Zimbabwean dollar
On 18 April 1980, the Republic of Zimbabwe was born from the unrecognized Republic of Rhodesia. The Rhodesian Dollar was replaced by the Zimbabwean dollar at par value. When Zimbabwe gained its independence from the United Kingdom, the newly introduced Zimbabwean Dollar was initially more valuable than the United States Dollar at the official exchange rates. But this did not reflect reality, as in terms of purchasing power on the open and black markets, it was less valuable, due primarily to the higher inflation in Zimbabwe. In its early years, Zimbabwe experienced strong growth and development. Wheat production for non-drought years was proportionally higher than in the past. The tobacco industry was thriving as well. Economic indicators for the country were strong.