large, hairy, humanoid creature from North American folklore reputed to inhabit wilderness areas of the U.S. and Canada, esp. the Pacific Northwest. Also, known as Big Foot, Sasquatch,The Abominable Snowman, or Yeti.

Yeti
The Abominable Snowman, or Metch-Kangmi in Tibetan, is a huge, hairy creature that walks upright and haunts the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. For years explorers have reported footprints measuring as much as 12½ by 6½ inches in the snow.

While leading an expedition on Mt. Annapurna in 1970, Don Whillans spotted a large, furry creature walking on two legs on a nearby mountain. He watched through binoculars for half an hour before the "snowman" vanished in a clump of trees.

Scientists believe bears, which can walk on two legs, could have left some of the footprints. Other observers suggest wolves, goats, snow leopards, or perhaps falling rocks or snow could be responsible. However, the Sherpa people of the region have traditionally believed that the Himalayan peaks are haunted by demons and spirits, while the Yeti, an ancient beast, prowls the mountains.

Yeren

Variously referred to as the Yiren, Yeh Ren, Chinese Wild man, "The Wild man of Shennongjia", Man-Monkey or "Man Bear" is said to be an as yet undiscovered hominid in China's remote mountainous and forested Hubei province.

Many people think that there is a species and that the Yeti, Bigfoot, Yeren, Yowie, etc, are all related somehow and that when all the continents were together they traveled to different places and adapted very quickly. This theory has not been proven yet but many people believe it to be true.

Mermaid

Mermaid


A mermaid (from the Middle English mere in the obsolete sense 'sea' + maid(en) is a legendary aquatic creature with the head and torso of human female and the tail of a fish. The male version of a mermaid is called a merman; the gender-neutral collective noun is merfolk. Various cultures throughout the world have similar figures.

In some ancient cultures Mermaids were regarded as semi-divine aspects of the Goddess, connected to the sea from which life arises and honored in seaside temples. The earliest Mermaid story comes from Assyria around 1000 BCE. Atargatis, an Assyrian priestess, jumped into the sea to wash away the shame of an unwanted pregnancy and emerged as a fishtailed goddess. In the 2nd century BCE, the Greek historian Lucian reported that the statue of the Great Goddess at the temple of Hieropolis (which is now modern Turkey) had a fishtail instead of legs. In Greece, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, as born from the sea foam and rode to land on a half-scallop shell.

In the 1st century CE, Pliny wrote convincingly of the existence of Mermaids, but said that their bodies were 'rough and scaled all over'. But by the 5th century CE, the bestiary Physiologus described Mermaids in terms that accord fully with their contemporary image. Mermaids are 'wonderfully shaped as a maid from the navel up and fish from the navel down'.

Mermaids were often sighted by seamen during the middle ages, Christopher Columbus among them, who reported seeing three Mermaids on his first voyage to the Americas in 1493. Mermaids figured prominetly in sailors' lore, because of such travellers' tales. The most common story was that Mermaids were incredibly skilled at seducing lonely sailors and dragging them down to their underwater kingdom. It was also believed that they could cause storms and shipwrecks. These beliefs were reinforced by the medieval Church, to which Mermaids were an emblem of vanity, lust and the spiritual perils of women and of sexuality.

The Sirens of Greek mythology are sometimes portrayed in later folklore as mermaids; in fact in some languages the name sirena is used interchangeably for both creatures. Other related types of mythical or legendary creature are water fairies (e.g. various water nymphs) and selkies.

Basilisk

Basilisk


The basilisk appeared in various forms throughout history. Is started off as a small crowned snake being able to kill with its lethal poison and evil gaze. The poison was so lethal, it left a wide trail of venom in its wake.
Later on, the medieval travelers described it as a large, fire breathing creature with a terrifying roar.
The description changed even further, creating a rooster with a serpent's tail and (occasionally) dragon wings. This shows similarities with the cockatrice, but there is one difference. The basilisk is said to be hatched from the egg of a rooster (yes, rooster, not chicken) and incubated by a toad, while the birthing process of a cockatrice is vice versa, a toad's egg hatched by a rooster.
In the meantime another appearance has been made up, a lizard, with a rooster's head, the tail of a serpent and eight chicken legs. This lead to its looks in the popular culture, making it a large, six- or eight-legged lizard, armed with a petrifying gaze.
The tales about the basilisk and the mirror really exist, but it can be slayed by other various methods. It is also vulnerable to the cockcrow of a rooster. This belief lead to travelers carrying roosters for self protection.
It can also be stopped by the odor of a weasel. The villagers threw it in the pit (recognized by the dying vegetation nearby) of the basilisk in hope to get rid of the beast. The weasel itself usually kills the basilisk on its own as well by urinating on the monster, but this almost always leads to the death of the mammal.
Other interesting facts are, that the basilisk can only be a male, for it must have the most proper receptacle of venom and destructive qualities. Its is also said to be so evil, that when it cannot gaze animals to death it turns to plants, withering them anywhere it goes.
The basilisk is believed to be the most poisonous creature ever lived, there are tales where the basilisk was killed by a spear from horse-back, but the poison flowed upward and killed both the man and the ride. Its presence is so tainting, that not only herbs die of its terrible breath, but stones shatter as well. The basilisk's venom is so strong, that upon drinking from a well, the water remains polluted for centuries, bringing death to anyone drinking it.
Despite its cruel nature, it still resembles power (and sometimes that of hell in christian mythology), thus it became the guardian creature and the traditional symbol of the Swiss city Basel.

King,Queen and Wicked Aunt

King,Queen and Wicked Aunt



Once upon a time there was a Royal Kingdom. The King and Queen are not having any Kids for so long. So the king was so worried about his kingdom. Many people in the Kingdom suggested him to get marry again but the King rejected to marry again as he loves the Queen so deeply.

The king is having Aunt who is so Wicked. She wanted the King to Marry her daughter so that they can make her daughter's Son as Future King. But the King was never interested in her daughter. So she wanted to make the King to dislike his Wife so that her wicked plan to Work.

One day, the wicked Aunt thought of a plan and she mixed a potion in Queen's Food. Next day the Queen Lost all her Hair and Became Ugly with some Skin Disease. The Queen felt so ashamed of herself to show the King her Ugly Face. So she ran away from the Royal Palace.

Next day, the King finds out that Queen is Missing. The King sent the Royal Guards to Find the Queen. The Guards Found the Queen sitting under a Tree. As the Guards arriving the Queen, she noticed them and started running away from them. The Guards were chasing after her. Soon the Queen disappeared into the Woods, there she found an old house. As she entered the house, she noticed an old sick woman laying on the bed. The Queen felt pity for the old woman and asked old woman that if she doesn't mind, she would like to stay and take care of old woman as she has nowhere to go. The old woman agree. The Queen treated her well and soon the Old woman became healthy under Queen's care. 

One day, the Old woman found the Queen crying in Night. The Old woman arrived her and asked the Cause for her Grief. The Queen told the Old woman that she is missing her Husband, the King. The Old woman asked the Queen if she wanted to see her Husband? The Queen said, Yes. Then Old woman took her to a Magical mirror in the basement and said some Mantra (Magic spell) Soon the mirror started showing the things happening in her Kingdom.The Queen then understood that, the Old woman is a witch. 

The Queen saw that the King was sick as he lost his beloved Wife. Queen found King's Aunt standing in front of him and advising him to marry her Daughter but the King rejected her offer saying, I am sure my Queen will come back, i have no place for any other woman in my life except for my Wife. Seeing that the Queen feels so happy. Soon the Aunt leaves from there and goes to her daughters room. The Queen suspects the King's Aunt and asks the Old woman to show whatever the Aunt doing. As the Aunt entered her daughter's room, she told her daughter to attract King to marry soon as she struggled so much to get rid off Queen.

The Queen understood King's Aunt's evil plan and she decided to go back to her Kingdom. The Queen took permission from Old woman and left to her Kingdom. The Queen covered her face and went to the King. She explained everything Happened to the King. The King punished his Aunt and her daughter.

The King looked at Queen and told her, I love you for whatever you are inside not just the out side. The Queen felt so ashamed of her act. The Royal doctor treated the Queen and soon she became normal like before. After some time, the King and Queen were blessed with a Handsome Prince and They lived happily ever after.

The Hunter and The Jackal

The Hunter and The Jackal


Once, in a village named Ramgarh resided a hunter Shanker with his wife and 2 children. Everyday, he used to go to the jungle to hunt animals. This was his occupation by means of which he earned a living for his family. One day, he left his house with the goal to hunt down a deer in the forest.

Fortunately, he could find a deer easily. He killed the deer instantly. Taking the dead deer on his shoulders, he started heading towards his house.

On the way back home, he spotted a wild boar. He thought to himself, “Today is a lucky day for me. I have another animal to hunt down. My family will have a stomach filling meal for the next two days.” Thinking so, he immediately dropped the dead dear down and struck the boar with his arrow. Having missed his aim, the arrow struck the boar on the side of the neck. The boar cried out in anger and pain.

Seeing the hunter, he charged towards him and hit the hunter’s stomach with its pointed tusks. The hunter shouted in agony and dropped on the ground. The tusks had pierced inside the body of the hunter. Within a few minutes, the hunter and the boar lay dead on the ground.

After a few minutes, a jackal passed the spot where the hunter and the boar were lying dead. He walked a few steps ahead and found a dead dear too. The jackal was hungry and he was surprised to find so much food for himself. He said to himself, “I am so lucky to find so much to eat in one day. I didn’t have to make any efforts to kill any of them. I will however, eat them one by one so that the meal can last for as long as 3 days. I don’t have to hunt for food till then. I am going to have a feast for the next 3 days and a peaceful sleep.”

Thinking so, he began to lick the arrow. The moment he ate the pointed arrow, it stuck to his jaw and pierced inside his mouth. Unable to withstand the pain, the jackal too died on the spot.

Thus the hunter and the Jackal died a sudden death out of greed to acquire more. If they would have been satisfied they would have been alive.

One never gets paid for being greedy. Greed always results in loss. One should be satisfied with what one acquires

The Two Heads Bird

The Two Heads Bird


Once there existed a weird bird called Gharuda. The bird lived on a mango tree near a river. Gharuda possessed two necks but only one stomach. Once, when the bird was hunting for food near the river banks, it came across a brown fruit. The fruit appeared delicious and worth eating. The bird caught the fruit and started eating the fruit with one head. It was the yummiest food the bird had eaten in its life. The second head which didn’t taste the fruit said to the first one, “Please allow me also to taste the delicious fruit. “

Hearing this first head replied, “You very well know, we have one stomach and two heads. Any one of the head eats the food; it is going to reach the stomach. So it hardly makes any difference whichever head eats the food. I have all right over the food, since I was the first to find it.” Hearing this second head got disappointed and felt hurt because of the selfish nature of the first head.

The second head humbly didn’t argue with the first. After some day, the second day came across a tree bearing poisonous fruits. He got hold of the fruit and angrily said to the first head, “You selfish one, I will now eat this poisonous fruit and take revenge on your selfish behavior some day back. You deceived me, this is the right time to reward you for your dreadful behavior.”

The first head got afraid by this behavior of the second head. He yelled at him, “Please don’t do this to me. Don’t eat this poisonous food. We have one stomach and if you eat this fruit both of us will die due to its poison.” Angrily the second head said, “Be quiet. The other day, you said you found the fruit so you had the right to consume it. I have hunted down this fruit, so I have the authority to consume it.” Hearing this, tears started flowing through the eyes of the first head. But this didn’t bother the second head. He carried on eating the fruit. After sometime, poison started spreading inside the stomach and gradually in all parts of the body. Eventually, both died because of the poison.

Moral : Always share good things with others. It brings more good things to

Country, Currency and Capital

Country, Currency and Capital


Sr. No.
Country
Currency
Capital
1
Afghanistan
Afghani
Kabul
2
Albania
Lek
Tirane
3
Algeria
Dinar
Algiers
4
Andorra
Euro
Andorra la Vella
5
Angola
New Kwanza
Luanda
6
Antigua and Barbuda
East Caribbean dollar
Saint John's
7
Argentina
Peso
Buenos Aires
8
Armenia
Dram
Yerevan
9
Australia
Australian dollar
Canberra
10
Austria
Euro
Vienna
11
Azerbaijan
Manat
Baku
12
The Bahamas
Bahamian dollar
Nassau
13
Bahrain
Bahrain dinar
Manama
14
Bangladesh
Taka
Dhaka
15
Barbados
Barbados dollar
Bridgetown
16
Belarus
Belorussian ruble
Minsk
17
Belgium
Euro (formerly Belgian franc)
Brussels
18
Belize
Belize dollar
Belmopan
19
Benin
CFA Franc
Porto-Novo
20
Bhutan
Ngultrum
Thimphu
21
Bolivia
Boliviano
La Paz (administrative); Sucre (judicial)
22
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marka
Sarajevo
23
Botswana
Pula
Gaborone
24
Brazil
Real
Brasilia
25
Brunei
Brunei dollar
Bandar Seri Begawan
26
Bulgaria
Lev
Sofia
27
Burkina Faso
CFA Franc
Ouagadougou
28
Burundi
Burundi franc
Bujumbura
29
Cambodia
Riel
Phnom Penh
30
Cameroon
CFA Franc
Yaounde
31
Canada
Canadian dollar
Ottawa
32
Cape Verde
Cape Verdean escudo
Praia
33
Central African Republic
CFA Franc
Bangui
34
Chad
CFA Franc
N'Djamena
35
Chile
Chilean Peso
Santiago
36
China
Yuan/Renminbi
Beijing
37
Colombia
Colombian Peso
Bogota
38
Comoros
Franc
Moroni
39
Congo, Republic of the
CFA Franc
Brazzaville
40
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congolese franc
Kinshasa
41
Costa Rica
Colón
San Jose
42
Cote d'Ivoire
CFA Franc
Yamoussoukro (official); Abidjan (de facto)
43
Croatia
Kuna
Zagreb
44
Cuba
Cuban Peso
Havana
45
Cyprus
Cyprus pound
Nicosia
46
Czech Republic
Koruna
Prague
47
Denmark
Krone
Copenhagen
48
Djibouti
Djibouti franc
Djibouti
49
Dominica
East Caribbean dollar
Roseau
50
Dominican Republic
Dominican Peso
Santo Domingo
51
East Timor (Timor-Leste)
U.S. dollar
Dili
52
Ecuador
U.S. dollar
Quito
53
Egypt
Egyptian pound
Cairo
54
El Salvador
Colón; U.S. dollar
San Salvador
55
Equatorial Guinea
CFA Franc
Malabo
56
Eritrea
Nakfa
Asmara
57
Estonia
Kroon
Tallinn
58
Ethiopia
Birr
Addis Ababa
59
Fiji
Fiji dollar
Suva
60
Finland
Euro (formerly markka)
Helsinki
61
France
Euro (formerly French franc)
Paris
62
Gabon
CFA Franc
Libreville
63
The Gambia
Dalasi
Banjul
64
Georgia
Lari
Tbilisi
65
Germany
Euro (formerly Deutsche mark)
Berlin
66
Ghana
Cedi
Accra
67
Greece
Euro (formerly drachma)
Athens
68
Grenada
East Caribbean dollar
Saint George's
69
Guatemala
Quetzal
Guatemala City
70
Guinea
Guinean franc
Conakry
71
Guinea-Bissau
CFA Franc
Bissau
72
Guyana
Guyanese dollar
Georgetown
73
Haiti
Gourde
Port-au-Prince
74
Honduras
Lempira
Tegucigalpa
75
Hungary
Forint
Budapest
76
Iceland
Icelandic króna
Reykjavik
77
India
Rupee
New Delhi
78
Indonesia
Rupiah
Jakarta
79
Iran
Rial
Tehran
80
Iraq
Iraqi Dinar
Baghdad
81
Ireland
Euro (formerly Irish pound [punt])
Dublin
82
Israel
Shekel
Jerusalem(#)
83
Italy
Euro (formerly known as lira)
Rome
84
Jamaica
Jamaican dollar
Kingston
85
Japan
Yen
Tokyo
86
Jordan
Jordanian dinar
Amman
87
Kazakhstan
Tenge
Astana
88
Kenya
Kenya shilling
Nairobi
89
Kiribati
Australian dollar
Tarawa Atoll
90
North Korea
Won
Pyongyang
91
South Korea
Won
Seoul
92
Kosovo
Euro (German Mark prior to 2002)
Pristina
93
Kuwait
Kuwaiti dinar
Kuwait City
94
Kyrgyzstan
Som
Bishkek
95
Laos
New Kip
Vientiane
96
Latvia
Lats
Riga
97
Lebanon
Lebanese pound
Beirut
98
Lesotho
Maluti
Maseru
99
Liberia
Liberian dollar
Monrovia
100
Libya
Libyan dinar
Tripoli
101
Liechtenstein
Swiss franc
Vaduz
102
Lithuania
Litas
Vilnius
103
Luxembourg
Euro (formerly Luxembourg franc)
Luxembourg
104
Macedonia
Denar
Skopje
105
Madagascar
Malagasy franc
Antananarivo
106
Malawi
Kwacha
Lilongwe
107
Malaysia
Ringgit
Kuala Lumpur
108
Maldives
Rufiya
Male
109
Mali
CFA Franc
Bamako
110
Malta
Maltese lira
Valletta
111
Marshall Islands
U.S. Dollar
Majuro
112
Mauritania
Ouguiya
Nouakchott
113
Mauritius
Mauritian rupee
Port Louis
114
Mexico
Mexican peso
Mexico City
115
Micronesia, Federated States of
U.S. Dollar
Palikir
116
Moldova
Leu
Chisinau
117
Monaco
Euro
Monaco
118
Mongolia
Tugrik
Ulaanbaatar
119
Montenegro
Euro
Podgorica
120
Morocco
Dirham
Rabat
121
Mozambique
Metical
Maputo
122
Myanmar (Burma)
Kyat
Rangoon (Yangon); Naypyidaw or Nay Pyi Taw (administrative)
123
Namibia
Namibian dollar
Windhoek
124
Nauru
Australian dollar
no officialcapital; government offices in Yaren District
125
Nepal
Nepalese rupee
Kathmandu
126
Netherlands
Euro (formerly guilder)
Amsterdam; The Hague (seat of government)
127
New Zealand
New Zealand dollar
Wellington
128
Nicaragua
Gold cordoba
Managua
129
Niger
CFA Franc
Niamey
130
Nigeria
Naira
Abuja
131
Norway
Norwegian krone
Oslo
132
Oman
Omani rial
Muscat
133
Pakistan
Pakistani rupee
Islamabad
134
Palau
U.S. dollar
Melekeok
135
Panama
balboa; U.S. dollar
Panama City
136
Papua New Guinea
Kina
Port Moresby
137
Paraguay
Guaraní
Asuncion
138
Peru
Nuevo sol (1991)
Lima
139
Philippines
Peso
Manila
140
Poland
Zloty
Warsaw
141
Portugal
Euro (formerly escudo)
Lisbon
142
Qatar
Qatari riyal
Doha
143
Romania
Leu
Bucharest
144
Russia
Ruble
Moscow
145
Rwanda
Rwanda franc
Kigali
146
Saint Kitts and Nevis
East Caribbean dollar
Basseterre
147
Saint Lucia
East Caribbean dollar
Castries
148
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
East Caribbean dollar
Kingstown
149
Samoa
Tala
Apia
150
San Marino
Euro
San Marino
151
Sao Tome and Principe
Dobra
Sao Tome
152
Saudi Arabia
Riyal
Riyadh
153
Senegal
CFA Franc
Dakar
154
Serbia
Yugoslav new dinar. In Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal
Belgrade
155
Seychelles
Seychelles rupee
Victoria
156
Sierra Leone
Leone
Freetown
157
Singapore
Singapore dollar
Singapore
158
Slovakia
Koruna
Bratislava
159
Slovenia
Slovenian tolar; euro (as of 1/1/07)
Ljubljana
160
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands dollar
Honiara
161
Somalia
Somali shilling
Mogadishu
162
South Africa
Rand
Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judiciary)
163
South Sudan
Sudanese Pound
Juba
164
Spain
Euro (formerly peseta)
Madrid
165
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka rupee
Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative)
166
Sudan
Dinar
Khartoum
167
Suriname
Surinamese dollar
Paramaribo
168
Swaziland
Lilangeni
Mbabane
169
Sweden
Krona
Stockholm
170
Switzerland
Swiss franc
Bern
171
Syria
Syrian pound
Damascus
172
Taiwan
Taiwan dollar
Taipei
173
Tajikistan
somoni
Dushanbe
174
Tanzania
Tanzanian shilling
Dar es Salaam; Dodoma (legislative)
175
Thailand
baht
Bangkok
176
Togo
CFA Franc
Lome
177
Tonga
Pa'anga
Nuku'alofa
178
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago dollar
Port-of-Spain
179
Tunisia
Tunisian dinar
Tunis
180
Turkey
Turkish lira (YTL)
Ankara
181
Turkmenistan
Manat
Ashgabat
182
Tuvalu
Australian dollar
Vaiaku village, Funafuti province
183
Uganda
Ugandan new shilling
Kampala
184
Ukraine
Hryvna
Kyiv
185
United Arab Emirates
U.A.E. dirham
Abu Dhabi
186
United Kingdom
Pound sterling
London
187
United States of America
dollar
Washington D.C.
188
Uruguay
Uruguay peso
Montevideo
189
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistani sum
Tashkent
190
Vanuatu
Vatu
Port-Vila
191
Vatican City (Holy See)
Euro
Vatican City
192
Venezuela
Bolivar
Caracas
193
Vietnam
Dong
Hanoi
194
Yemen
Rial
Sanaa
195
Zambia
Kwacha
Lusaka
196
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean dollar
Harare