Lira 187948 220649780 2008-06-20T22:01:01Z Hemidemisemiquaver 2183930 Obverse image was deleted, replacing with placeholder {{otheruses}} {| align="right" |{{Coin image box 2 singles | header = 1 Italian lira 1863 | image_left = Image:1lira1863front.jpg | image_right=Image:No_image_available.svg | caption_left = [[Victor Emmanuel II|Vittorio Emanuele II]] | caption_right = Coat of arms of the [[House of Savoy]] | width_left = 150 | width_right = 150 | position = right | margin = 0 }} |} '''Lira''' is the name of the [[Currency|monetary unit]] of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of [[Italy]], [[Malta]], [[San Marino]] and the [[Vatican City]]. The term originates from the value of a [[Troy pound]] (Latin ''libra'') of high purity silver, and as such is a direct [[cognate]] of the [[Pound sterling|British pound sterling]]; in some countries, such as [[Cyprus]], the words ''lira'' and ''[[pound (currency)|pound]]'' are used as equivalents. '''L''', sometimes in a double-crossed script form ('''₤''') or less often single-crossed ([[Pound sign|£]]), is usually used as the symbol. ==Etymology== The word '''Libra''' developed its ''Lira'' shape from [[Italian language|Italian]], a language famed for its loss of initial consonants in two-part clusters (ie. Doctor = ''dottore''). Evidence of this still exists in [[Great Britain]] and the [[USA]] where '''pound''' is a weight measurement, and represented by letters '''lb'''. ==Current uses== ===[[Turkey]]=== The [[Turkish lira]] was introduced in the mid 1870s. The [[New Turkish Lira]], equivalent to 1,000,000 old lira, is the current [[currency]] of [[Turkey]] and [[Northern Cyprus]], issued on [[January 1]] [[2005]]. ===[[Lebanon]]=== The [[Lebanese pound]] is called "lira or livre" in local languages. ===[[Syria]]=== The [[Syrian pound]] is called "lira" in national language of Syria, [[Arabic]]. ===[[Jordan]]=== A widely-used name of [[Jordanian dinar]] is lira. '''Also:'''<br> The Bulgarian language refers to the English pound as ''lira'' (or occasionally ''paund'' to reflect English phonology) in opposition to Croatian which refers to the Italian as ''liri'' and the English as ''funti'' (from German). ==Former currencies== * [[Cyprus pound]] (called "lira" in local languages) * [[Israeli lira]] * [[Italian lira]] * [[Italian East African lira]] * [[Italian Somaliland lira]] * [[Maltese Lira]] * [[Neapolitan lira]] * [[Sammarinese lira]] * [[Tripolitanian lira]] * [[Vatican lira]] * [[Pound (currency)]] cognate * [[French livre]] cognate ==External links== *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/business/2001/euro_cash/spent_currencies/lira.stm Overview of Italian lira from the BBC] [[Category:Currencies of Europe]] [[Category:Economy of Italy]] [[Category:Economy of Malta]] [[Category:Economy of San Marino]] [[Category:Economy of Vatican City]] [[ca:Lira (moneda)]] [[da:Lira]] [[el:Λίρα]] [[fr:Lire (monnaie)]] [[id:Lira]] [[is:Líra]] [[it:Lira (valuta)]] [[ja:リラ]] [[ru:Лира (валюта)]] [[fi:Liira]]