This is a list of entities that have issued postage stamps at some point since stamps were introduced in 1840. The list includes any kind of governmental entity or officially approved organisation that has issued distinctive types of stamp for postal purposes. These include post offices in foreign countries and postal services organised by military occupations, international organisations, colonies, provinces, city-states and some revolutionary movements. The list includes members of the Universal Postal Union that are also listed at postal organisations.
Many of these entities are historic and some were very short-lived indeed. Philatelists and stamp collectors often refer to the entities that no longer issue stamps as dead countries.
The dates are the generally agreed-upon dates of first and last stamp issues. "Date of issue" is taken to mean the date when a particular type or variation was first issued but its usage would often continue for many years. For example, although an entity may have issued its last stamp in 1951, actual usage may have continued until 1960: in that case, 1951 is the last stamp issue date.
Besides the period of which stamps were issued in the name of a particular entity, the list under that entity also bears any other name in which stamps had been issued for territory, name of any other entity which had had its stamps used in that territory, or new names which had subsequently replaced the name of that entity, together with their respective periods.
The list has a short to medium term purpose for Wikipedia:WikiProject Philately in that it identifies the country surveys which the project aims to introduce.
The list has been comprehensively revised to include extra entities and to direct the links away from the country articles to the (proposed) philatelic articles.
Macao, Republica Portuguesa 1884 – 1999
Macau, China 1999 -
Macedonia 1991 –
Madagascar and Dependencies
Anjouan 1892 – 1914
Diégo-Suarez 1890 – 1896
Great Comoro 1897 – 1914
Madagascar and Dependencies 1896 – 1958
Mayotte 1892 – 1914
Moheli 1906 – 1914
Nossi-Bé 1889 – 1891
Ste Marie de Madagascar 1894 – 1896
Funchal 1892 – 1905
Madeira 1868 –
Malagasy Republic 1958 –
British Central Africa 1891 – 1908
Nyasaland Protectorate 1907 – 1964
Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1954 – 1964
Malawi 1964 –
Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937
Federated Malay States 1900 – 1935
Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945 – 1948
Malayan Federation 1957 – 1963
Malayan Postal Union 1936 – 1968
Malaysia 1963 –
Malaysian States and Territories
Federal Territory
Federal Territory (Kuala Lumpur) 1979 –
Federal Territory (Putrajaya) 2001 –
Labuan
Straits Settlements
Labuan 1879 - 1894
North Borneo (Labuan overprint) 1894 - 1907
Johore 1876 –
Kedah 1912 –
Kelantan 1911 –
Malacca
India 1854 - 1867
Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937
Malacca 1948 –
Negri Sembilan
Sungei Ujong 1878 – 1895
Negri Sembilan 1891 –
Pahang 1889 –
Penang
India 1854 - 1867
Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937
Penang 1948 –
Perak 1878 –
Perlis 1948 –
Sabah
North Borneo (British North Borneo) 1883 – 1894
North Borneo (State of North Borneo) 1894 – 1939
North Borneo (British Colony) 1945 – 1963
Sabah 1964 –
Sarawak 1869 –
Selangor 1881 –
Trengganu 1910 –
Maldive Islands
Maldive Islands 1906 –
Mali 1960 –
Malta 1860 –
Sovereign Military Order of Malta 1966 –
Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands (Marshall Inseln)(German Colony) 1897 – 1916
Marshall Islands 1984 –
US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1984
Mauritania 1960 –
Mauritius 1847 –
Mexico 1856 –
Campeche 1876 only
Chiapas 1866 only
Chihuahua 1872 only
Cuautla 1867 only
Cuernavaca 1867 only
Guadalajara 1867 – 1868
Mérida 1916 only
Sinaloa 1929 only
Tlacotalpan 1856 only
Yucatán 1924 only
Caroline Islands (Karolinen) (German colony) 1899 – 1914
US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 – 1984
Federated States of Micronesia 1984 –
Moldova 1991 –
Monaco 1885 –
Mongolia 1924 –
Montenegro 1874 – 1918; 2006 –
Morocco 1956 –
Northern Zone, Morocco 1956 – 1958
Sherifian Post 1912 – 1919
Southern Zone, Morocco 1956 – 1958
Mozambique 1876 –
Inhambane 1895 – 1920
Kionga 1916 only
Lourenco Marques 1895 – 1921
Quelimane 1913 – 1920
Tete 1913 – 1920
Zambezia 1894 – 1917
Nagorno-Karabakh 1993 –
German South-West Africa 1888 – 1915
South West Africa 1923 – 1991
Namibia 1990 –
Natal 1857 – 1909
Nauru 1916 –
Nepal 1881 –
Netherlands (kingdom of the Netherlands)
Netherlands (territory in Europe) 1852 –
Aruba 1986 –
Caribbean Netherlands 2010-
Curaçao 1873 – 1948, 2010-
Netherlands Antilles 1949 – 2010
Netherlands Indies 1864 – 1948
Netherlands New Guinea 1950 – 1962
Sint Maarten 2010-
West Irian 1963 – 1970
Western New Guinea 1962 – 1963
New Zealand
New Zealand 1855 –
New Zealand Territories
King Edward VII Land * 1908 only
Victoria Land * 1911 – 1912
Ross Dependency 1957 – 1987, 1994 –
Niue 1902 –
Tokelau 1948 –
* British claims with postal services formally assigned to the New Zealand Post Office
Nicaragua 1862 –
Cabo Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua 1904 – 1909
Zelaya, Nicaragua 1904 – 1912
Niger 1959 –
Nigeria 1914 –
Biafra 1968 – 1969
Lagos 1874 – 1906
Niger Coast Protectorate 1892 – 1902
Northern Nigeria 1900 – 1914
Oil Rivers Protectorate 1892 – 1893
Southern Cameroons 1960 – 1961
Southern Nigeria 1901 – 1914
Niuafo'ou 1983 –
Niue 1902 –
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island 1947 –
Norway 1855 –
Obock (French Colony) 1893–1902
See Djibouti
Muscat 1944 – 1948
Muscat and Oman 1966 – 1970
Oman 1971 –
Orange Free State 1868 – 1900
Orange River Colony 1900 – 1907
Amb State
Bahawalpur 1945 – 1949
Las Bela State
Pakistan 1947 –
Caroline Islands (Karolinen) (German colony) 1899 – 1914
Palau 1983 –
US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1983
Ottoman Post Offices
Foreign Post Offices
Palestine (British Mandate) 1917–1948
Palestinian National Authority 1994–
Panama 1878 –
British New Guinea 1901 – 1906
New Britain 1914 – 1915
New Guinea (Australian Administration) 1925 – 1942
North West Pacific Islands 1915 – 1925
Papua 1906 – 1942
Papua New Guinea 1952 –
Paraguay 1870 –
Penrhyn
Peru 1858 –
Philippines 1946 –
Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands 1940 –
Allenstein 1920 only
Carinthia 1920 only
East Silesia 1920 only
Marienwerder 1920 only
Slesvig 1920 only
Upper Silesia 1920 – 1922
Poland
Poland 1918 –
Poland (Russian Province) 1860 – 1863
Central Lithuania (Polish Occupation) 1920 – 1922
Constantinople (Polish Post Office) 1919 – 1921
Danzig (Polish Post Office) 1924 – 1939
Polish Army in Russia 1942 only
Polish Corps in Russia 1918 only
Polish Government in Exile 1941 – 1945
Portugal 1853 –
Africa (Portuguese Colonies) 1898 only
Mozambique Company 1892 – 1942
Nyassa 1897 – 1929
Portuguese Congo 1894 – 1920
Portuguese Guinea 1881 – 1974
Portuguese India 1871 – 1961
Timor 1885 – 1976
Qatar 1957 –
Ras Al Khaima 1964 – 1966
See United Arab Emirates
Rhineland Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate (German Allied Occupation French Zone) 1947–1949
See Germany
British South Africa Company 1890 – 1924
Northern Rhodesia 1925 – 1964
Nyasa-Rhodesia Force (NF) 1916 only
Rhodesia 1965 – 1980
Rhodesia (British Colonial Issues) 1909 – 1924
Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1954 – 1964
Southern Rhodesia 1924 – 1964
Zambia 1964 –
Zimbabwe 1980 –
Turkish postoffices
Foreign postoffices
Moldavia 1858 – 1862
Moldo-Wallachia 1862 – 1865
Romania 1865 –
Bessarabia 1941-1945
Bucovyna 1941-1945
Transistria 1941-1945
Banat Bacska (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920
Constantinople (Romanian Post Office) 1896 – 1919
Debrecen (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920
Hungary (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920
Romanian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire 1896 – 1919
Temesvar (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only
Transylvania (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only
Russia 1992 –
Russia (pre-Soviet) 1858 – 1923
Turkish postoffices (Batum)
British Occupation (Batum)
Amur Province 1920 only
Ataman Semyonov Regime 1920 only
Crimea 1918 – 1919
Denikin Government 1919 – 1920
Don Territory 1918 – 1920
Far Eastern Republic 1920 – 1922
Kolchak Government 1919 – 1920
Kuban Territory 1918 – 1920
North Ingermanland 1920 only
North Western Army 1919 – 1920
Northern Army 1919 – 1920
Priamur and Maritime Provinces 1921 – 1922
Siberia (Czechoslovak Army) 1919 – 1920
Transbaikal Province 1920 only
Western Army 1919 – 1920
Wrangel Government 1920 – 1921
Russian post offices abroad
Beirut (Russian Post Office) 1879 – 1910
China (Russian Post Offices) 1899 – 1920
Constantinople (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Crete (Russian Post Offices) 1899 only
Dardanelles (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Jaffa (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Jerusalem (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Kerrasunde (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Mount Athos (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914
Mytilene (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914
North Korea (Russian Occupation) 1946 – 1948
Rizeh (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Russian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1863 – 1914
Salonika (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914
Smyrne (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
South Lithuania (Russian Occupation) 1919 only
Trebizonde (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910
Saargebeit, Sarre (Plebiscite) 1920 – 1935
Saar (Allied Occupation) 1947 – 1957
Saar (German Federal Republic state) 1957 – 1959
See Germany
Samoa 1982 –
Samoa (Kingdom) 1877 – 1900
Samoa (New Zealand Administration) 1914 – 1935
Samoa I Sisifo 1958 – 1982
Western Samoa 1935 – 1958
San Marino 1877 –
Sao Tome e Principe 1870 –
Turkish Postoffices
Foreign Postoffices
Hejaz 1916 – 1926
Hejaz-Nejd 1926 – 1932
Nejd 1925 – 1926
Saudi Arabia 1932 –
Senegal 1960 –
Turkish Postoffices
Foreign Postoffices
Serbia (Kingdom of) 1866 – 1920
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes 1921 -
Yugoslavia 1944 – 2002
Serbia and Montenegro 2003 – 2006
Serbia (Republic of) 2006 –
Baranya (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
Hungary (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
Temesvar (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
British Indian Ocean Territory 1868 – 1976
Seychelles 1890 –
Zil Elwannyen Sesel 1980 –
Sharjah 1963 – 1972
See United Arab Emirates
Sierra Leone 1859 –
Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945 – 1948
Malaysia 1963 – 1965
Singapore 1965 -
Singapore, Malaya 1948 – 1959
Singapore, State of 1959 - 1963
Straits Settlements 1867 – 1942
Slovakia 1993 –
Slovakia (Autonomous State) 1939 – 1945
Slovenia 1991 –
Slovenia (Provincial Issues) 1919 – 1921
Solomon Islands
British Solomon Islands 1907 – 1975
Solomon Islands 1975 –
Somalia 1950 –
British Somaliland
British Somaliland 1903 only
Somaliland Protectorate 1904 – 1960
Italian Somaliland
Benadir 1903 – 1905
Oltre Juba 1925 – 1926
South Africa 1910 –
South African Homelands
Bophutatswana 1977 – 1994
Ciskei 1981 – 1994
Transkei 1977 – 1994
Venda 1979 – 1994
Federation of South Arabia 1963 - 1968
See Yemen
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia 1963 – 1980
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1980 –
South Sudan 2011 -
Postage stamps and postal history of Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Italy) 1966
Canary Islands 1936 – 1938
Spain 1850 –
Cape Juby 1916 – 1950
Cuba and Puerto Rico 1855 – 1872
Elobey, Annobón, and Corisco 1903 – 1908
Fernando Poo 1868 – 1968
Ifni 1941 – 1969
La Agüera 1920 – 1924
Puerto Rico 1873 – 1900
Río de Oro 1905 – 1924
Río Muni 1960 – 1968
Spanish Guinea 1902 – 1960
Spanish Marianas 1898 – 1899
Spanish Morocco 1914 – 1956
Spanish Philippines 1854 – 1898
Spanish Sahara 1924 – 1975
Spanish West Africa 1949 – 1951
Andorra (Spanish Offices) 1928 –
Morocco (Spanish Post Offices) 1903 – 1914
Tangier (Spanish Post Offices) 1921 – 1957
Tetuan (Spanish Post Office) 1908 – 1909
Ceylon 1857 – 1972
Sri Lanka 1972 –
St Helena 1856 –
Sudan 1897 –
Suriname 1873 –
Swaziland
Swaziland 1933 –
Swaziland (Provisional Government) 1889 – 1894
Stockholm 1856 – 1862
Sweden 1855 –
Basle 1845 only
Geneva 1843 – 1850
Zürich 1843 – 1850
Switzerland
Switzerland 1850 –
Turkish Postoffices
Military occupation issues
– British occupation – French occupation
Foreign postoffices
Alaouites 1925 – 1930
Hatay 1938 – 1939
Ile Rouad 1916 – 1921
Latakia 1931 – 1937
Syria 1924 –
Taiwan 2007 –
Tajikistan 1992 –
Tanzania 1965 –
Thailand
Malaya (Thai Occupation) 1943 – 1945
Siam 1883 – 1939
Siam (Thailand) 1947 – 1950
Thailand 1940 –
Adrianople (Edirne) 1920 – 1922
Dedeagatz (Greek Occupation) 1913 only
Eastern Thrace 1920 – 1922
Gumultsina 1913 only
Thrace (Allied Occupation) 1919 – 1920
Western Thrace 1913 only
Western Thrace (Greek Occupation) 1920 only
Thuringia (German Allied Occupation Russian Zone) 1945–1946
See Germany
Tibet 1912 – 1959
Tibet (Chinese Post Offices) 1911 – 1912
Portuguese Timor 1885 – 1976
Indonesia 1976 - 1999
Timor Lorosae (UNTAET) 2000 - 2002
Timor Leste 2002 -
Togo 1957 –
Togo (Anglo – French Occupation) 1914 – 1919
Tokelau 1948 –
Tonga 1886 –
Lydenburg 1900 – 1902
New Republic 1886 – 1888
Pietersburg 1901 only
Rustenburg 1900 – 1902
Schweizer-Renecke 1900 only
South African Republic 1869 – 1902
Transvaal 1869 – 1910
Volksrust 1902 only
Wolmaransstad 1900 only
Trieste (AMG) 1947 – 1954
Trieste (Yugoslav Military Government) 1948 – 1954
Tristan da Cunha 1952 –
Trucial States 1961 – 1972
See United Arab Emirates
Tunisia 1888 –
Angora 1920 – 1923
Turkey 1863 –
Ottoman Empire issues 1863 – 1923
Republic issues 1923 –
Foreign Post Offices in the Turkish Empire
Turkish Post Offices abroad
Turkmenistan 1992 –
Turks and Caicos Islands
Caicos Islands 1981 –
Turks and Caicos Islands 1900 –
Turks Islands 1867 – 1900
Uganda
Uganda 1962 –
Ukraine 1992 –
Ukraine (pre-Soviet) 1918 – 1923
Ukrainian Field Post 1920 only
West Ukraine 1918 – 1919
Carpathian Ukraine 1939 only
Transcarpathian Ukraine 1945 only
Umm Al Qiwain 1964 – 1967
See United Arab Emirates
British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia 1948 - 1964
Trucial States 1961 – 1972
Trucial States (Individual Emirates)
Abu Dhabi 1964 – 1972
Ajman 1964 – 1967
Dubai 1963 – 1972
Fujeira 1964 – 1972
Ras Al Khaima 1964 – 1966
Sharjah 1963 – 1968
Umm Al Qiwain 1964 – 1967
United Arab Emirates (UAE) 1973 –
Alderney 1983 –
Channel Islands 1948 only
Great Britain 1840 –
Great Britain (Regional Issues) 1958 –
Guernsey 1941 –
Isle of Man 1973 –
Jersey 1941 –
Northern Ireland 1958 –
Scotland 1958 –
Wales 1958 –
Postoffices abroad
United Nations Postal Administration 1951 –
Confederate States of America 1861 – 1865
Hawaii 1851 – 1898
USA 1847 –
Occupation issues
Uruguay 1856 –
Guam 1899 – 1901
Philippines (US Administration) 1899 – 1945
Shanghai (US Postal Agency) 1919 – 1922
US Post Offices in Japan 1867 – 1874
US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1984
Transcaucasian Federation 1923 – 1924
Tuva 1926 – 1944
USSR 1923 – 1992
USSR Issues for the Far East 1923 only
Uzbekistan 1992 –
New Hebrides 1908 – 1980
Vanuatu 1980 –
Vatican City 1929 –
Venezia Giulia and Istria
Istria (Yugoslav Occupation) 1945 only
Venezia Giulia and Istria (AMG) 1945 – 1947
Venezia Giulia and Istria (Yugoslav Military Government) 1945 – 1947
Venezia Giulia and Istria (Yugoslav Occupation) 1945 only
Venezuela 1859 –
Windward Islands
Barbados 1852 –
Grenada 1861 –
Grenadines of Grenada 1973 –
Grenadines of St Vincent 1973 –
St Lucia 1860 –
St Vincent 1861 –
Tobago 1879 – 1896
Trinidad 1851 – 1913
Trinidad and Tobago 1913 –
World Service Authority - World Government Stamps 1981 -
According to Garry Davis, the World Government Stamps helped to convey thousands of letters between China and Taiwan in the early 1980s.
Württemberg (German State) 1851–1924
Württemberg (German Allied Occupation French Zone) 1947–1949
See Germany
North Yemen
Yemen (Mutawakelite Kingdom) 1926 – 1970
Yemen Arab Republic 1963 – 1990
South Yemen
Aden Colony
India 1854 - 1937
Aden (Colony, State of) 1937 – 1963
Aden Protectorate
Kathiri State of Seiyun 1942 – 1967
Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra 1967 only
Qu'Aiti State in Hadhramaut 1955 – 1967
Qu'Aiti State of Shihr and Mukalla 1942 – 1955
Upper Yafa 1967 only
Federation of South Arabia 1963 - 1968
Southern Yemen 1968 – 1971
Yemen PDR 1971 – 1990
Yemen Arab Republic (Unified) 1990 –
Bosnian Serb Republic 1992 –
Croatia (Yugoslav Regional Issue) 1945 only
Montenegro (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1945 only
Serbia (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1944 – 1946
Serbia and Montenegro 2003 – 2006
Slovenia (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1945 – 1946
Yugoslav Government in Exile 1943 – 1945
Yugoslavia 1944 –
Yugoslavia (Democratic Federation) 1944 – 1945
Yugoslavia (Kingdom) 1929 – 1941
Zululand
Zululand 1888 – 1897
