What is meant by the Bretton Woods Agreement?

The Bretton Woods Agreement is the landmark system for monetary and exchange rate management established in 1944. It was developed at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, from July 1 to July 22, 1944. Under the agreement, currencies were pegged to the price of gold, and the U.S. dollar was seen as a reserve currency linked to the price of gold. The Bretton Woods Agreement remains an important part of world financial history. The creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and valuation of gold and foreign exchange rates remain important to this day. The agreement also made currencies convertible for trade and other current account transactions. The strong value of the U.S. dollar eventually led to the collapse of this system after more than 20 years. read less