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 – 1999Macau, China 1999 -Macedonia 1991 –Madagascar and Dependencies
Anjouan 1892 – 1914Diégo-Suarez 1890 – 1896Great Comoro 1897 – 1914Madagascar and Dependencies 1896 – 1958Mayotte 1892 – 1914Moheli 1906 – 1914Nossi-Bé 1889 – 1891Ste Marie de Madagascar 1894 – 1896Funchal 1892 – 1905Madeira 1868 –Malagasy Republic 1958 –British Central Africa 1891 – 1908Nyasaland Protectorate 1907 – 1964Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1954 – 1964Malawi 1964 –Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937Federated Malay States 1900 – 1935Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945 – 1948Malayan Federation 1957 – 1963Malayan Postal Union 1936 – 1968Malaysia 1963 –Malaysian States and TerritoriesFederal TerritoryFederal Territory (Kuala Lumpur) 1979 –Federal Territory (Putrajaya) 2001 –LabuanStraits SettlementsLabuan 1879 - 1894North Borneo (Labuan overprint) 1894 - 1907Johore 1876 –Kedah 1912 –Kelantan 1911 –MalaccaIndia 1854 - 1867Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937Malacca 1948 –Negri SembilanSungei Ujong 1878 – 1895Negri Sembilan 1891 –Pahang 1889 –PenangIndia 1854 - 1867Straits Settlements 1867 - 1937Penang 1948 –Perak 1878 –Perlis 1948 –SabahNorth Borneo (British North Borneo) 1883 – 1894North Borneo (State of North Borneo) 1894 – 1939North Borneo (British Colony) 1945 – 1963Sabah 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 – 1916Marshall Islands 1984 –US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1984Mauritania 1960 –Mauritius 1847 –Mexico 1856 –Campeche 1876 onlyChiapas 1866 onlyChihuahua 1872 onlyCuautla 1867 onlyCuernavaca 1867 onlyGuadalajara 1867 – 1868Mérida 1916 onlySinaloa 1929 onlyTlacotalpan 1856 onlyYucatán 1924 onlyCaroline Islands (Karolinen) (German colony) 1899 – 1914US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 – 1984Federated States of Micronesia 1984 –Moldova 1991 –Monaco 1885 –Mongolia 1924 –Montenegro 1874 – 1918; 2006 –Morocco 1956 –Northern Zone, Morocco 1956 – 1958Sherifian Post 1912 – 1919Southern Zone, Morocco 1956 – 1958Mozambique 1876 –Inhambane 1895 – 1920Kionga 1916 onlyLourenco Marques 1895 – 1921Quelimane 1913 – 1920Tete 1913 – 1920Zambezia 1894 – 1917Nagorno-Karabakh 1993 –German South-West Africa 1888 – 1915South West Africa 1923 – 1991Namibia 1990 –Natal 1857 – 1909Nauru 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 – 2010Netherlands Indies 1864 – 1948Netherlands New Guinea 1950 – 1962Sint Maarten 2010-West Irian 1963 – 1970Western New Guinea 1962 – 1963New Zealand
New Zealand 1855 –New Zealand TerritoriesKing Edward VII Land * 1908 onlyVictoria Land * 1911 – 1912Ross 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 – 1909Zelaya, Nicaragua 1904 – 1912Niger 1959 –Nigeria 1914 –Biafra 1968 – 1969Lagos 1874 – 1906Niger Coast Protectorate 1892 – 1902Northern Nigeria 1900 – 1914Oil Rivers Protectorate 1892 – 1893Southern Cameroons 1960 – 1961Southern Nigeria 1901 – 1914Niuafo'ou 1983 –Niue 1902 –Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island 1947 –Norway 1855 –Obock (French Colony) 1893–1902See Djibouti
Muscat 1944 – 1948Muscat and Oman 1966 – 1970Oman 1971 –Orange Free State 1868 – 1900Orange River Colony 1900 – 1907Amb StateBahawalpur 1945 – 1949Las Bela StatePakistan 1947 –Caroline Islands (Karolinen) (German colony) 1899 – 1914Palau 1983 –US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1983Ottoman Post OfficesForeign Post OfficesPalestine (British Mandate) 1917–1948Palestinian National Authority 1994–Panama 1878 –British New Guinea 1901 – 1906New Britain 1914 – 1915New Guinea (Australian Administration) 1925 – 1942North West Pacific Islands 1915 – 1925Papua 1906 – 1942Papua New Guinea 1952 –Paraguay 1870 –PenrhynPeru 1858 –Philippines 1946 –Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands 1940 –Allenstein 1920 onlyCarinthia 1920 onlyEast Silesia 1920 onlyMarienwerder 1920 onlySlesvig 1920 onlyUpper Silesia 1920 – 1922Poland
Poland 1918 –Poland (Russian Province) 1860 – 1863Central Lithuania (Polish Occupation) 1920 – 1922Constantinople (Polish Post Office) 1919 – 1921Danzig (Polish Post Office) 1924 – 1939Polish Army in Russia 1942 onlyPolish Corps in Russia 1918 onlyPolish Government in Exile 1941 – 1945Portugal 1853 –Africa (Portuguese Colonies) 1898 onlyMozambique Company 1892 – 1942Nyassa 1897 – 1929Portuguese Congo 1894 – 1920Portuguese Guinea 1881 – 1974Portuguese India 1871 – 1961Timor 1885 – 1976Qatar 1957 –Ras Al Khaima 1964 – 1966See United Arab Emirates
Rhineland Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate (German Allied Occupation French Zone) 1947–1949See Germany
British South Africa Company 1890 – 1924Northern Rhodesia 1925 – 1964Nyasa-Rhodesia Force (NF) 1916 onlyRhodesia 1965 – 1980Rhodesia (British Colonial Issues) 1909 – 1924Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1954 – 1964Southern Rhodesia 1924 – 1964Zambia 1964 –Zimbabwe 1980 –Turkish postofficesForeign postofficesMoldavia 1858 – 1862Moldo-Wallachia 1862 – 1865Romania 1865 –Bessarabia 1941-1945Bucovyna 1941-1945Transistria 1941-1945Banat Bacska (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920Constantinople (Romanian Post Office) 1896 – 1919Debrecen (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920Hungary (Romanian Occupation) 1919 – 1920Romanian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire 1896 – 1919Temesvar (Romanian Occupation) 1919 onlyTransylvania (Romanian Occupation) 1919 onlyRussia 1992 –Russia (pre-Soviet) 1858 – 1923Turkish postoffices (Batum)British Occupation (Batum)Amur Province 1920 onlyAtaman Semyonov Regime 1920 onlyCrimea 1918 – 1919Denikin Government 1919 – 1920Don Territory 1918 – 1920Far Eastern Republic 1920 – 1922Kolchak Government 1919 – 1920Kuban Territory 1918 – 1920North Ingermanland 1920 onlyNorth Western Army 1919 – 1920Northern Army 1919 – 1920Priamur and Maritime Provinces 1921 – 1922Siberia (Czechoslovak Army) 1919 – 1920Transbaikal Province 1920 onlyWestern Army 1919 – 1920Wrangel Government 1920 – 1921Russian post offices abroadBeirut (Russian Post Office) 1879 – 1910China (Russian Post Offices) 1899 – 1920Constantinople (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Crete (Russian Post Offices) 1899 onlyDardanelles (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Jaffa (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Jerusalem (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Kerrasunde (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Mount Athos (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914Mytilene (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914North Korea (Russian Occupation) 1946 – 1948Rizeh (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Russian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1863 – 1914Salonika (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1914Smyrne (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910South Lithuania (Russian Occupation) 1919 onlyTrebizonde (Russian Post Office) 1909 – 1910Saargebeit, Sarre (Plebiscite) 1920 – 1935Saar (Allied Occupation) 1947 – 1957Saar (German Federal Republic state) 1957 – 1959See Germany
Samoa 1982 –Samoa (Kingdom) 1877 – 1900Samoa (New Zealand Administration) 1914 – 1935Samoa I Sisifo 1958 – 1982Western Samoa 1935 – 1958San Marino 1877 –Sao Tome e Principe 1870 –Turkish PostofficesForeign PostofficesHejaz 1916 – 1926Hejaz-Nejd 1926 – 1932Nejd 1925 – 1926Saudi Arabia 1932 –Senegal 1960 –Turkish PostofficesForeign PostofficesSerbia (Kingdom of) 1866 – 1920Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes 1921 -Yugoslavia 1944 – 2002Serbia and Montenegro 2003 – 2006Serbia (Republic of) 2006 –Baranya (Serbian Occupation) 1919 onlyHungary (Serbian Occupation) 1919 onlyTemesvar (Serbian Occupation) 1919 onlyBritish Indian Ocean Territory 1868 – 1976Seychelles 1890 –Zil Elwannyen Sesel 1980 –Sharjah 1963 – 1972See United Arab Emirates
Sierra Leone 1859 –Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945 – 1948Malaysia 1963 – 1965Singapore 1965 -Singapore, Malaya 1948 – 1959Singapore, State of 1959 - 1963Straits Settlements 1867 – 1942Slovakia 1993 –Slovakia (Autonomous State) 1939 – 1945Slovenia 1991 –Slovenia (Provincial Issues) 1919 – 1921Solomon Islands
British Solomon Islands 1907 – 1975Solomon Islands 1975 –Somalia 1950 –British SomalilandBritish Somaliland 1903 onlySomaliland Protectorate 1904 – 1960Italian SomalilandBenadir 1903 – 1905Oltre Juba 1925 – 1926South Africa 1910 –South African HomelandsBophutatswana 1977 – 1994Ciskei 1981 – 1994Transkei 1977 – 1994Venda 1979 – 1994Federation of South Arabia 1963 - 1968See Yemen
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia 1963 – 1980South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1980 –South Sudan 2011 -Postage stamps and postal history of Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Italy) 1966Canary Islands 1936 – 1938Spain 1850 –Cape Juby 1916 – 1950Cuba and Puerto Rico 1855 – 1872Elobey, Annobón, and Corisco 1903 – 1908Fernando Poo 1868 – 1968Ifni 1941 – 1969La Agüera 1920 – 1924Puerto Rico 1873 – 1900Río de Oro 1905 – 1924Río Muni 1960 – 1968Spanish Guinea 1902 – 1960Spanish Marianas 1898 – 1899Spanish Morocco 1914 – 1956Spanish Philippines 1854 – 1898Spanish Sahara 1924 – 1975Spanish West Africa 1949 – 1951Andorra (Spanish Offices) 1928 –Morocco (Spanish Post Offices) 1903 – 1914Tangier (Spanish Post Offices) 1921 – 1957Tetuan (Spanish Post Office) 1908 – 1909Ceylon 1857 – 1972Sri Lanka 1972 –St Helena 1856 –Sudan 1897 –Suriname 1873 –Swaziland
Swaziland 1933 –Swaziland (Provisional Government) 1889 – 1894Stockholm 1856 – 1862Sweden 1855 –Basle 1845 onlyGeneva 1843 – 1850Zürich 1843 – 1850Switzerland
Switzerland 1850 –Turkish PostofficesMilitary occupation issues– British occupation – French occupation
Foreign postofficesAlaouites 1925 – 1930Hatay 1938 – 1939Ile Rouad 1916 – 1921Latakia 1931 – 1937Syria 1924 –Taiwan 2007 –Tajikistan 1992 –Tanzania 1965 –Thailand
Malaya (Thai Occupation) 1943 – 1945Siam 1883 – 1939Siam (Thailand) 1947 – 1950Thailand 1940 –Adrianople (Edirne) 1920 – 1922Dedeagatz (Greek Occupation) 1913 onlyEastern Thrace 1920 – 1922Gumultsina 1913 onlyThrace (Allied Occupation) 1919 – 1920Western Thrace 1913 onlyWestern Thrace (Greek Occupation) 1920 onlyThuringia (German Allied Occupation Russian Zone) 1945–1946See Germany
Tibet 1912 – 1959Tibet (Chinese Post Offices) 1911 – 1912Portuguese Timor 1885 – 1976Indonesia 1976 - 1999Timor Lorosae (UNTAET) 2000 - 2002Timor Leste 2002 -Togo 1957 –Togo (Anglo – French Occupation) 1914 – 1919Tokelau 1948 –Tonga 1886 –Lydenburg 1900 – 1902New Republic 1886 – 1888Pietersburg 1901 onlyRustenburg 1900 – 1902Schweizer-Renecke 1900 onlySouth African Republic 1869 – 1902Transvaal 1869 – 1910Volksrust 1902 onlyWolmaransstad 1900 onlyTrieste (AMG) 1947 – 1954Trieste (Yugoslav Military Government) 1948 – 1954Tristan da Cunha 1952 –Trucial States 1961 – 1972See United Arab Emirates
Tunisia 1888 –Angora 1920 – 1923Turkey 1863 –Ottoman Empire issues 1863 – 1923Republic issues 1923 –Foreign Post Offices in the Turkish EmpireTurkish Post Offices abroadTurkmenistan 1992 –Turks and Caicos Islands
Caicos Islands 1981 –Turks and Caicos Islands 1900 –Turks Islands 1867 – 1900Uganda
Uganda 1962 –Ukraine 1992 –Ukraine (pre-Soviet) 1918 – 1923Ukrainian Field Post 1920 onlyWest Ukraine 1918 – 1919Carpathian Ukraine 1939 onlyTranscarpathian Ukraine 1945 onlyUmm Al Qiwain 1964 – 1967See United Arab Emirates
British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia 1948 - 1964Trucial States 1961 – 1972Trucial States (Individual Emirates)Abu Dhabi 1964 – 1972Ajman 1964 – 1967Dubai 1963 – 1972Fujeira 1964 – 1972Ras Al Khaima 1964 – 1966Sharjah 1963 – 1968Umm Al Qiwain 1964 – 1967United Arab Emirates (UAE) 1973 –Alderney 1983 –Channel Islands 1948 onlyGreat Britain 1840 –Great Britain (Regional Issues) 1958 –Guernsey 1941 –Isle of Man 1973 –Jersey 1941 –Northern Ireland 1958 –Scotland 1958 –Wales 1958 –Postoffices abroadUnited Nations Postal Administration 1951 –Confederate States of America 1861 – 1865Hawaii 1851 – 1898USA 1847 –Occupation issuesUruguay 1856 –Guam 1899 – 1901Philippines (US Administration) 1899 – 1945Shanghai (US Postal Agency) 1919 – 1922US Post Offices in Japan 1867 – 1874US post in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1946 - 1984Transcaucasian Federation 1923 – 1924Tuva 1926 – 1944USSR 1923 – 1992USSR Issues for the Far East 1923 onlyUzbekistan 1992 –New Hebrides 1908 – 1980Vanuatu 1980 –Vatican City 1929 –Venezia Giulia and Istria
Istria (Yugoslav Occupation) 1945 onlyVenezia Giulia and Istria (AMG) 1945 – 1947Venezia Giulia and Istria (Yugoslav Military Government) 1945 – 1947Venezia Giulia and Istria (Yugoslav Occupation) 1945 onlyVenezuela 1859 –Windward Islands
Barbados 1852 –Grenada 1861 –Grenadines of Grenada 1973 –Grenadines of St Vincent 1973 –St Lucia 1860 –St Vincent 1861 –Tobago 1879 – 1896Trinidad 1851 – 1913Trinidad 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) 1851–1924Württemberg (German Allied Occupation French Zone) 1947–1949See Germany
North YemenYemen (Mutawakelite Kingdom) 1926 – 1970Yemen Arab Republic 1963 – 1990South YemenAden ColonyIndia 1854 - 1937Aden (Colony, State of) 1937 – 1963Aden ProtectorateKathiri State of Seiyun 1942 – 1967Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra 1967 onlyQu'Aiti State in Hadhramaut 1955 – 1967Qu'Aiti State of Shihr and Mukalla 1942 – 1955Upper Yafa 1967 onlyFederation of South Arabia 1963 - 1968Southern Yemen 1968 – 1971Yemen PDR 1971 – 1990Yemen Arab Republic (Unified) 1990 –Bosnian Serb Republic 1992 –Croatia (Yugoslav Regional Issue) 1945 onlyMontenegro (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1945 onlySerbia (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1944 – 1946Serbia and Montenegro 2003 – 2006Slovenia (Yugoslav Regional Issues) 1945 – 1946Yugoslav Government in Exile 1943 – 1945Yugoslavia 1944 –Yugoslavia (Democratic Federation) 1944 – 1945Yugoslavia (Kingdom) 1929 – 1941Zululand
Zululand 1888 – 1897