Zimbabwe Has $217 Left

No, that's not in billion, millions, thousands, hundred, or even tens. It's just $217. 

I hope PresidentRobert Mugabe paid for those shades himself. 

Zimbabwe, continuing its streak of great economic developments, has just $217 left in its government public account after paying public workers' wages last week, says the country finance minister. 

"The government finances are in paralysis state at the present moment. We are failing to meet our targets," the minister said at a press conference. If targets mean any sort of success, then yes, he is correct. They aren't meeting that at all. 

He told reporters that many of them had healthier bank balances than the country, but managed to refrain from asking them for a loan.

The minister says Zimbabwe is going to have to ask international donors for cash to fund a constitutional referendum and elections this year. 

The country's economy is still recovering from a near-collapse earlier this century, when abandoned its own currency and switched to the US dollar. Why? Because of hyper-inflation making the exchange rate nearly a trillion to one. They had the "first dollar" which was so inflated they replaced it with the "second dollar." Then, they replaced that with the "third dollar." 10,000,000,000 2nd dollars became 1 3rd dollar. Then they reduced 10 billion Zimbabwean dollars to one "fourth dollar." 

Finally, in April 2009, they just abandoned it all together. Probably a smart choice. 

One bright spot: The country's mining sector is booming, with diamond exports expected to top $1 billion this year. but that hardly outweighs $217.