Aitutaki

One of the southern of the Cook Islands (a dependency of New Zealand) in the southern Pacific, Aitutaki released its first postage stamps in 1903. Consisting of a main island that is of volcanic origin and a few offshore islets which are of coral formations, Aitutaki has a land mass of 7 square miles and a population of approximately 4,000 people, most of whom are of Polynesian origin. The main settlement in Aitutaki is Arutunga from which crops of oranges, bananas, tomatoes and copra are exported. English if the official language of this southern Cook Island.

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Alderney

This 3 square mile island with a population of 2,000 is a dependency of the English Channel Bailiwick of Guernsey, itself a crown dependency of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom. The capital of Alderney is St. Anne and English is the official language. The first Guernsey postage stamps were issued in 1983.

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Angola

This large 481,000 square mile nation in Southwest Africa was colonized by Portugal. With a population of just under 10 million, the government operates out of the capital city of Luanda. The first stamps for Angola were issued in 1870 by the Portuguese colonial government and Portuguese remains the official language of the independent African land.

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Antigua & Barbuda

This two-island nation situated in the Leeward chain of the Eastern Caribbean was a British colony. Most of the 85,000 inhabitants are descended from African slaves brought over to work the sugar plantations. The capital is St. John’s, a harbor city with a majestic view of the Caribbean. The first stamps for Antigua & Barbuda, a 108 square mile nation, were issued in 1862 when Queen Victoria reigned over the British Empire.

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Austria

This German-speaking Central European nation issued its first postage stamps in 1854. Prior to 1867, it was an absolute monarchy that included Hungary and other small non-German ethnic communities that later broke off and became independent nations following Austria’s defeat in the First World War. However, in 1867, the Austrian Empire became a dual monarchy, with Austria and Hungary as equal members. Today, Austria with a total of 32,300 square miles and a population of 7,500,000 people is predominantly Roman Catholic. The capital city is Vienna and the official language is German. The economy is heavily industrialized, although agriculture and mining are significant components.

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Bahamas

This former West Indian colony of Great Britain became independent in 1973. Most of the inhabitants of 5,380 square miles chain of 700 islands and more than 2,000 islets are the descendants of African slaves brought over to work the British plantations. The population is approximately 300,000, almost evenly divided religiously among Baptists, Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Tourism is the major force of the economy along with offshore banking, the mining of salt and the harvesting of fruits and vegetables. The capital city is Nassau. Many believe that the Bahamian island of San Salvador (now known as Waitling Island) was the site of Christopher Columbus’s first landfall in the New World in 1492. The official language of The Bahamas is English. The first postage stamps of this British Commonwealth nation were released in 1859 when as a colony, it was ruled by Queen Victoria.

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Barbados

The British first settled the 166 square mile Caribbean island nation in 1627. They brought over African slaves to work the plantations and today the majority of the populace are the descendants of those slaves or the mixed offspring between blacks and whites. Barbados which got its name from Portuguese sailors who were impressed by the island’s bearded fig trees, obtained its political independence from Great Britain in 1966. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II continues as head of state, but is represented on the island by a Barbadian-born Governor-General. The government is headed by a Prime Minister who leads the dominant political party in the Barbados Parliament. The production of rum and molasses, along with tourism, the harvesting of sugar and corn are major factors in the Barbadian economy. The capital city of this 300,000 population island nation Bridgetown. The official language of Barbados is English and the first postage stamps of the island were issued in 1852 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Belarus

A former republic of the Soviet Union, Belarus gained its political independence in 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union. Surrounded by Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, the 80,000 square mile land has a population of more than 10 million people, most of whom are Byelorussian ("Eastern Slavs). The capital city is Minsk and Byelorussian is the official language of Belarus. More than 25 percent of the Belarus consists of forested land. Besides agriculture (meat and dairy production), important components of the Belarus economy consists of such industrial activities as the manufacturing of agricultural machinery, fertilizers, textiles, electrical goods and glass. The first postage stamps of Belarus were released in 1992.

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Bhutan

Nestled high up in isolated Himalayan mountain range, the 17,900 square mile Kingdom of Bhutan in Southern Asia only released its first postage stamps in 1962. Most of the 1,800,000 citizens of this rugged nation speak the Dzongkha language and observe Buddhist religious doctrine. The center of the nation’s postal service is in the capital city of Thimphu.

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Botswana

Until gaining independence in 1966, the 225,000 square mile nation of Botswana in Central Southern Africa with a population of 1,400,000 people was known as the British protectorate of Bechuanaland. The economy is based on cattle farming and mining. The first stamps of independent Botswana were issued in 1966. The capital city is Gaborone.

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Brunei Darussalam

This tiny 2,225 square mile Islamic sultanate situated on the northwest corner of Borneo next to the China Sea has a population of 300,000, mostly ethnic Malays with a 20% Chinese minority. The oil-rich former British protectorate is a member of the British Commonwealth. The capital city of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan. Malay is the official language of the Southeast Asian sultanate whose first postage stamp was released in 1906.

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Burkina Faso

A former French colony in the savannah region of West Africa, the 105,000 square mile land was once known as Upper Volta because of the important African river that flows through its borders. The majority of almost 10 million inhabitants of the predominantly non-arable land maintain traditional animist religious beliefs. The first stamps of the nation were issued in 1984 when the country's name was changed from Upper Volta. The capital city is Ouagadougou.

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Burundi

This 10,700 square mile land is with a population of under 6 million, one of Africa’s most densely populated lands. Since the 16th Century, the majority Hutus have been dominated by the tall Tutsis and this ethnic friction has led to major outbreaks of deadly violence. Colonized by Germany in 1899, it was taken over by Belgium during the First World War. Belgium was given a League of Nations Mandate and later a United Nations Trust Territory administration of Burundi and neighboring Rwanda. Almost two thirds of the Burundi’s populace are Roman Catholics and less than a third continue to worship traditional animist beliefs. Coffee is the major export of this Central African nation that gained its political independence from Belgium in 1962. The government operates out of the capital city of Bujumbura. French and the tribal language of Rundi are both official languages of Burundi. The first postage stamps for Burundi were issued in 1962.

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Cameroon

This West African nation was originally colonized by Germany in 1885. It was captured by French and British military forces in 1916. After the First World War, it was divided into two League of Nations mandates that were administered by Britain and France separately. After the Second World War, the two European nations governed them as United Nations Trust Territories. In 1960, the French Cameroon became independent. The following year, a plebiscite was conducted in British Cameroon. The northern sector opted for union with neighboring Nigeria and the southern portion of the British Trust Territory voted for joining the former French Cameroon. The large 183,000 square mile nation has a population of almost 13 million. Pidgin variations of English and French are official languages of Cameroon whose government operates out of the capital city of Yaoundé. There are more than 200 different tribal groups, of which the Bamileke and Fulani are the largest. Major exports of Cameroon include cocoa, coffee, aluminum, crude oil, bananas, rubber, timber, gold and cotton. The first stamps of Cameroon were issued in 1897 when it was a German colony.

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Central African Republic

Most of the 3,200,000 citizens of this large 240,000 square mile former French colony in West Africa are members of related Bantu tribal groups. French and the native Sango are official languages of this mining and agricultural land whose capital city is Bangui. The first stamps for the nation known as the Central African Republic were issued in 1959, just before independence was achieved from France.

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Cook Islands

A collection of six large and numerous smaller Polynesian islands, the Cook Islands are situated almost 1600 miles northeast of Auckland, New Zealand. With a combined land mass of 112 square miles, it has a population of just more than 20,000. It is a self-governing dependency of New Zealand. The capital of this Polynesian island chain is Rarotonga and English is the official language. Major exports of the Cook Islands include fruits, copra and traditional crafts. The first postage stamps of the territory were issued in 1892.

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Democratic Republic of Congo

The huge 905,000 square mile Central African nation gained its independence from Belgium in 1960. For more than twenty years, the country was known as Zaire. The official language of the mineral rich and agricultural land of 45 million people is French. The first stamps of the Democratic Republic of Congo were issued in the capital city of Kinshasa in 1960.

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Republic of Congo

This former French colony situated in West Central Africa was incorporated into the French Equatorial Africa administration in 1910. The 132,000 square mile land has a population of almost 3 million, most of whom belong to various Bantu tribal groups. French is the official language of the Republic of Congo and the government operates out of the capital city of Brazzaville. Almost half the population continues to worship traditional animist beliefs. Christians are just less than 50% percent with Muslims at around 2% of the overall population. From 1970 until 1990, the leaders declared the Republic of Congo to be a Marxist-Leninist state. Major aspects of the economy revolve around agriculture (palm oil, cocoa, coffee and tobacco) and mining (oil, potash, natural gas, lead, copper and zinc.) The country’s first postage stamp was released in 1959 just prior to its gaining political independence from France.

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Commonwealth of Dominica

This rugged mountain island is situated in the Windward chain of the Eastern Caribbean. Most of the 82,000 inhabitants of the 29 square mile island are the descendants of Africans brought over as slaves to work English sugar plantations. English is the official language of this beautiful West Indian island known for its hundreds of stunning waterfalls. The first postage stamps of Dominica were issued in 1874 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Cyprus

With a rich history dating back to ancient times, the island of Cyprus because of its strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean has through most of its history been dominated by major world powers. After the Second World War, Greeks on the island then a colony of Great Britain began agitating for eunosis (union) with Greece. An international conference resulted in Cyprus gaining its political independence with the rights of both the Greek and Turkish communities protected in the new constitution. In 1974, the Cypriot government was overthrown by elements of the population desiring union with Greece. Turkey used the incident as justification to send military forces to occupy the northern third of the island where most Turkish Cypriots live. The island has been divided ever since. Major aspects of the economy revolve around agriculture, the production of wine, chemicals, clothing and the mining of copper. The first stamps of Cyprus were issued in 1880 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Djibouti

The major port city of Djibouti on the east coast of Africa was colonized by the French and included in the French Somaliland protectorate. Most of the inhabitants are either Issa or Afar tribesmen and follow the doctrines of the Sunni Muslim faith. In 1967, the French territory changed its name to Afars and the Issas, before granting the 8,900 square mile rugged African nation its political independence in 1977. At that time, the country name was changed to Djibouti after the main city, chief port and capital city. The official languages of Djibouti are French and Arabic. The population is approximately 600,000. The first stamps of Djibouti were issued in 1977 when independence was granted by France.

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Eritrea

Situated in East Africa, Eritrea is a former Italian colony that was annexed by Ethiopia in 1962. For almost thirty years, Eritreans fought a bitter struggle for independence that met success in 1993 with the establishment of a transitional government and membership in the United Nations. The 48,000 square mile nation with port cities on the Red Sea, has a population of approximately 4 million. Amharic and Tigrinya are the official languages of Eritrea, whose capital city is Asmara. Major crops grown in Eritrea include coffee, citrus fruits, cotton and grains. Salt is also produced. The first stamps of Eritrea were issued in 1892 when the nation was a colony of Italy.

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Ethiopia

This large 435,000 square mile nation of high plateaus and a central mountain range is located in East Africa. Most of the 50 million inhabitants are members of Oromo, Amhara, Tigre and Sidamo tribal groups. The Ethiopian Coptic Church and Sunni Islam are the two major religions of the country that was known in Biblical times as Abyssinia. The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic. The major export of the East African nation is coffee. Ethiopia was one of the first black African nations to embrace Christianity, doing so in the fourth century A.D. Until this century, the Ethiopian Coptic Church was subservient to the Egyptian Coptic Church. In 1880, Italy first attempted to colonize Ethiopia but was defeated by troops loyal to the emperor of Abyssinia. In 1936, Italy invaded the East African land a second time and managed to dominate the large land for five years until defeated by the British. Haile Selassie I, the last of the Ethiopian emperors was overthrown in 1974 in the aftermath of a terrible famine that killed hundreds of thousands of his subjects. The capital city of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. The first postage stamps for the East African land were issued in 1894.

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Fiji

A collection of more than 300 islands in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean almost 2,000 miles from Sydney, Australia, Fiji was a British colony from 1874 until gaining independence in 1970. The population of 900,000 is almost evenly divided between ethnic Fijians and the descendants of immigrants from India who came in the 19th Century as indentured servants. While English is the official language of the 7,078 square mile island chain nation, Fijian and Hindustani are the common languages. The first stamps of Fiji were issued in 1870 by the publishers of the Fiji Times, a newspaper published in the capital city of Suva.

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Gabon

Situated in Equatorial West Africa, Gabon with a land mass of 103,000 square miles and a population of 1,500,000, gained its political independence in 1960. The populace is composed of members of various Bantu tribes such as the Bateke, the Obamba, the Bakota and the Shake. Although most residents of this former French colony speak a variety of Bantu dialects, the official language is French. Libreville is the capital city of this primarily agricultural land whose major crops include cocoa, coffee, palm oil and wood. The first stamps of Gabon were released by French colonial authorities in 1886.

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Gambia

This tiny West African nation with a land mass of 4,018 square miles, has a population of just over 1 million. Most are members of the Mandinka, Fula and Wolof tribal groups. English is the official language of this country that served as the setting for author Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize winning fiction novel titled “Roots.” The government operates out of the capital city of Banjul that was in colonial days known as Bathurst. The first postage stamps of The Gambia were released in 1869 when the then colony was under the reign of Queen Victoria. Major industries include tourism, agriculture and fishing. Main crops harvested are peanuts and rice. The overwhelming majority (90%) of the populace are Moslems.

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Georgia

This former Soviet republic is a land of snow-capped mountains, turbulent rivers, dense forests and fertile valleys. It shares borders with the Black Sea, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. This 26,900 square mile nation with a population of 5,500,000 gained its political independence in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The majority of the populace are ethnic Georgians, although minority communities of Russians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis contribute to the national economy. The capital city of Georgia is Tbilisi. Most citizens are members of such Christian Orthodox churches as the Georgian, Russian and Armenian churches. Georgian is the official language of the Caucasus land that is situated in Southeast Europe. The first stamps of Georgia were issued in 1919 following the collapse of the Russian Tsarist government and prior to the reestablishment of the Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922.

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Ghana

This 91,900 square mile West African nation with a population of 15 million was until 1957, known as the British crown colony of the Gold Coast. In addition to English, the official language, fifty different tribal dialects are also spoken. Cocoa is the main crop and mining is an important aspect of the national economy. The first postage stamp was issued in 1957 when Ghana became the first black African nation to gain its independence from Great Britain. The capital city is Accra.

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Gibraltar

This tiny 2.5 square mile British dependency is located on a narrow rocky promontory in southern Spain near the Spanish port city of La Linea. The colony with a population of 30,000 is home to strategic British naval and air bases. Britain conquered Gibraltar from Spain in 1704. In 1967, a United Nation's administered referendum revealed that most residents wanted to remain a colony of Great Britain and not be reunited with Spain. The economy of Gibraltar is dominated by the existence of a trade center that imports and reexports goods. The first postage stamps were issued in 1886 when stamps of Barbados were overprinted with the colony's name of "Gibraltar." The official language of the British colony is English.

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Grenada

Nicknamed the “Spice Island,” Grenada, a 131 square mile West Indian island nation situated in the Windward chain of the Eastern Caribbean has a population of 90,000. Nutmegs, cocoa, mace and bananas are major crops. The capital city is St. George’s, a beautiful harbor town that attracts many cruise ships. The first postage stamp of Grenada was issued in 1861 when Grenada was a British colony under the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Grenada/Carriacou & Petite Martinique

The two beautiful islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique are situated in group of islands known as the Grenadines that separate the larger islands of Grenada and St. Vincent in the Windward chain of the Eastern Caribbean. These two Grenadines islands are popular with sophisticated vacationers from Europe and North America. Once known as the Grenada Grenadines, Carriacou and Petite Martinique are dependencies of Grenada. Carriacou is the main island town and the Grenada Grenadines has a population of almost 11,000. English is the official language and the first postage stamps for the Grenada Grenadines was issued in 1973.

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Guernsey

The second largest of the English Channel Islands, the 24 square mile British dependency has a population of 60,000. St. Peter Port is the capital city of Guernsey, a major financial center, also known for the export of its Guernsey cows. The Bailiwick of Guernsey originally a part of the French province of Normandy came under British control when William, Duke of Normandy crossed the English Channel in 1066 to become William the Conqueror of England. The first stamps of the Bailiwick were the 1958 British regional series for Guernsey.

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Republic of Guinea

This 94,600 square mile nation was a former French colony. Situated in Equatorial Africa, it has a population of slightly more than ten million, most of whom speak one of dozens of tribal languages. Subsistence farming, along with diamond, bauxite and iron mining are the major aspects of Guinea’s economy. French is the official language and the national government operates out of the capital city of Conakry. The first postage stamp for the Republic of Guinea was released in 1959, a few months after gaining independence from France.

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Guyana

Nestled on the northern tip of the South American continent is Guyana, which until gaining its political independence in 1966, was known as British Guiana. Almost the size of the state of Idaho, the 82,000 square mile land has a population of just under one million people. English remains the official language and the capital city, Georgetown, is situated near the coast. The cultivation of sugar, rice and fruits, along with mining diamonds and bauxite are the major industries of Guyana which released its first postage stamps in 1966.

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Haiti

Haiti is the oldest black republic in the world. The 10,712 square mile Caribbean nation occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola, sharing a border with the Spanish speaking Dominican Republic. French is the official language of Haiti, although, 90% of the six million residents speak Creole, a dialect that combines French and various African dialects. Haiti, one of the world's most impoverished nations gained its political independence in 1804 when slaves imported from Africa revolted against the French plantation owners. Haiti's capital city is Port-au-Prince. The first postage stamps of Haiti were issued in 1881.

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India

The dominant nation in the Southern Asian subcontinent, India gained its political independence from Great Britain in 1947 after a much publicized freedom struggle led by the legendary Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. The 1,222,396 square mile land has a majority Hindu population, with significant minority communities of Sunni Muslims and Sikhs. With a population quickly approaching one billion, India is the world's largest democracy. India has sixteen official languages - Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The first stamps of India were released in 1854 when the giant nation was administered for Great Britain by the East India Company.

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Isle of Man

Situated in the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man, with a population of 60,000 has the distinction of being a dependency of the British crown, while yet not being a part of the United Kingdom. Douglas is the capital city of the 220 square mile island that is perhaps best known by cat fanciers for its tailless Manx cat. The Isle of Man is also well known for its world famous Tourist Trophy motorcycles races. A tax haven, the island was Britain's first free port. It is a dynamic offshore banking center. Tourism is a major component of the island economy, with many visitors attracted by the presence of gambling casinos. The first postage stamps of the Isle of Man were issued in 1958 when Great Britain released a special set of regional definitive stamps that bore of the special symbol of the three-legged Manxman.

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Israel

Israel stands at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Geographically, Israel belongs to the Asian continent, situated in the Middle East in-between the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the east, while sharing borders with Lebanon and Syria in the north and in the south with the Red Sea and Egypt. Israel first issued postage stamps in 1948 after gaining political independence from Great Britain. Israel has a land mass of 8,029 square miles and a population of 6,300,000 people, most of whom are Jewish. The capital city is Jerusalem. The official languages of Israel are Hebrew and Arabic.

To see the new postage stamps issued by the government of Israel, please click here.

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Ivory Coast

A former French colony, the Ivory Coast is situated in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, sharing borders with Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and Liberia. The 124,000 square mile land with a population of 16 million, is one of the few African nations still dominated religiously by faith in traditional animist beliefs. Islam and Christianity are important minority religious communities. Eighty-five percent of the labor force is engaged in various agricultural pursuits, with principal crops harvested being coffee, corn, cocoa, beans and timber. Yamoussoukro is the capital city of the African nation that issued its first postage stamps in 1892 when still a French colony. The Ivory Coast gained its political independence from France in 1960.

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Jamaica

Situated in the West Indies, the 4,239 square mile island nation of Jamaica gained its political independence from Great Britain in 1962. English is the official language, although many rural citizens speak a Jamaican Creole dialect. Most of the almost 3 million island residents are the descendants of plantation slaves brought over from Africa in the 17th Century. The major religion is Protestant Christianity. Jamaica was visited by Christopher Columbus in 1494 and was first colonized by Spain before being captured by the British in 1655. Tourism is a major component of the island's economy. Agriculture is a major source of employment, with important crops being sugar, bananas, cocoa, coconuts and citrus. Rum, liqueurs and cigars are other popular exports. The first Jamaican postage stamps were issued in 1860 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Kenya

This 224,000 square mile East African nation gained its political independence from Great Britain in 1964 after a freedom (Uhuru) struggle was launched by the charismatic Jomo Kenyatta. Once a magnet for those interested in hunting safaris, Kenya's tourism industry today attracts tens of thousands of environmentally positive tourists who come to shoot the incredibly beautiful wildlife species with harmless cameras. Swahili is the official language of the land that boasts a population of almost 30 million. The major ethnic tribal groups are the Kikuyu, the Luo, the Luhya and the Kelenjin. Two thirds of the population is Christian, one quarter observe traditional animist beliefs and the remaining 6% is Muslim. The first postage stamps of Kenya were issued in 1922, when Kenya was administered by the British in an East African union with Tanganyika and Uganda.

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Lesotho

Completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho is almost entirely composed of Sotho tribesman. Both Sesotho, the tribal language and English, are official languages of the 11.700 square mile land that has a population of almost 2 million people. Prior to gaining its political independence from Great Britain in 1966, it was known as Basutoland. The capital city of the Kingdom of Lesotho is Maseru and the country’s first postage stamps was released on Independence Day 1966.

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Liberia

Established in the middle of the 19th Century by American abolitionists to serve as a refuge for liberated African-American slaves, Liberia, has long had strong ties with the United States. English is the official language, although most of the almost 3 million citizens speak one of many tribal dialects. With 38,250 square miles, Liberia which is slightly bigger than the state of Pennsylvania, has unfortunately suffered in recent years from a bitter Civil War. The capital city is Monrovia, named after the fifth president of the United States who was in the White House at the time that Liberia was first colonized as a slave refuge. It became an independent republic in 1847 and its first postage stamps were issued in 1860.

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Madagascar

Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island, is situated in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa opposite of Mozambique. Antananarivo is the capital city of the country once known as Malagasy. The 226,000 square mile island because of its isolation from Africa and other land masses, has a very unique community of wildlife. Most of the almost 20 million inhabitants are descendants of immigrants from Indonesia. Malagasy, the official language of Madagascar is similar to Malay, the language spoken by Malays in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Half of the inhabitants of Madagascar, a former French colony that attained its political independence in 1960 observe traditional animist beliefs, while 40% are Christian and 10% are Muslim. The first stamps of the large island nation were issued in 1889.

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Malaysia

This Southeast Asian nation has a land mass of 127,000 square miles and a population of 20 million. Almost 50% of the populace are ethnic Malays, while Chinese (32%) and Indians (8%) constitute significant minority communities. While Malay is the official language, English, Chinese and Hindi are also commonly spoken. This former collection of British colonies gained political independence in 1963. While Islam is the official religion, many residents also worship Buddhist, Hindu and local animist beliefs. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. The first postage stamps of Malaysia were issued in 1867 when the country was a British protectorate known as the Straits Settlements.

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Mali

A landlocked nation in Northwest Africa, Mali with a land mass of 478,000 square miles, shares borders with Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania. Bamako is the capital city of this former French colony that has a population of almost 10 million, of whom 90% are Sunni Muslims. Most Mali adults are engaged in subsistence farming or cattle raising. Major exports are cotton, peanuts, livestock and fish that are caught in lakes and rivers. Under French rule, Mali was known as French Sudan and was administered as part of French West Africa. An attempt for form a federation with Senegal in 1959 failed and Mali gained its complete political independence from France in 1960.

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Maldives

A collection of nineteen different atolls with slightly more than 1,000 islands in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has a land mass of 115 square miles and a population of almost 250,000 people. It is a former British protectorate and Islamic sultanate. English and Divehi, a native tongue are the two officials languages of the overwhelmingly Islamic nation. Fishing and tourism are important aspects of the archipelago nation’s economy. The capital city is Malé and the nation’s first postage stamps were released in 1906 when it was still a British protectorate and occupied to protect British interests in India.

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Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia in the Western Pacific were successive colonies of Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States. It was the scene of heavy fighting between American and Japanese troops during the Second World War. The various islands making up the federation have a combined land mass of 270 square miles and a population of 92,000. English is the official language of the former United States administered U.N. Trust Territory that first issued postage stamps in 1984.

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Mozambique

This large 308,000 square mile nation situated on the Southeast coast of Africa on the Indian Ocean, gained its political independence from Portugal in 1975 under the leadership of Frelimo leader Samora Machel. Most of the 15 million inhabitants are members are various ethnic Bantu tribes. Sixteen different African languages and dialects are spoken by the majority of Mozambique's citizens, although Portuguese remains the official language. The capital and chief port of this primarily subsistence agricultural nation is Maputo. Major exports include prawns, cashews, sugar, cotton, tea, copra and petroleum products. The first postage stamps of this mostly flat tropical lowland, with mountains in the west, were issued in 1877 during the reign of King Luiz of Portugal.

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Naurau

Nauru, with a total land mass of 8 square miles is one of the smallest nations in the world. Over eighty percent of the almost 10,000 residents are native Polynesians. The remaining populace are divided among Chinese and European immigrants. Although Nauruan is the official language of this once phosphate rich tropical island situated in the Southwest Pacific just south of the equator and approximately 2500 miles southwest of Honolulu. Much of Nauru's rich soil was dug up to provide phosphate to interests in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Nauru sued all three countries in the International Court of Justice in Hague. These three countries which once shared colonial administration of Nauru, settled out of court. Almost all residents of Nauru are Christian. The capital of this island republic is situated in the Yaren District. The first postage stamps of Nauru were issued in 1916 and consisted of Great Britain stamps being overprinted with the legend "Nauru."

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New Caledonia

This South Pacific island group with a land mass of 7,170 square miles is a French overseas territory that is situated in between Fiji and Australia. Almost half the population are Kanaks, (native Melanesians). More than a third of European settlers, primarily from France. French is the official language and 90% of the Pacific island's populace are Christian. Noumea is the capital city of the French territory. Major exports are such minerals as nickel, iron and chromite. Significant agricultural crops include coffee, copra, vegetables, wheat and the raising of beef. New Caledonia has a very high literacy rate with 91% of all adult islanders capable of reading. The first postage stamps, of this fertile island territory that is surrounded by barrier reefs, were released in 1859 during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III of France.

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Norfolk Island

This 15 square mile island in the Southwest Pacific some 1,000 miles northeast of Sydney is an Australian external territory. Discovered in 1774 by Captain James Cook, the island was named the Duke of Norfolk in England. Norfolk Island was claimed by the Australian colony of New South Wales in 1788. The main settlement and port of the island is Kingston. The island served as a penal colony during the years 1788-1813 and 1825-1855. In 1856, the population of the Pitcairn Islands were resettled in Norfolk. Although some later returned to Pitcairn, many stayed in Norfolk Island and many families on the island today are descended from those immigrants. A unique tree found in the island is the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla). Tourism from Australia and New Zealand play an important role in the Norfolk Island economy. The first postage stamps of Norfolk Island were issued in 1947 showing a view of Ball Bay. The island which evolved from volcanic origin has a population of 3,000.

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Nevis

Nevis, a former British colony is a member of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis. It is located in the Leeward chain of islands in the Eastern Caribbean. The cultivation of cotton is the primary industry, although in recent years Nevis has done much too develop a tourist trade. The 50 square mile island located just two miles across the channel from St. Kitts, has a population of more than 10,000 people, most of whom are descendants of African slaves brought over to work British plantations. English is the official language and the chief town on the island of Nevis is Charlestown. The first Nevis postage stamps were released in 1861 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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Nicaragua

This former Spanish colony in Central America, first issued postage stamps in 1862. The 49,000 square mile Spanish-speaking republic has a population of 4,200,000. Bananas, coffee, cotton, and fruit are major crops of this primarily agricultural nation. Mining of gold, silver and copper along with oil refining and the manufacture of clothing textiles play an important role in the economic scheme of Nicagragua.

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Palau

A Micronesian island chain that until gaining its political independence in 1994, the Republic of Palau, situated in the Western Pacific was successively governed by Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States. The 179 square mile island chain with a population of 16,000 was the scene of fierce World War II battles between the military forces of the U.S. and Japan. English is the official language of Palau whose central government operates out of the capital city of Koror. The first Palau postage stamps were released in 1983 when Palau was still a United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States.

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Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is situated in the Southwest Pacific, and consists of the eastern part of the island of New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and a portion of the Solomon Islands. Most of the four and a half million citizens of Papua New Guinea are members of the Papuans, Melanesians and Negritos ethnic communities. The Papua portion of the island of New Guinea was claimed by Queensland, an Australian colony of Great Britain in 1883, whereas the New Guinea portion of today's island nation was made into a German protectorate in 1884. Australia seized this German territory in 1914 at the outset of the First World War. The 178,000 square mile Papua New Guinea gained its political independence in 1975. Port Moresby on the island of New Guinea is the capital city. English is the official language, although many people speak pidgin English and 715 different local languages and dialects. The first stamps of Papua New Guinea were issued in 1901 under the name of British New Guinea.

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Penrhyn

This 4 square mile coral atoll in the Southwest Pacific, Penrhyn is the most northerly of the Cook Islands, a dependency of New Zealand. The island was discovered in 1788. In 1822, it was named after the British ship "Lady Penrhyn" which was transporting convicts to Australia. Claimed by Great Britain in 1888, Penrhyn has been administered since 1901 by New Zealand. Most of the 600 islanders who live in Penrhyn and six other Northern Cook islands (Nassau, Palmerston, Manihiki, Rakahanga, Pukapuka and Suwarrow, are engaged in the export of copra and pearl shell. The main village on the island of Penrhyn is Omoka. The native name for the island is Tongareva, which means Tonga in the Heavens. The first postage stamps for Penrhyn were issued in 1902 when stocks of New Zealand stamps were taken and overprinted "Penrhyn Island."

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Qatar

Located on the Qatar peninsula in the Arabian Gulf, Qatar shares borders with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The 4,400 square mile nation is an absolute monarchy under the rule of Sheik Khalifa. Forty percent of the population is Arab, with another 36% divided between workers from India and Pakistan. The dominant religion is that of Sunni Islam. Doha is the capital city and chief port of this former British protectorate that gained its political independence in 1971. The export of oil is the major factor of the economy of Qatar, a member of OPEC. The country also exports natural gas, petrochemicals, fertilizers, iron and steel. Arabic is the official language of Qatar. The first postage stamps of Qatar were released in 1957 when stocks of Great Britain stamps were overprinted with the name of the British protectorate, along with surcharges in the Qatari currency.

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Romania

This 91,000 square mile nation is situated in southeast Europe. The population of Romania is 23 million. Almost 90% of the populace are Romanians, with a minority of 8 percent being ethnic Hungarians. Romanian, one of the Romance languages with national status (along with French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) is the official language of this country that was established in 1861 with the unification of the principalities of Moldavia and Walachia. Bucharest is the capital city. The Romanian Orthodox Church is the dominant religion of the nation that was under Communist domination from 1945 until 1989 when the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and executed in a blood revolutionary coup. Major exports of. Major exports of Romania include petroleum products. Electrical goods, automobiles, oil field equipment and cereal. The first postage stamps of Romania were issued in 1865 and depicted a portrait of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

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Sierra Leone

A former British colony located in West Africa, it was made into a refuge for freed African slaves from Great Britain and the British colonies in the New World by English abolitionists. Hence the name of the country’s capital city - Freetown. The 27,700 square mile nation has a population of almost 4,500,000. It was recently wracked by a tragic and bloody Civil War that brought misery to most of the nation’s population. Agriculture and mining are major facets of Sierra Leone’s national economy, with cocoa, coffee and rice being major crops. English is the official language and the first postage stamp of Sierra Leone was released in 1859 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

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St. Vincent & the Grenadines

One of the major island nations in the Windward chain of the Eastern Caribbean, St. Vincent got its name from the fact that Christopher Columbus land on the main island on January 22, 1498, St Vincent’s Day. The 150 square mile West Indian nation which includes a chain of tiny Grenadines islands near Grenada, has a population of 110,000, most of whom are the descendants of African slaves brought over to work on the sugar plantations of the French and British that competed for control of the island. It remained a British colony after the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. The first postage stamps were issued in 1861 during the reign of Queen Victoria. English is the official language of the Commonwealth nation that gained its political independence in 1979.

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Tanzania

This East African nation is the result of the 1964 union of the mainland British governed U.N. Trust Territory of Tanganyika and the nearby British protectorate of the island of Zanzibar. The official languages of Tanzania are Swahili and English. Agriculture is the major economic force, with cotton, coffee, tobacco and tea being important crops. Diamond and gold are also mind in this 365,000 square mile land that has a population of almost 30 million. Since 1984, the capital of this East African land is Dodoma, although the former capital of Dar-es-Salaam is still the largest and economically vibrant city. The first postage stamps of Tanzania were released in 1964 after the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

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Togo

This former French colony on the west coast of Africa gained its political independence in 1960. Originally colonized in 1884 by Germany and known as Togoland, it was divided between France and Great Britain as League of Nations Mandate Territories after the First World War. The British sector later merged with the Gold Coast colony and gained its independence as Ghana in 1957. The 21,900 square mile Republic of Togo, today has a population of almost 4 million, most of whom are members of the Ewe and Kabye tribal groups. Coffee, cocoa and yams are major crops. Mining of phosphates is another important component of the Togo economy. The Togo capital city is Lomé and the country’s first postage stamps were issued in 1897 during the German colonial period.

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Turks & Caicos Islands

Situated in the West Indies, the Turks & Caicos is one of the few remaining British crown colonies. With a total land mass of 166 square miles and a population of under 10,000, tourism has became a major industry in the colony that is renown for its outstanding aquatic recreational pleasures such as scuba diving. At one time, salt mining had been a major industry. The capital of the Turks & Caicos is Cockburn Town and, of course, English is the official language of the British colony. The first postage stamps for the Turks & Caicos Islands were issued in the year 1900.

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Uganda

This former British protectorate is situated in East Africa, neighboring Kenya and Tanzania. The 91,000 square nation has a population of 18,000,000. Most of the populace are engaged in subsistence farming, with coffee, cotton, corn, tea, bananas and sugar being important crops. Copper and cobalt are mined and significantly contribute to the national economy along with livestock raising. In the 1970’s, the country gained infamous renown for the brutal dictatorial rule of General Idi Amin. The capital city is Kampala and the country’s official language is English. The first postage stamps of Uganda were issued in 1895, the famous Rev. Ernest Millar typewriter provisional stamps.

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