Each "article" in this category is in fact a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

See the :Category:Compendium of postage stamp issuers page for details of the project.

A&T Overprint on French Colonial Commerce types of Annam and Tongking issued on 21 January 1888. These stamps also carried a surcharge of 1 or 5 centimes. Refer Annam & Tongking

Abu Dhabi Formerly an independent sheikhdom, Abu Dhabi is now the capital and second largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It issued its own stamps when there was a British postal agency in the sheikhdom. The agency was opened on Das Island in December 1960 and in Abu Dhabi City on 30 March 1963. Issues were discontinued when Abu Dhabi joined the United Arab Emirates. Dates 1964–1972 Capital Abu Dhabi City Currency (1964) 100 naye paise = 1 rupee (1966) 1000 fils = 1 dinar Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi, List of postage stamps of Abu Dhabi See also British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia; Trucial States; United Arab Emirates

Abyssinia Historical name for Ethiopia. Refer Ethiopia

ACCP Cyrillic for Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic which was sometimes used as an inscription. Refer Azerbaijan

Açores AÇORES (Portuguese spelling) is the inscription on all Azores stamps. Refer Azores (Acores)

Aden A seaport in Yemen that was occupied by the British in 1839 and administered as a colony until 1963, its main purpose being as a coaling station for British shipping going to and from India via the Suez Canal. Originally governed as part of British India, it became a Crown Colony in 1937. Dates 1937–1963 Capital Aden Town Currency (1937) 16 annas = 1 rupee (1951) 100 cents = 1 shilling Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Aden See also Aden Protectorate States

Aden Protectorate States Collective name for various states in the Hadhramaut region of southern Arabia, now part of the Republic of Yemen. Main article Postage stamps and postal history of the Aden Protectorate States Includes Kathiri State of Seiyun; Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra; Qu'aiti State in Hadhramaut; Qu'aiti State of Shihr and Mukalla; South Arabian Federation; Upper Yafa See also Aden; Southern Yemen

Adélie Land Adélie Land (Terre Adélie) is a French territory on the Antarctic mainland. Refer French Southern and Antarctic Territories

Adrianople (Edirne) The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) gave Greece a mandate for Eastern Thrace, including Adrianople. Turkish stamps in Adrianople were overprinted High Commission of Thrace and surcharged. Adrianople was returned to Turkey by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1922 and is now called Edirne. Dates 1920–1922 Currency 100 lepta = 1 drachma (Greek) Refer Thrace See also Eastern Thrace; Greek Occupation Issues

AEF Acronym for Afrique Equatoriale Française which was sometimes used as an inscription. Refer French Equatorial Africa

Aegean Islands (Dodecanese) Several Greek islands (the Dodecanese) off the coast of Asia Minor that were occupied by Italy in May 1912 and then ceded to Turkey in 1920. The islands were all restored to Greece on 15 September 1947. Dates 1912–1945 Capital Rodhos (Rhodes Town) Currency 100 centesimi = 1 lira (Italian) Main article Postage stamps and postal history of the Aegean Islands Includes Astypalaea; Castelrosso (Kastellórizo); Kalimnos; Karpathos; Kasos; Khalki; Kos; Leros; Lipsos; Nisyros; Patmos; Rhodes; Syme; Telos See also Dodecanese Islands (Greek Occupation); Greek Occupation Issues; Middle East Forces (MEF)

Afars and Issas Former French colony that is now Djibouti. Refer French Territory of Afars & Issas

Afghanistan Landlocked state of central Asia, formerly a kingdom and latterly an Islamic republic. Dates 1870 – Capital Kabul Currency (1870) 3 abasi = 1 rupee (1920) 60 paisa = 1 rupee (1926) 100 pouls = 1 afghani Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Afghanistan

Africa (Portuguese Colonies) A general issue for all Portuguese colonies in Africa and the Atlantic. Dates 1898 only Currency 1000 réis = 1 mil réis Main article Postage stamps and postal history of the Portuguese colonies in Africa See also Angola; Azores; Cape Verde Islands; Madeira; Mozambique; Portuguese Congo; Portuguese Guinea; Sao Tome e Principe

Africa Occidental Espanola Inscription on stamps of Spanish West Africa. Refer Spanish West Africa

Africa Orientale Italiane Inscription on stamps of Italian East Africa. Refer Italian East Africa

Afrique Equatoriale Française Inscription on stamps of French Equatorial Africa. Refer French Equatorial Africa

Afrique Occidentale Française Inscription on stamps of French West Africa. Refer French West Africa

Aitutaki Aitutaki is part of the Cook Islands, and lies about north of Rarotonga. It consists of many volcanic and coral islets around a lagoon. The total land area is only . Access by sea is via an offshore anchorage with boat passage to Arutunga. There is also an airstrip which was built in WW2 by American forces. The population, less than 2500, is mainly Polynesian.

The 1903–1932 issues were New Zealand stamps with an overprint of AITUTAKI. Stamps of the Cook Islands were used 1932–1972 without overprint. Local issues began in 1972. Dates 1972 – Capital Arutunga Currency 100 cents = 1 dollar Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Aitutaki Includes Aitutaki (New Zealand Administration) See also Cook Islands; New Zealand

Aitutaki (New Zealand Administration) Early stamp issues in Aitutaki were New Zealand types with an overprint. Dates 1903–1932 Capital Arutunga Currency 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound Refer Aitutaki

Ajman One of the Trucial States which became the United Arab Emirates in 1972, Ajman was one of the most notorious sources of stamps that had dubious postal connections. Few, if any, Ajman stamps are of interest and all issues during the 1967–72 period must be regarded as non-postal. Dates 1964–1967 Currency (1964) 100 naye paise = 1 rupee (1967) 100 dirhams = 1 riyal ReferTrucial States

Åland Islands Åland is an autonomous province of Finland. It is a group of islands in the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Separate issues began in 1984 although stamps of Finland continued to be valid. From 1 Jan 1993, Åland began its own postal administration and Finnish stamps ceased to have validity there. Dates 1984 – Capital Mariehamn Currency 100 penni = 1 markka Main article Postage stamps and postal history of the Åland Islands See also Finland

Alaouites Alaouites (Alawi) is a district of Syria lying on the coast between Hatay and Lebanon. It was formerly part of the Turkish Empire but was placed under a French mandate in 1920. It became an independent republic and was renamed Latakia (after the capital) in 1930. On 28 February 1937, it was incorporated into Syria.

Stamps of France were issued in 1925 with overprint ALAOUITES. These were soon superseded by stamps of Syria bearing the same overprint. In July 1931, stamps of Syria were issued with overprint LATTAQUIE. Since 1 March 1937, stamps of Syria without overprint have been in constant use. Dates 1925–1930 Capital Latakia Currency 100 centimes = 1 piastre Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Alaouites Includes Ile Rouad; Latakia See also Syria

Alaska Largest state of the USA but separated from the rest by Canada. Discovered by Vitus Bering in 1741, it was first settled by Russia in 1744. The USA purchased the territory in 1867 for $7.2 million at a penny an acre. Alaska was admitted to the Union on 3 January 1959 as the 49th state.

There was no postal service under Russian ownership. Alaska has used stamps of the USA only. Capital Juneau Refer United States of America

Alawi The State of the Alawi, called Alaouites in French, had a separate existence between the World Wars but is now part of Syria. It was a coastal enclave between Hatay and Lebanon. Refer Alaouites

Albania A coastal republic on the Adriatic Sea in south-east Europe which used stamps of Turkey from 1870 to 1913. Dates 1913 – Capital Tirana Currency (1913) 40 paras = 1 piastre (or grosch) (1913) 100 qintar = 1 franc (1947) 100 qintar = 1 lek (1965) 100 qintar = 10 old leks = 1 new lek Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Albania See also Durazzo (Italian Post Office); German Occupation Issues (World War II); Greek Occupation Issues; Italian Occupation Issues; Italian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire; Korce (Koritza); Scutari (Italian Post Office); Valona (Italian Post Office)

Albania (German Occupation) Albania was occupied by German forces after the fall of Italy in the Second World War. Relevant stamps are catalogue nos 389–408 of Albania.Gibbons, 1970, pp.4–5. Dates 1943–1944 Currency 100 qintar = 1 franc Refer German Occupation Issues (World War II)

Albania (Greek Occupation) Following Italy's abortive invasion of Greece in 1940, Greek forces occupied much of southern Albania until driven back by the German army which reinstated Italian rule. Greek stamps with overprint were issued in the occupied zone. Dates 1940–1941 Currency 100 lepta = 1 drachma Refer Greek Occupation Issues

Albania (Italian Occupation) Albania was occupied by Italian forces in April 1939 as a prelude to the Second World War. Relevant stamps are catalogue nos 337–388 of Albania. Dates 1939–1943 Currency 100 qintar = 1 franc Refer Italian Occupation Issues

Aldabra A sparsely populated group of coral islands in the Indian Ocean, politically part of the Seychelles. Noted for the Aldabra giant tortoise. Refer British Indian Ocean Territory; Zil Elwannyen Sesel

Alderney Alderney, one of the Channel Islands, is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its stamps are valid throughout the Bailiwick. Dates 1983 – Capital St Anne Currency (British) 100 pence = 1 pound Main article Postage stamps and postal history of Alderney, List of postage stamps of Alderney See also Guernsey

Aleutian Islands A chain of islands, sparsely populated, which stretch westward across the North Pacific from Alaska. Politically they are part of Alaska. Have used stamps of the USA only. Capital Dutch Harbor Refer United States of America

Alexandretta Now known as Iskenderun, a city and province of Hatay. In 1938, stamps of Syria were issued in Hatay with the overprint SANDJAK D'ALEXANDRETTE (note: "sandjak" is a Turkish word meaning "district"). Refer Hatay

Alexandria (French Post Office) A French Post Office was opened at Alexandria in 1830. It issued French stamps without overprint or surcharge 1857–1899. In 1899, it began to issue French stamps with an overprint of ALEXANDRIE. Issues from 1921 were surcharged in Egyptian currency. The office closed in 1931. Dates 1899–1931 Currency (1899) 100 centimes = 1 franc (1921) 1000 milliemes = 1 pound (Egyptian) Refer Egypt (French Post Offices)

Alexandria (Italian Post Office) This office used Italian stamps only (no overprint or surcharge). Refer Italian Post Offices Abroad

Alexandrie Overprint used on French stamps in Alexandria. Refer Alexandria (French Post Office)

References

Bibliography Stanley Gibbons Ltd, various catalogues Stanley Gibbons Ltd, Europe and Colonies 1970, Stanley Gibbons Ltd, 1969 Stuart Rossiter & John Flower, The Stamp Atlas, W H Smith, 1989 XLCR Stamp Finder and Collector's Dictionary, Thomas Cliffe Ltd, c.1960

External links

Encyclopaedia of Postal History