The central bank (also sometimes referred to as the reserve bank or monetary authority) is the entity responsible for the monetary policy of a country or of a group of member states. Its primary responsibility is to maintain the stability of the national currency and money supply, but more active duties include controlling subsidized-loan interest rates, and acting as a "bailout" lender of last resort to the banking sector during times of financial crisis. Most wealthy countries today have an "independent" central bank-that is, one which operates under rules designed to prevent political interference.
Below is a list of central banks for several of the world's major currencies:
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