Universal Postal Union

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Universal Postal Union
Universal Postal Union emblem
Map of UPU headquarters located in Switzerland
Formation	October 9, 1874
Headquarters	Berne, Switzerland
Membership	United Nations
Official languages	French (official + working language), English (working language)
Secretary General	Edouard Dayan
Website	http://www.upu.int/

The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. Each member country agrees to the same set of terms for conducting international postal duties. Universal Postal Union's headquarters are located in Berne.

Prior to the establishment of the UPU, a country had to conclude a separate postal treaty with each other country that it wished to carry international mail to or from. The United States called for an international postal congress, which was held in 1863. This led Heinrich von Stephan, German Minister for Posts, to found the Universal Postal Union, the second oldest international organization (after the ITU). It was created in 1874, under the name "General Postal Union", as a result of the Treaty of Berne signed on 9 October 1874. In 1878, the name was changed to "Universal Postal Union".

The UPU established that (1) there should be a more or less uniform flat rate to mail a letter anywhere in the world; (2) postal authorities should give equal treatment to foreign and domestic mail; and (3) each country should retain all monies it collected for international postage.

One of the most important results of the UPU treaty was that it ceased to be necessary, as it often had been previously, to affix the stamps of any country through which one's letter or package would pass in transit; the UPU provides that stamps of member nations are accepted for the whole international route.

After the foundation of the United Nations, the UPU became its specialized agency.

In 1969 the UPU introduced a new system of payment by which fees were payable between countries according to the difference in the total weight of mail between the respective countries. These fees were called terminal dues. As this affected the cost of the delivery of periodicals, the UPU devised a new "threshold" system, which was implemented in 1991.

The system sets separate letter and periodical rates for countries which receive at least 150 tonnes of mail annually. For countries with less mail, the original flat rate has been maintained. The United States has negotiated a separate terminal dues formula with thirteen European countries that includes a rate per piece plus a rate per kilogram, and has a similar arrangement with Canada.

Commemorative stamp of the 15th congress of the UPU held in Vienna, Austria in 1964.

The UPU also operates the system of International Reply Coupons and addresses concerns with ETOEs.

Philatelic activities: the Universal Postal Union, in conjunction with the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), has developed the WADP Numbering System (WNS), launched on 1 January 2002. The web site (www.wnsstamps.ch/en/) has entries for some 160 countries and emitting postal entities, with over 25,000 registered stamps since 2002. Many of them have images, which generally remain copyrighted by the issuing country, but which the UPU and WADP permit to be downloaded.

[edit] Member countries

The United Nations member states may all become member countries of the UPU. The 192 United Nations member states are all UPU member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau whose situation with regard to the UPU has not yet been settled. A non-member state of the United Nations may also become a UPU member if two-thirds of the UPU member countries approve its request. Vatican City is a UPU member country and a non-member state observer of the United Nations (as the Holy See).

The UPU has 191 member countries since Timor-Leste joined on 28 November 2003 and Montenegro on 26 July 2006, including the Dutch territories of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba as a single UPU member, and the British overseas territories, which are not independent states.

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 makes the International Reply Coupons not available to Taiwan. Mail addressed to Taiwan will still be delivered there, albeit routed through a third country. However, writing "Taiwan" rather than "Republic of China" or "ROC" ensures the quickest delivery. Writing "Taiwan, Province of China" may send the mail through mainland China and cause delays.

UPU Monument (Weltpostdenkmal) in Berne

Various other non-recognized countries such as Somaliland, Sealand and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries (Sealand's mail goes via the UK, TRNC's mail via Turkey, and Somaliland's mail via Ethiopia). Other entities without direct UPU representation are the Palestinian Authority and the Sahrawi Republic / Western Sahara.

The members are listed below by alphabetical order in their short-form English names, with the date of entering the UPU (multiple entry dates for some countries). Territories covered by a sovereign member country are included under that country.

Contents:	Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[edit] 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
- Norfolk Island
Austria - 1 July 1875
Azerbaijan - 1 April 1993

UPU members

[edit] E

[edit] F

Fiji - 18 June 1971
Finland (including the Åland Islands) - 12 February 1918
France - 1 January 1876
French Overseas Departments
Territories coming within the Union's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the Constitution

[edit] G

Gabon - 17 July 1961
Gambia - 9 October 1974
Georgia - 1 April 1993
Germany - 1 July 1875
Ghana - 10 October 1957
Great Britain - 1 July 1875
Acceeded automatically as Crown Dependencies of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Greece - 1 July 1875
Grenada - 30 January 1978
Guatemala - 1 August 1881
Guinea - 6 May 1959
Guinea-Bissau - 30 May 1974
Guyana - 22 March 1967

[edit] H

[edit] I

Japanese postal monument located in Osaka, commemorating the 100th year anniversary in 1977 of its joining to UPU.

[edit] J

[edit] K

[edit] L

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - 20 May 1952
Latvia - 1 October 1921; 17 June 1992
Lebanon - 12 May 1931; 15 May 1946
Lesotho - 6 September 1967
Liberia - 1 April 1879
Libyan Jamahiriya - 4 June 1952
Liechtenstein - 13 April 1962
Lithuania - 1 January 1922; 10 January 1992
Luxembourg - 1 July 1875

[edit] M

[edit] N

Namibia - 30 April 1992
Nauru - 17 April 1969
Nepal - 11 October 1956
Netherlands - 1 July 1875
Netherlands Antilles and Aruba - 1 July 1875^[2]
- Aruba
- Netherlands Antilles
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

[edit] O

Oman - 17 August 1971
Overseas Territories (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - 1 April 1877
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno (Islands)
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- St Helena
- St Helena (dependencies) (Islands)
  - Ascension
  - Tristan da Cunha
- Turks and Caicos Islands

[edit] P

[edit] Q

Qatar - 31 January 1969

[edit] R

[edit] S

Saint Christopher (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
Sao Tomé and Principe - 22 August 1977
Saudi Arabia - 1 January 1927
Senegal - 14 June 1961
Serbia (Rep.) - 1 July 1875; 24 December 1921; 18 June 2001
Seychelles - 7 October 1977
Sierra Leone - 29 January 1962
Singapore - 8 January 1966
Slovakia - 18 May 1920; 18 March 1993
Slovenia - 24 December 1921; 27 August 1992
Solomon Islands - 4 May 1984
Somalia - 1 April 1959
South Africa - 1 January 1893; 22 August 1994
Spain - 1 July 1875
Sri Lanka - 13 July 1949
Sudan - 28 July 1956
Suriname - 1 May 1877; 20 April 1976
Swaziland - 7 November 1969
Sweden - 1 July 1875
Switzerland - 1 July 1875
Syria Arab Rep. - 12 May 1931; 15 May 1946

[edit] T

Tajikistan - 9 June 1994
Tanzania (United Rep.) - 29 March 1963
Thailand - 1 July 1885
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - 12 July 1993
Timor-Leste (Dem. Rep.) - 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
Turkmenistan - 26 January 1993
Tuvalu - 3 February 1981

[edit] U

Uganda - 13 February 1964
Ukraine - 13 May 1947
United Arab Emirates - 30 March 1973
United States of America - 1 July 1875
Territories of the United States of America coming within the Union's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the Constitution
Trust territory of the Pacific Islands (Mariana Islands including Saipan and Tinian, but not the United States Possession of Guam)
Uruguay - 1 July 1880
Uzbekistan - 24 February 1994

[edit] V

[edit] Y

Yemen - 1 January 1930

[edit] Z

Zambia - 22 March 1967
Zimbabwe - 31 July 1981

[edit] UN member countries whose situation with regard to the UPU has not yet been settled

[edit] References

Codding, G.A. (1964) The Universal Postal Union New York University Press

[edit] Notes

^ Initially China was represented by the Republic of China (ROC) from 1914 to 1972, before the UPU recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the only legitimate representative of China after 13 April 1972.
^ A separate member from the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

[edit] External links

UPU official site

v • d • e

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