Citizens often praise cash because it is so easy to use – it needs no electronic payments networks, digital lenders or cards. But the efforts behind the scenes to print, store, distribute, protect and dispose of tonnes of banknotes and coins every year requires substantial effort by central banks and their currency management partners. Geography can make their task much harder; it is not easy to transport anything in bulk to places bound by mountains, tundra or the high seas. 

Few central banks’