Euro currency in Cuba since 1998, and Syria since 2006. There are also various currencies pegged to the euro (see below). In 2009, Zimbabwe abandoned its local currency and used major currencies instead, including the euro and the United States dollar. Since its introduction, the euro has been the second most widely held international reserve currency after the U.S. dollar. The share of the euro as a reserve currency increased from 18% in 1999 to 27% in 2008. Over this period, the share held in U.S. dollar fell from 71% to 64% and that held in Yen fell from 6.4% to
Language and the euro but the euro is popularly used, particularly by individuals wanting to convert their savings into a more stable currency. "Euro" has colloquially been pronounced in the English fashion since its inception. In response to criticism of the widespread English pronunciation of "euro", the Turkish Language Association officially introduced "avro" into Turkish ("av" being the first syllable of the Turkish word for Europe, "Avrupa") in 1998. A concerted campaign by the Turkish Language Association has begun to blossom in recent years, with most sections of the Turkish media now using the new word. It has yet to enter widespread colloquial use,