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 Australia - 1 October 1907 Austria - 1 July 1875[Note 1] 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 2] 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 3] Brunei - 15 January 1985 - British overseas territories - 1 April 1877[Note 4]
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 5] 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 6] Colombia - 1 July 1881 Comoros - 29 July 1976 Congo, Democratic Republic of the - 1 January 1886[Note 8] 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 9]
E
F
- French Overseas Departments
French Guiana Guadeloupe (including Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin) Martinique Réunion Mayotte Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution
G
I
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
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 - Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten - 1 July 1875[Note 4][Note 20]
New Zealand (including the Ross Dependency) - 1 October 1907 Nicaragua - 1 May 1882 Niger - 12 June 1961 Nigeria - 10 July 1961 North Macedonia - 12 July 1993[Note 21] Norway - 1 July 1875[Note 22]
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
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 24] Senegal - 14 June 1961 Serbia - 18 June 2001[Note 25] 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 9] Suriname - 20 April 1976 Sweden - 1 July 1875[Note 26] Switzerland - 1 July 1875 Syria - 15 May 1946
T
Tajikistan - 9 June 1994 Tanzania - 29 March 1963[Note 27] 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 28] Turkmenistan - 26 January 1993 Tuvalu - 3 February 1981
U
Uganda - 13 February 1964 Ukraine - 13 May 1947[Note 29] United Arab Emirates - 30 March 1973 United Kingdom - 1 July 1875
- The Crown dependencies of the United Kingdom are not members of the UPU, and are represented by the United Kingdom
United States - 1 July 1875[Note 30]
- 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
Observer states
Palestine - Has special observer status to the UPU since 1999, West Bank mail delivered through Jordan since 2008.[15][16] From up to 2010 Gaza strip mail was delivered through Israel.[17] On 15 November 2018, the president of the State of Palestine signed documents to accede to the UPU as a full member.[18]
States 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.[19]
Andorra[20] - 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)
Entities not participating in UPU activities
Order of Malta mail routed through Italy and additionally its stamps are accepted by 57 UPU members[21]
States with limited recognition
These states need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries[19]
Somaliland mail routed through Ethiopia[22] Northern Cyprus mail routed through Turkey[19] Kosovo mail routed through Serbia[19] Abkhazia mail routed through Russia[19] South Ossetia mail routed through Russia[19] Nagorno-Karabakh mail routed through Armenia[19] Transnistria mail routed through Moldova[19] Sahrawi Republic mail routed through Algeria[19] Taiwan (Republic of China) mail routed through Japan and the United States[Note 6][Note 32][23]
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 - 1 January 1882 – 14 June 1900 [24] Orange Free State - 1 January 1898 – 31 May 1902[Note 33] South African Republic - 1 January 1895 – 31 May 1902[Note 34] Gold Coast - January 1879[27] – 1957 (became Ghana) Czechoslovakia - Slovakia and the Czech Republic ratified the treaty after Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1993. Yugoslavia Country ceased to exist 1992 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 From 1 July 1875 [Note 35] 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
- Ratified as Austria-Hungary.
- Ratified as the Byelorussian SSR.
- Ratified as the Empire of Brazil.
- Dependent territory whose membership was grandfathered in by the Constitution.[3]
- Ratified as the Upper Volta.
- China was originally represented by the government of the Republic of China from 1 March 1914. Following the United Nations General Assembly's vote to transfer China's seat to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971, China's representation at the UPU was likewise switch to the PRC on 13 April 1972.
- 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.
- 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]
- As Swaziland until 2018.
- 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.
- 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.
- Under the provisional designation of "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" until 2019.
- 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 Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz.
- Ratified as the 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.
- On 17 October 2018 the United States notified the UPU of its intention to withdraw from the union, which as per terms of the UPU constitution would become effective after one year.[11][12] However, the country indicated that it would be willing to remain a member if treaty arrangements which it finds problematic (the low terminal dues charged to developing countries to ship mail to developed countries) could be renegotiated during the course of the withdrawal period.[13] In October 2019, following an Extraordinary Congress of the UPU which agreed to increase terminal dues, the United States opted to remain a member of the UPU.[14]
- Ratified as the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.
- Mail for Taiwan was also previously routed through Hong Kong. International reply coupons are not 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. [25] 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[26] until its dissolution at the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging. Membership did not lapse but was absorbed into the British South African membership.
- Ratified as part of the German Empire.
References
- "Member countries". Universal Postal Union. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
- "List of member countries of the Universal Postal Union" (PDF). Universal Postal Union. 2014-07-31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
- "Constitution General Regulations" (PDF). Universal Postal Union. 2010. pp. XII. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
- "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
- "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.
- "Statement from the Press Secretary". Executive Office of the President of the United States. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
- "Statement on the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union treaties". Universal Postal Union. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
- "Trump starts leaving postal union in latest anti-China move". Retrieved 2018-10-17.
- https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/upu-postal-rate-change/564615/
- "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.
- "President signs accession papers to a number of international organizations". Wafa. 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2018-11-17.
- "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.
- "UPU Period". Post Office in Paradise. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- 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.