List of members of the Universal Postal Union
The 192 members of the Universal Postal Union are listed below in alphabetical order, with the date of membership.[1] Members are the Vatican City and the 193 UN members except Andorra, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau. The newest member is South Sudan, which joined on 4 October 2011.
Before 10 July 1964, states became members of the UPU by ratifying the latest version of the Treaty of Bern. After this date, states become members by ratifying the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union, which incorporated the Treaty of Bern and added provisions to it. Three states which were party to the Treaty of Bern in 1964, and hence members of the UPU, and which have signed but never ratified the Constitution are members of the UPU Dominican Republic, Honduras, Sudan.[2] These states are deemed to have "tacitly ratified" the agreement due to their continued participation in the UPU.[3] Also included as members are two "joint memberships" for dependent territories (one for the British overseas territories and one for the Caribbean constituent countries (Dutch: landen) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten), originally as Netherlands Antilles). Dependent territories are not permitted to ratify the UPU Constitution, but because the Treaty of Bern allowed for dependencies to join the UPU,[3] listing these members separately as "Colonies, Protectorates, etc.",[4] the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union grandfathered them when membership was restricted to sovereign states.[3][5] However, neither the British nor the Dutch entities ratified the Treaty of Bern separate from the ratifications of the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, respectively.
By virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution, other dependencies of UPU member states are covered by its membership. Territories covered by a sovereign member state are listed under that country.
A
Afghanistan - 1 April 1928 Albania - 1 March 1922 Algeria - 1 October 1907 Angola - 1 March 1977 Antigua and Barbuda - 20 January 1994 Argentina - 1 April 1878 Armenia - 14 October 1992 - Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten - 1 July 1875[Note 1][Note 2]
Australia - 1 October 1907 Austria - 1 July 1875[Note 3] Azerbaijan - 1 April 1993
B
Bahamas - 24 April 1974 Bahrain - 21 December 1973 Bangladesh - 7 February 1973 Barbados - 11 November 1967 Belarus - 13 May 1947[Note 4] Belgium - 1 July 1875 Belize - 1 October 1982 Benin - 27 April 1961 Bhutan - 7 March 1969 Bolivia - 1 April 1886 Bosnia and Herzegovina - 26 January 1993 Botswana - 12 January 1968 Brazil - 1 July 1877[Note 5] Brunei - 15 January 1985 - British overseas territories - 1 April 1877[Note 1]
Anguilla Bermuda British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- Dependencies of St Helena
Bulgaria - 1 July 1879 Burkina Faso - 29 March 1963[Note 6] Burundi - 6 April 1963
C
Cambodia - 21 December 1951 Cameroon - 26 July 1960 Canada - 1 July 1878 Cape Verde - 30 September 1976 Central African Republic - 28 June 1961 Chad - 23 June 1961 Chile - 1 April 1881 China - 1 March 1914[Note 7] Colombia - 1 July 1881 Comoros - 29 July 1976 Congo, Democratic Republic of the - 1 January 1886[Note 9] Congo, Republic of - 5 July 1961 Costa Rica - 1 January 1883 Ivory Coast - 23 May 1961 Croatia - 20 July 1992 Cuba - 4 October 1902 Cyprus - 23 November 1961 Czech Republic - 18 March 1993
D
Denmark - 1 July 1875 Djibouti - 6 June 1978 Dominica - 31 January 1980 Dominican Republic - 1 October 1880[Note 10]
E
Ecuador - 1 July 1880 Egypt - 1 July 1875[Note 11] El Salvador - 1 April 1879 Equatorial Guinea - 24 July 1970 Eritrea - 19 August 1993 Estonia - 30 April 1992[Note 12] Ethiopia - 1 November 1908
F
- French Overseas Departments
- Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution
G
H
I
J
K
Kazakhstan - 27 August 1992 Kenya - 27 October 1964 Kiribati - 14 August 1984 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of - 6 June 1974 Korea, Republic of - 1 January 1900[Note 16] Kuwait - 16 February 1960 Kyrgyzstan - 26 January 1993
L
M
Macedonia - 12 July 1993 Madagascar - 2 November 1961 Malawi - 25 October 1966 Malaysia - 17 January 1958[Note 19] Maldives - 15 August 1967 Mali - 21 April 1961 Malta - 21 May 1965 Mauritania - 22 March 1967 Mauritius - 29 August 1969 Mexico - 1 April 1879 Moldova - 16 November 1992 Monaco - 12 October 1955 Mongolia - 24 August 1963 Montenegro - 26 July 2006 Morocco - 1 October 1920 Mozambique - 11 October 1978 Myanmar - 4 October 1949
N
Namibia - 30 April 1992 Nauru - 17 April 1969 Nepal - 11 October 1956 Netherlands - 1 July 1875 New Zealand (including the Ross Dependency) - 1 October 1907 Nicaragua - 1 May 1882 Niger - 12 June 1961 Nigeria - 10 July 1961 Norway - 1 July 1875[Note 20]
O
Oman - 17 August 1971
P
Pakistan - 10 November 1947 Panama - 11 June 1904 Papua New Guinea - 4 June 1976 Paraguay - 1 July 1881 Peru - 1 April 1879 Philippines - 1 January 1922 Poland - 1 May 1919 Portugal - 1 July 1875
Q
Qatar - 31 January 1969
R
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis - 11 January 1988 Saint Lucia - 10 July 1980 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 3 February 1981 Samoa - 9 August 1989 San Marino - 1 July 1915 São Tomé and Príncipe - 22 August 1977 Saudi Arabia - 1 January 1927[Note 22] Senegal - 14 June 1961 Serbia - 18 June 2001[Note 23] Seychelles - 7 October 1977 Sierra Leone - 29 January 1962 Singapore - 8 January 1966 Slovakia - 18 March 1993 Slovenia - 27 August 1992 Solomon Islands - 4 May 1984 Somalia - 1 April 1959 South Africa - 22 August 1994 South Sudan - 4 October 2011[10] Spain - 1 July 1875 Sri Lanka - 13 July 1949 Sudan - 28 July 1956[Note 10] Suriname - 20 April 1976 Swaziland - 7 November 1969 Sweden - 1 July 1875[Note 24] Switzerland - 1 July 1875 Syria - 15 May 1946
T
Tajikistan - 9 June 1994 Tanzania - 29 March 1963[Note 25] Thailand - 1 July 1885 Timor-Leste - 28 November 2003 Togo - 21 March 1962 Tonga (including Niuafo'ou) - 26 January 1972 Trinidad and Tobago - 15 June 1963 Tunisia - 1 July 1888 Turkey - 1 July 1875[Note 26] Turkmenistan - 26 January 1993 Tuvalu - 3 February 1981
U
Uganda - 13 February 1964 Ukraine - 13 May 1947[Note 27] United Arab Emirates - 30 March 1973 United Kingdom - 1 July 1875
- Acceded automatically as Crown dependencies of the United Kingdom
United States - 1 July 1875
- Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution
Uruguay - 1 July 1880 Uzbekistan - 24 February 1994
V
Vanuatu - 16 July 1982 Vatican City - 1 June 1929 Venezuela - 1 January 1880 Vietnam - 20 October 1951
Y
Z
Observer states and territories
States, territories and entities not participating in UPU activities
In general areas governed by organizations that are not members of the UPU, must have their international mail handled by a member state.[14]
Andorra[15] - mail routed through France or Spain. Marshall Islands (mail transportation handled by the United States Postal Service) Federated States of Micronesia (mail transportation handled by the United States Postal Service) Palau (mail transportation handled by the United States Postal Service) Order of Malta mail routed through Italy and additionally its stamps are accepted by 56 UPU members[16]
The states with limited recognition need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries.[14]
Somaliland mail routed through Ethiopia[17] Northern Cyprus mail routed through Turkey[14] Kosovo mail routed through Serbia[14] Abkhazia mail routed through Russia[14] South Ossetia mail routed through Russia[14] Nagorno-Karabakh mail routed through Armenia[14] Transnistria mail routed through Moldova[14] Sahrawi Republic mail routed through Algeria[14] Taiwan (Republic of China) participated as member between 1 March 1914 and 13 April 1972.[Note 29] Mail addressed to Taiwan is routed through Japan, the United States, and formerly Hong Kong[18]
Former member countries of the UPU
In the course of history a number of member countries of the UPU saw their membership lapse, due to political changes. Where there was an immediate successor state, membership would normally devolve on that state. In other cases membership lapsed.
Kingdom of Hawaii - 21 March 1885 – July 4, 1898/August 21, 1959 Orange Free State - 1 January 1898 – 31 May 1902[Note 30] South African Republic - 1 January 1895 – 31 May 1902[Note 31] Gold Coast - January 1879[21] – 1957 (Became Ghana) Czechoslovakia - Slovakia and the Czech Republic ratified the treaty after Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1993. Yugoslavia Independent State of Croatia 1941-1945. Country ceased to exist Korean Empire - January 1, 1900 – August 29, 1910 South Vietnam Country ceased to exist in 1975 East Germany Country ceased to exist in 1990 South Yemen Country ceased to exist in 1990
See also
- List of postal entities, a list of the postal authorities and operators of UPU members.
Notes
- 1 2 Dependent territory whose membership was grandfathered in by the Constitution.[3]
- ↑ These three entities are constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but have a joint UPU membership separate of that of the Netherlands. Prior to the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, Aruba and the then-Netherlands Antilles shared a common UPU membership. Upon dissolution, Curaçao and Sint Maarten became constituent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, now collectively known as the Caribbean Netherlands, became parts of the Netherlands proper.
- ↑ Ratified as Austria-Hungary.
- ↑ Ratified as the Byelorussian SSR.
- ↑ Ratified as the Empire of Brazil.
- ↑ Ratified as the Upper Volta.
- ↑ China was originally represented by the government of the Republic of China from 1914 to 1972. Since 13 April 1972, UPU has shifted its recognition to the government of People's Republic of China.
- ↑ Hong Kong was part of the British Overseas Territories joint membership from 1 April 1877 to 1 July 1997.[6] Hong Kong continues to participate in the Universal Postal Union after the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China on 1 July 1997.[7]
- ↑ Ratified as the Congo Free State.
- 1 2 3 State which became a UPU member by ratifying the Treaty of Bern and which signed the Constitution, but which has not ratified it.[2] These states are deemed to have "tacitly ratified" the agreement due to their continued participation in the UPU.[3]
- ↑ Ratified as the Khedivate of Egypt.
- ↑ Originally joined on 7 July 1922 prior to Soviet occupation[8]
- ↑ Ratified as the German Empire.
- ↑ Ratified as Austria-Hungary.
- ↑ Ratified as the Irish Free State.
- ↑ Ratified as the Korean Empire.
- ↑ Originally joined on 1 October 1921 prior to Soviet occupation[8]
- ↑ Originally joined on 1 January 1922 prior to Soviet occupation[8][9]
- ↑ Ratified as the Federation of Malaya.
- ↑ Ratified as the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway.
- ↑ Ratified as the Russian Empire. Continued membership as the Soviet Union from 1922–1991.
- ↑ Ratified as the Saudi Arabia (1926) Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz.
- ↑ Ratified as the Serbia and Montenegro Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
- ↑ Ratified as the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway.
- ↑ Ratified as Tanganyika.
- ↑ Ratified as the Ottoman Empire.
- ↑ Ratified as the Ukrainian SSR.
- ↑ Ratified as the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.
- ↑ The Republic of China joined the UPU on 1 March 1914. After the People's Republic of China was founded, the Republic of China continued to represent China in the UPU, until the UPU decided on 13 April 1972 to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate Chinese representative. This results in International Reply Coupons not being available for Taiwan.
- ↑ The Orange Free State acceded to the Postal Convention of Vienna in 1898, and a year later also acceded to that of Washington. [19] The state was dissolved at the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging. Membership did not lapse but was absorbed into the British South African membership.
- ↑ The South African Republic was a member from 1895[20] until its dissolution at the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging. Membership did not lapse but was absorbed into the British South African membership.
References
- ↑ "Member countries". Universal Postal Union. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
- 1 2 "List of member countries of the Universal Postal Union" (PDF). Universal Postal Union. 2014-07-31. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Constitution General Regulations" (PDF). Universal Postal Union. 2010. pp. XII.
- ↑ "Universal Postal Convention". Universal Postal Union. 1952-07-11. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
- ↑ "Constitution of the Universal Postal Union". Universal Postal Union. 1964-07-10. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
- ↑ Information page for British Overseas Territories on the UPU web site
- ↑ Information page for Hong Kong on the UPU web site
- 1 2 3 "CONSTITUTION & GENERAL REGULATIONS". Universal Postal Union. ICANN. October 11, 2000. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ↑ Žalimas, Dainius (2002). "Legal Issues on the Continuity of the Republic of Lithuania". Baltic yearbook of international law: 2001. Volume 1. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 17.
- ↑ "South Sudan (Rep.)". Member countries. UPU. 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
- ↑ "Palestinian parcel post gets a boost". Universal Postal Union (UPU). Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ↑ "Israel and Palestinians to boost postal services with help from UN agency". United Nations. 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ↑ "Statement regarding mail destined for the Gaza Strip". Canada Post. 2010-08-20. Archived from the original on 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Members of the Universal Postal Union and Their Join Dates" (PDF). United Postal Stationery Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 November 2017.
- ↑ "Andorra führt Postleitzahlen ein" (in German). Andorra Intern. 2004-02-27. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
- ↑ Sovereign Order of Malta — Associate Countries (Postal Agreements)
- ↑ "Postal Power". One Radio Network. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017.
- ↑ Chen, Longzhi (8 October 2008). 萬國郵政聯盟與世界郵政日 [Universal Postal Union and World Post Day]. Taiwan New Century Culture and Education Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014.
- ↑ Spies, F.J. du Toit (1946). 'n Nederlander in diens van die Oranje-Vrystaat. Amsterdam: Swets & Zeitlinger. p. 67.
- ↑ Spies. 'n Nederlander in diens van die Oranje-Vrystaat. p. 66.
- ↑ Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986. ISBN 0-356-10862-7
Further reading
- List of member countries of the Universal Postal Union: showing their contribution class, geographical group and legal situation with regard to the Acts of the Union. Bern: International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, 2005 13p.