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Home , British Leeward Islands, Centime, Colonial Mauritania, French Sudan, French West Africa, History of Burkina Faso

Foreign Stamp Identifier The purpose of the Foreign Stamp Identifier is to help you determine what country a particular stamp is from, and how it should be listed in your album. How to use the Identifier Pick out a symbol, word, or sign on the stamp you want to identify. Find it in the index, and you will be given the correct country’s name. If you do not find the first words you look up, keep trying different ones until you find an indexing word. Some stamps – Ryukyu Islands, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and others – are printed entirely in Oriental or characters and cannot be indexed the same way. To identify these stamps, see the illustrated section at the end of the regular listings. A BADEN: BUITEN BEZIT (overprint): Dutch AV OPO TA: Russia BAGHDAD (overprint): Indies A. C. C. P.: Azerbaijan Mesopotamia BUNDI: - Bundi AÇORES: Azores BAHAWALPUR: – : Upper Volta A. E. F. (overprint): French Bahawalpur : Ruanda-Urundi Equatorial BAHT: Siam A´PTA: Epirus BAJAR PORTO: Indonesia C AFGHAN, AFGHANES: Afghanistan BANI: Romania CABO: Nicaragua AFRICA CORREIOS: Portuguese BARANYA (overprint): Hungary CABO JUBI, CABO JUBY: Cape BARCELONA: Juby Africa SANATORNCMw AFRICA OCCIDENTAL BARWANI: India – Barwani : Bulgaria CAMBODGE: Cambodia ESPANOLA: Spanish BATCMSKAJ POCTA: Batum CAMBODIA: Kampuchea AFRICA ORIENTALE ITALIANA: BAYERN, BAYR: Bavaria CAVALLE: Italian East Africa B.C.O.F.: Japan B. DPTO ZELAYA: Nicaragua C C C P: Russia AFRIQUE EQUATORIALE CECHY A MORAVA: Czechoslovakia FRANÇAISE: Middle Congo BELGIAN EAST AFRICA: Ruanda – Urundi – Bohemia and Moravia AFRIQUE EQUATORIALE CENTENAIRE ALGERIE: France BELGIE: FRANÇAISE: (with bars) French CENTENAIRE DU : French BELGIEN (overprint): Belgium Equatorial Africa Equatorial Africa AFRIQUE EQUATORIALE GABON: BELGIQUE: Belgium CESKO-SLOVENSKO: Gabon BELGISCH CONGO: Congo Czechoslovakia AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE BELIZE: C F A (overprint): Reunion FRANÇAISE: BENADIR: Somalia C.G.H.S.: Upper Silesia A.M.G.F.T.T. (overprint): Trieste : CH (followed by oriental characters): A.M.G.V.G. (overprint): Italy, Allied BERLIN (overprint): Germany Korea occupation of Venezia Giulia BEYROUTH (overprint): Russia CHAMBA: India – Chamba A M POST: Germany, areas under BHOPAL: India – Bhopal CHARKHARI: India – Charkhari Allied military government BIJAWAR: India – Bijawar CHEMINS DE FER SPOORWEGEN: ANTIOQUIA: Colombia – Antioquia B.I.O.T. (overprint): British Indian Belgium A PAYER TE BETALEN: Belgium Ocean Territory CHIFFRE TAX (no country name) ARCHIPEL DES COMORES: VOSTCNA KORR´SPONA´NCIJ: on perforated stamps: France CHINE: France – Offices in China Comoro Islands Russia CIHS (handstamped): Upper Silesia A RECEBER: and BOFTGEBIET (overprint): Lithuania CISKEI: South Africa Portuguese BOHMEN UND MAHREN: CN: Korea ARMY OFFICIAL: Great Britain or Czechoslovakia – Bohemia and Moravia COCHIN, COCHIN ANCHAL: India COLIS POSTAL or POSTAUX BOLIVAR: Colombia – Bolivar (no ASSISTENCIA D. L. no. 72 country name): Belgium BOPHUTHATSWANA: South Africa (overprint): Timor COLONIA ERITREA: Eritrea BOSNIEN-HERZEGOVINA: Bosnia ATT, ATTS: Siam COLONIES POSTES: French AUNUS (overprint): Russia, under and Herzegovina Colonies Finnish occupation BOYACA: Columbia - Boyaca COMITE FRANÇAIS DE LA AUR: Iceland BRIEFPOST: Germany LIBERATION NATIONALE: French AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC BRITISH NEW : Papua and Colonies, general issue TERRITORY: – Australian New Guinea COMMISSION DE Antarctic Territory BRITISH OCCUPATION (overprint): GOUVERNEMENT HAUTE AVISPORTO: Denmark Batum SILESIE: Upper Silesia BRITISH SO. AFRICA COMPANY: COMORES: Comoro Islands B COMPANHIA DE MOÇAMBIQUE: B, in an oval (no country name): BRUXELLES or BRUSSEL: Mozambique Company Belgium, parcel post stamps Belgium COMPANHIA DO NYASSA: Nyssa COMUNICAÇIONES: Spain DIOS, PATRIA, REY: Spain FRANK: Albania CONFEDERATIO HELVETICA: DJIBOUTI: Afars & Issas FRANQUICIA: Spain DJ or DJIBOUTI: Somali Coast FREIE STADT DAANZIG: Danzig CONGO, with Portuguese DOPLATIT or DOPLATNE (no FREISTAAT BAYERN (overprint): inscriptions: Portuguese Congo; country name): Czechoslovakia Bavaria with BELGE: , now DRZAVA, DRZAVNA: Jugoslavia FRIMARKE: Denmark, Norway or Congo; with FRANÇAIS: French DUITSCH OOST AFRIKA Sweden Congo; with FRANÇAIS GABON: BELGISCHE BEZETTING: FÜRSTENTUM or FVERSTENTUM Gabon; with REPUBLIQUE DU: (overprint): LIECHTENSTEIN: Liechtenstein Congo or Middle Congo DUTTIA: India – Duttia COOK ISANDS – : Niue G COREE, COREAN: Korea GARCH: Saudi Arabia CORREIO: Portugal E GARZON: Colombia – Tolima GENERAL GOUVERNEMENT: CORREO AERO (no country name): EA (overprint): Poland Spain E. E. F.: Palestine GEORGIE, GEORGIENNE: Georgia CORREO ESPAÑOL TANGER: EESTI: Estonia GHADAMES: Libia, under French Spanish - Tangier EINZUZIEHEN: Danzig occupation CORREOS DE COLOMBIA: EIRE: Ireland GIORNALI STAMPE: Colombia EJERCITO RENOVADOR: Mexico GOLFE DE BENIN: Benin CORREOS NAÇIONALES: Colombia EMPIRE : France GOYA: CORREOS OAXACA: Mexico – EMPIRE FRANÇ or FRANÇAISE: Spain GRAND COMORE: Grand Comoro Oaxaca France or French Colonies GRAND LIBAN: Lebanon CORREOS Y TELEGs: Spain EMP. OTTOMAN: Turkey or GRØNLAND: Greenland CORREO URBANO DE BOGOTA: Eastern Rumelia GROSSDEUTSCHES REICH: Colombia – Bogota ΕΛΛΑC, ΕΛΛΑΣ: Greece Germany CÔTE DE SOMALIS or CÔTE ΕΛΛΗΝIΚΗ: Greece GROSSDEUTSCHES REICH FRANÇAIS DES SOMALIS: Somali EQUATEUR: Ecuador GENERAL GOVERNEMENT: Poland Coast E.R. (with Queen Elizabeth’s head): GROUCH: Turkey CÔTE D’IVOIRE: Great Britain GUANACASTE: Costa Rica SRBSKA: Serbia ESCUELAS: Venezuela GUERCHE: Ethiopia or Saudi SRBEJA: Serbia ESPAÑA, ESPAÑOLA: Spain Arabia CRUZ ROJA HONDURENA: ESPAÑA : GUINE or GUINE PORTUGUESA: Honduras ESTADO DA INDIA: Portuguese Portuguese Guinea ST, STOT, STOTENKE: Bulgaria India GUINEA followed by CONTINENTAL, CURAÇAO: Netherlands Antilles ESTADO ESPAÑA: Spain CORREOS ESPAÑOLA: C.X.C.: Jugoslavia ÉTABLISSEMENTS DANS L’INDE or (or DE L’INDE): GUINEA ECUATORIAL: ÉTABLISSEMENTS DE Equatorial D Guinea L’OCEANIE: d: (pence), / ( or £ (pound) GUINÉE or GUINÉE FRANÇAISE: ÉTAT DU CAMEROUN: Cameroun preceded by a numeral, on stamp ÉTAT FRANÇAIS: France with king or queen’s head but no : ÉTAT IND. DU CONGO: Congo country name: Great Britain GUYANE FRANÇAISE: ETIOPIA, ETHIOPIE, French D: (dinar) on stamp with Arabic Guiana ETHIOPIENNES: Ethiopia (formerly writing: Persia GUY. FRANC. (overprint): French DDR: German Democratic Republic Abyssinia). ÉTS. . DE L’OCEANIE: Guiana DEFICIT: Peru GWALIOR: India – Gwalior DELEGACOES: Portugal French Polynesia ΕΛΛΑC, ΕΛΛΑΣ DEL GOLFO DE GUINEA: Spanish : Greece H ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ Guinea : Greece HAUTE SILESIE: Upper Silesia DEUTFCHES REICH: Germany HAUTE VOLTA: Upper Volta DEUTFCHOFTERREICH: Austria F HAUT--: Upper DEUTSCHE BUNDESPOST: FACTAJ (overprint): Romania Senegal & Niger Germany FARIDKOT: India – Faridkot HEJAZ & NEJD, HEDJAZ & DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE FDO. POO: Fernando Po NEDJDE: Saudi Arabia REPUBLIK: German Demorcratic : HELVETIA: Switzerland Republic (East Germany) Malaya ΗΟΒYΗΟΒYUT: Montenegro DEUTSCHE FELDPOST: Germany DU : Mali HOLKAR STATE: India – Indore DEUTSCH-NEU-GUINEA: New : HRVATSKA: Jugoslavia or Croatia Britain Malaya HT.: Upper Senegal & Niger DEUTSCHE POFT OR POST: FELDPOST (overprint): Germany HYDERABAD: India – Hyderabad Germany FIERA DI TRIESTE (overprint): Trieste ΗΠΕIΡΟΣ: Epirus DEUTSCHE REICHS-POST: FILIPAS, FILIPINAS: Philippines Germany FILLER: Hungary I DEUTSCHES REICH: Germany FIL (no country name): Iraq or Jordan IDAR: India – Idar DHAR: India – Dhar FN or FEN: I.E.F.: (overprint): India DINAR or DINARS: Persia (Iran) FRANCO: Philippines or Spain I. E. F. ‘D’ (overprint): Mesopotamia DINERO: Peru FRANCOBOLO DI STATO: Italy ILES WALLIS ET FUTUNA: Wallis & Futuna Islands Russia, Far Eastern Republic, (overprint): Germany – Offices in IMPERIAL BRITISH EAST AFRICA Finland, Latvia or Batum Morocco COMPANY: British East Africa KOP: Finland MARRUECOS: Spanish Morocco or INDE, INDIE: French India KORCA or KORCE: Albania Morocco – Nothern Zone INDIA with inscriptions in KORONA: Hungary M.B.D. (overprint): India – Portuguese or words REIS, REAL, KRAΛw´VSTVO S.X.S.: Nandgaon TANGAS or RUPIA: Portuguese Jugoslavia MBRETNIJA SHQIPTARE: Albania India KPALJEVSTVO (or KRALJEVINA) MEJICO: Mexico INDIA PORT. or PORTUGUSA: SRBA, HRVATA I SLOVENACA: MEMELGEBIET: Memel Portuguese India Jugoslavia METELIN: (overprint): Russia INDO CHINE: Indo-China KPHTH: Crete MEXICANO: Mexico INDONESIA not preceded by KRAIb. UPHATOPA: Montenegro MN: Korea “REPUBLIK”: Dutch Indies KRONE, KRONEN: Austria MOÇAMBIQUE: Mozambique INDORE: India – Indore K. U. K.: Austria, Bosnia and MONROVIA: Liberia INLAND: Liberia Herzegovina MOGA: Ukraine INSTRUCAO (overprint): Timor K-U-K-MILITARPOST: Bosnia and MORROCCO AGENCIES: Great INSTRUCCION: Venezuela Herzegovina Britain – Offices in Morocco IRAN: Persia KURUS: Turkey MORVI: India – Morvi IRANIENNES: Persia K. WURTT: Wurttemberg MQE: IRAQ (overprint): Mesopotamia M.V.I.R. (overprint): Romania IRIAN BARAT: West New Guinea L ISLAND: Iceland LA GEORGIE: Georgia N ISLAS GALAPAGOS: Ecuador – LANDSTORMEN: Sweden NABHA: India – Nabha Galapagos Islands LATTAQUIE (overprint): Latakia NACIONES UNIDAS: United ITALIA, ITALIANE: Italy LATVIJA, LATWIJA: Latvia Nations ITALIAN SOMALILAND: Somalia LEI on Austrian stamps: Romania : : PARA PAR´: Montenegro or Serbia J LEVA: Bulgaria NATIONS UNIES: United Nations JAFFA (overprint): Russia LEVANT: France – Offices in Turkey; N.C.E. (overprint): JAIPUR: India – Jaipur (overprint) on stamps of Great N.D. HRVATSKA: Croatia JAMHURI : Britain: Great Britain – Offices in NED or NEDERLANDSE Zanzibar Turkey; on stamps of Poland: Poland ANTILLEN: Netherlands Antilles JAVA (overprint): Dutch Indies – Offices in Turkey NED or NEDERLANDS NIEUW JEEND STATE: India – Jhind LIBAN, LIBANAISE: Lebanon GUINEA: Dutch New Guinea JIND, JHIND: India – Jhind LIBIA, LIBYE: Libya NEDERLAND: Netherlands JOHOR JOHORE: Malaya – Johore LIETUVA, LIETVOS: Lithuania NED-INDIE, NEDERL-INDIE, NED - UGOSΛAVE A J J : Jugoslavia LIRE (overprint): Italy, under ERLANDSCH-INDIE: Dutch Indies K Austrian occupation NEGRI SEMBILAN: Malaya – Negri LISBOA: Portugal K (with no country name): Bosnia Sembilan L.L.L.R.: Georgia and Herzegovina NEZAVISNA DRZAVA HRVATSKA: LÖSEN: Sweden KAMERUN: Cameroun Croatia L.P. (overprint): Latvia KAMPUCHEA: Cambodia NIEUW GUINEA: Dutch New LUFTFELDPOST: KAP: Latvia Germany Guinea KARLFONDS: Austria or Bosnia M NIPPON: Japan KARNTEN ABSTIMMUNG MACAU or MACAV: Macao NLLE. CALEDONIE: New Caledonia (overprint): Austria MADRID: Spain NOPTO MAPKA: Serbia KAROLINEN: MAGYAR: Hungary NOREG, NORGE: Norway KEDAH: Malaya – Kedah MAGYARORSZAG: Hungary NOUVELLE CALEDONIE: New KELANTAN: Malaya – Kelantan MALACCA: Malaya – Malacca Caledonia KEMAHKOTAAN or MALAGASY: NOUVELLES HEBRIDES: New KETAHKOTAAN: (overprint): Malaya MALAYA with no further Hebrides – Johore inscriptions, over portrait of Sultan: NOWANUGGUR: India & : Kenya, Malaya – Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, NOWTA: Serbia Uganda & Tanzania Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor or POCTA: Russia KENYA UGANDA : Trengganu; over picture of mosque: POCT MARKA (no country name): Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania Selangor; over picture of State Azerbaijan K.G.C.A. (overprint): Jugoslavia Arms: Negri Sembilan POCTOVAJ MARKA: Finland, K.G.L. or KONGELIGT: Danish MALAYAN POSTAL UNION: Russia West Indies or Denmark Malaya N. SEMBILAN: Malaya KIBRIS CUMHURIYETI: MALAYA PERLIS: Malaya – Perlis N.S.W.: New South Wales : Gilbert Islands MALAYA SINGAPORE: Singapore N.Z.: New Zealand KISHANGARH: India – Kishengarh MALGACHE: Madagascar K.K. or KAISERLICHE MAPKA: Russia, Finland or Serbia O KONIGLICHE ÖSTERREICHISCHE MARK, MARKKAA: Finland OAXACA: Mexico – Oaxaca POST: Austria MAROC: French Morocco or OCCUPATION FRANÇAISE KLAIPEDA : Memel Morocco (overprint): Hungary KON, KOP, KOE: Russia, South MAROCCO or MAROKKO OCEANIE: French Polynesia OFFENTLIG SAK: Norway Kishengarh REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA: Portugal OFF. SAK.: Norway, official stamps POSTES: Belgium, France, French REPUBLIEK VAN SUID-AFRIKA: ÖFTERREICH: Austria Colonies or Luxembourg South Africa OKCA: Russia POSTES CENTIME with numeral in REPUBLIK INDONESIA SERIKAT: ORANJE VRIJ STAAT: Orange center of stamp covered by a Indonesia River network of colored lines: France – REPUBLIQUE ARABE UNIE: United ORCHA: India – Orchha Alsace and Lorraine, under German Arab Republic ORE: Denmark, Sweden or Norway occupation REPUBLIQUE AUTONOME DU ORTS-POST: Switzerland POSTES followed by EGYPTIENNES: : Togo O.S.: Norway (officials). Egypt or United Arab Republic; by REPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE: ÖSTERREICH: Austria HEDJAZ and NEJDE: Saudi Arabia; Central African Republic ÖSTERR-POST, OSTERREICHISCHE by OTTOMANES: Turkey or REPUBLIQUE d’AZERBAIJAN: POST: Austria Mesopotamia; by picture of crescent: Azerbaijan OUBANGUI-CHARI: Ubangi Afghanistan REPUBLIQUE DE CÔTE D’VOIRE: ΟΛΥΜ, ΟΛΥΜΠ, or ΟΛΥΜΠIΑΚΟI: POSTES PERSANES: Persia Ivory Coast Greece POSTE VATICANE: Vatican City REPUBLIQUE DE GUINÉE: Guinea POSTGEBIET OB. OFT. (overprint): REPUBLIQUE DE HAUTE VOLTA: P Lithuania, under German occupation Upper Volta POST STAMP, POST & RECEIPT PAHANG: Malaya – Pahang REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE with values in annas: India – PAISA: Nepal DU CONGO: Congo Hyderadad PAPUA: Papua & New Guinea REPUBLIQUE D’HAITI: Haiti POSTZEGEL (no country name): PATIALA: India – Patiala REPUBLIQUE DE CONGO: Congo Netherlands PATMO or PATMOS (overprint): or Congo Republic PRINCE FAROUK: Egypt Italy–Aegean Islands–Patmo REPUBLIQUE DU DAHOMEY: PRINCIPAUTÉ DE MONACO: R.S.F.S.R.: Russia Dahomey Monaco PEN, PENNI, PENNIAS: Finland REPUBLIQUE DU MALI: Mali PRO TACNA Y ARICA: Peru PERAK: Malaya – Perak REPUBLIQUE DU NIGER: Niger PROTECTORAT FRANÇAIS PERSANE: Persia REPUBLIQUE DU SENEGAL: (overprint): French Morocco PERUANA: Peru Senegal PTO. RICO, PUERTO RICO: Puerto PERV-AEREO: Peru REPUBLIQUE DU TCHAD: Rico PESA (overprint): German East REPUBLIQUED DU TOGO: Togo PUTTIALA (overprint): India – Africa REPUBLIQUE GABONAISE: Patiala PESETAS: (no country name): Spain Gabon PYB or Pyb: Russia, South Russia PFENNIG: Wurttemberg, Bavaria or REPUBLIQUE ISLAMIQUE DE or Finland Germany MAURITANIE: PIASTER: Austria – Offices in REPUBLIQUE LIBANAISE: Turkey or Germany – Offices in Q Lebanon Turkey QUINDAR, QUINTAR: Albania REPUBLIQUE MALGACHE: PIASTRA or PIASTRE (overprint) Madagascar () on stamps of Italy: Italy – Offices in REPUBLIQUE RWANDAISE: Crete and in Turkey; on stamps of R Rwanda Great Britain: Great Britain – Offices RAJASTHAN (overprint): India – REPUBLIQUE TOGOLAISE: Togo in Turkey; on stamps of Russia: Rajasthan REPUBLIQUE TUNISIENNE: Russia – Offices in Turkey; on RARATONGA: Cook Islands Tunisia stamps of France: France – Offices RECARGO: Spain R.F. (no country name): France in Turkey REICH, REICHSPOST: Germany RHEINLAND-PFALZ: Germany – PIASTRO (overprint): Italy – Offices REIS (no country name): Portugal Rhine Palatinate, under military in Crete REP. DI S. MARINO: San Marino occupation PIES: India REPOBLIKA MALAGASY: RIAL or RIALS: Persia PICE: Nepal Madagascar RIAU (overprint): Indonesia P.M. (overprint): Italy, military stamps REPUBBLICA ITALIANA: Italy RIN, RN.: Japan ROSSIJ: Russia or South Russia REPUBBLICA SOCIALE ITALIANA: R I S (overprint): Indonesia POCZTA: Poland Italy – Italian Social Republic RN or RIN: Japan POCZTA POLSKA: Poland REPUB. FRANC. or REPUBLIQUE ROHANIA: Romania POLSKA: Poland FRANÇAISE: France or French ROMANA, ROMANIA, ROMINA: POLYNESIE FRANÇAISE: French Colonies Romania Polynesia REPUBLICA DE GUINEA : New Zealand R.O.P.E.T. (overprint): Ukraine ECUATORIAL: Equatorial Guinea ROYAUME DE L’ARABIE PORTEADO: Portugal REPUBLICA DOMINICANA: SAOUDITE: Saudi Arabia PORTE DE CONDUCCION: Peru Dominican Republic ROYAUME DE YEMEN: Yemen PORTE DE MAR: Mexico REPUBLICA ESPANOLA: Spain ROYAUME DU BURUNDI: Burundi POSTAGE, POSTAGE & REVENUE REPUBLICA MOCAMBIQUE ROYAUME DU CAMBODGE: with denominations in d (pence) (overprint): Mozambique Cambodia () or £ (pounds), and por - REPUBLICA ORIENTAL: Uruguay ROYAUME DU : Laos traits of a king or queen, but no REPUBLICA PERUANA: Peru ROYAUME DU MAROC: Morocco country name given; Great Britain: REPUBLICA POPULARA RP: Liechtenstein or Switzerland with denominations in annas: India – ROMINA: Romania R. P. ROMINA: Romania R.S.M.: San Marino SURINAME: : Ellice Islands RWANDA: Ruanda-Urundi SVERIGE: Sweden S. W. A. (overprint): South West Africa U S SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC: Syria PARSTVO: Bulgaria SYRIE, SYRIENNE: Syria SAARE (overprint): Saar PARSTVObwΛGAREJ: Bulgaria SAARGEBIET: Saar U.A.R.: United Arab Republic SAARLAND, SAARPOST: Saar T : South SACHSEN: Saxony TAKCA: Bulgaria Africa SAHARA ESPAÑOL or SAHARA TAKSE: Albania UNITED REPUBLIC OF TAN - OCCIDENTAL: Spanish Sahara TANGANYIKA KENYA UGANDA: GANYIKA & ZANZIBAR: Tanzania ST. CHRISTOPHER-- Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania UNTEA (overprint): West New Guinea : St. Kitts-Nevis TANGER with “Correo Espanol”: PRGA GORA: Montenegro, under S.A.K.: Saudi Arabia Spanish Morocco – Tangier; (over - Italian administration SARKARI: India – Soruth print) on postage due stamps of SAURASHTRA or SOURRASHTRA: France: French Morocco, postage due India – Soruth stamps; on stamps of Spain: Spanish V SEJM WILNIE: Central Lithuania Morocco – Tangier VALLES D’ANDORRE: Andorra SELANGOR: Malaya – Selangor TANGIER: Great Britain – Offices in VATHY: France – Offices in Turkey SEN: Japan or Ryukyu Islands Morocco VATICANE: Vatican City SERBIEN (overprint): Serbia TANZANIA, UGANDA, KENYA: VENDA: South Africa SERVICIO POSTAL MEXICANA: Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania VENEZ. VENEZOLANA, Mexico TAXA DE GUERRA with values in VENEZOLANO: Venezuela SEVILLA-BARCELONA: Spain AVOS: Macao; with values in O$: VIET-NAM CONG-HOA: Viet Nam SHQIPENIA, SHQIPENIE, Portuguese Africa; with values in VUJA STT or VUJNA STT: Trieste; SHQIPERIA, SHQIPERIJA, RP: Portuguese India; with values in (overprint) on stamps of Jugoslavia: SHQIPERISE, SHQIPNI, SHQIPNIJA, REIS: Portuguese Guinea Trieste SHQIPONIES: Albania T.C.E.K.: Turkey SICILIA: Two Sicilies TCHAD: Chad W SIEGE DE LA LIGUE ARABE: T. C. POSTALARI: Turkey WEST IRIAN: West New Guinea Morocco TE BETALEN: Netherlands, Dutch WESTERN SAMOA: Samoa SIRMOOR: India – Sirmoor Indies, Netherlands Antilles or WN: Korea SKILLING: Denmark or Norway Surinam; also preceded by SLOVENSKA POSTA or SLOVENSKO: “A PAYER”: Belgium Czechoslovakia – Slovakia TERRITOIRE DE (overprint): Ifni X XARTO NMOE SLOVENSKO: Czechoslovakia – TERRITOIRE DU NIGER: Niger : Greece X´ ´RA Slovakia TERRITORIO DE IFNI (ESPAÑA): Ifni J : Montenegro X´Λ´RA SLOVENSKY STAT, TERRITORIO DEL AFRICA : Montenegro SLOVENSKENO (overprint): OCCIDENTAL ESPAÑOL: Spanish XII CAMPIONARIA TRIPOLI: Libya Czechoslovakia West Africa S. MARINO: San Marino TERRITORIOS (or TERRS.) Y SN: Japan ESPAÑOLES DEL GOLFO DE YCA (overprint): Peru – Yca SOL: Peru GUINEA: Spanish Guinea Y. C. C. P.: Ukraine SOLDI: Austria – Lombardy-Venetia TETUAN: Spanish Morocco – Tetuan YCCP (overprint): Ukraine SOLIDARITE FRANÇAISE: French THAILAND or THAI: Siam YCTAB: Montenegro Colonies, general issue THRACE INTERALLIEE or YEN, YN.: Japan, Manchukuo or SOMALIA ITALIANA: Italian Somaliland THRACE OCCIDENTALE (over - Ryukyu Islands SONORA: Mexico print): Thrace UKRAINSwKA: Ukraine SORUTH: India – Soruth TIMBRE INMPERIAL JOURNAUX: SOUDAN (overprint): Sudan France SOUDAN FRANÇAIS: TIMBRE POSTE (overprint): French Z SOURASHTRA: India – Soruth Morocco Z. AFR. REPUBLIEK, ZUID SPANISH WESTERN SAHARA: TJENESTE-FRIMARKE: Denmark AFRIKAANSCHE REPUBLIEK: Spanish Sahara TJENESTEFRIMERKE: Norway Transvaal S.Q. TRSTA-VUJA: Trieste TOGA: Tonga ZAIRE: Belgian Congo : Ceylon TOLIMA: Colombia – Tolima : SRODKOWA LITVA: Central Lithuania TOUVA: Tannu Tuva ZEGELREGT: Transvaal ST or STG: Siam TRANS-JORDAN: Jordan ZELAYA: Nicaragua – Zelaya STATE OF SINGAPORE: Singapore TRANSKEI: South Africa ZENTRALER KURIERDIENST: S. THOME (or TOME) E PRINCIPE: TRENGGANU: Malaya – Trengganu Germany St. Thomas & Prince Islands TRIPOLI: Tripolitania; preceded by : STOTHHKH: Bulgaria “FIERA CAMPIONARI”: Libya ZONA PROTECTORADO S.T. TRSTA-VUJA: Trieste T. Ta. C.: Turkey ESPAÑOL (overprint): Spanish STT VUJA or VUJNA: Trieste; , TUNISIE: Tunisia Morocco (overprint): Trieste TURKIYE CUMHURIYETI ZONE FRANCAISE: Germany, SUIDAFRIKA: South Africa POSTALARI: Turkey under French occupation SUIDWES AFRIKA: South-West Africa TURKIYE, TURK POSTALARI: ZRACNA POSTA: Trieste SUOMI: Finland Turkey ZUIDWEST AFRIKA: South West Africa Pronunciation/Geographic Location Guide Enjoy your worldwide stamp collection even more by learning how to pronounce the name of almost any foreign country. This handy guide will also help you increase your knowledge of each country’s geography and history. Each listing gives you the pronunciation and location of the country you’re looking for, as well as its current or former name and colonial status. Allenstein - AHL en shtine - district of A Prussia Abu Dhabi - AH boo DAH bee - sheikdom of the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Alsace and Lorraine - AL says lo RAIN - Gulf region of northeastern France; ownership long disputed by Germany Aden - AY d’n - former British colony; now part of the People’s Republic of Andorra - an DOOR ah - principality in the Southern Yemen Pyranees Mountains; administered jointly Aegean Islands - ay JEE un - Greek islands by France and Spain located in the Aegean Sea Angola - an GOH luh - former Portuguese Afars and Issas - ah FARZ ee SAHZ - colony in southwest Africa French overseas territory in northeast Angra - AN grah - administrative district of Africa; formerly the French colony of the Azores Somali Coast; current name Djibouti Afghanistan - af GAN ih stan - republic in Anguilla - an GWIL uh - British island Central Asia bordering Iran and Pakistan colony in the West Indies; formerly part of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Aguera - ah GWAY rah - former Spanish administrative district of Africa - AHN joo AHN - one of the Comoro islands Aitutaki - EYE too TAH kee - one of the Cook islands Annam & Tonkin - uh NAHM TON KIN - formerly part of French Indo-China; cur - Ajman - AHJ mahn - sheikdom in Eastern rently Vietnam Arabia; now part of the United Arab Emirates - an TEE guh - island in the West Aland Islands - AH lund - Finnish island Indies; former British colony group located between Finland and Argentina - AHR jun TEEN uh - republic Sweden; part of Scandinavia in South America between Chile and the Alaouites - ah lah WEET - formerly a Atlantic French division of Syria; known later as Armenia - ar MEEN ee yuh - republic in Latakia southwestern Asia bordering Turkey and Albania - al BAY nee uh - republic in Iran; formerly part of the Soviet Union southeast Europe on the Adriatic Sea Aruba - ah ROO bah - island in the Alderney - AWL dur nee - British island in Netherlands Antilles the English Channel Ascension - uh SEN shun - island in the Alexandretta - AL ig zan DRET uh - dis - South ; part of the British trict of Turkey; formerly part of the French colony of St. Helena mandate in Syria; before its return to Turkey, known as Hatay Australia - aws TRAIL yuh - island conti - nent between the Pacific and Indian Oceans Algeria - al JEER ee ah - republic in north - west Africa on the Mediterranean Sea; for - Austria - AWS tree uh - republic in central merly a French colony Europe Azerbaijan - AH zer by JAHN - republic America; formerly British Honduras in southwestern Asia bordering Iran and the Benin - beh NEEN - republic in Africa on Caspian Sea; formerly part of the Soviet the Gulf of Guinea; formerly the colony of Dahomey Azores - AY zorz - Portuguese islands in Bequia - buh KEE yuh - island in the West the North Atlantic Ocean, north of Portugal B Indies, north of Trinidad Berlin - bur LIN - capital city of the former Baden - BAH dun - former grand duchy of ; currently the capital of Germany re-unified Germany Bahamas - buh HAH muhz - islands in the - bur MYOO duh - island in the Atlantic, east of Florida; former British central Atlantic; British colony colony Bhutan - boo TAHN - kingdom which lies Bahawalpur - buh HAH wal POOR - state in the Himalayas between India and in central Pakistan; formerly part of India Bahrain - bah RAIN - sheikdom in the Biafra - be AH fruh - short-lived republic Persian Gulf between Qatar and Saudi of eastern Arabia Bohemia - boh HEE mee uh - former king - - BAHNG luh desh - republic dom of western Czechoslovakia in southern Asia; formerly East Pakistan Bolivia - boh LIV ee uh - republic in South Barbados - bar BAY dose - island in the America West Indies formerly a British colony now Bophuthatswana - BO poo tah SWAH nah part of the British Commonwealth - Black South African homeland region - bar BOO dah - island in the Bosnia and Herzegovina - BAHZ nee uh, West Indies, a dependency of Antigua HER tsuh goh VEE nuh - Republic in Basutoland - buh SOO toe LAND - former Eastern Europe; formerly part of British colony in southern Africa; current Yugoslavia name Lesotho - boh TSWAH nah - republic in Batum - bah TOOM - port city in the ; formerly British republic of Georgia, on the Black Sea Bechuanaland Bavaria - buh VAIR ee uh - former king - Brazil - bruh ZIL - republic in eastern dom in southern Germany South America Bechuanaland Protectorate - BEK oo AN British Antarctic Territory - ant ARK tik ah LAND pro TEK tor et - former British - British island territory of the Atlantic district in south central Africa; current Ocean and Antarctica name Republic of Botswana British Columbia - koh LUM bee uh - Belarus - bay luh ROOS - Eastern province of western bordering the European republic; formerly part of the Pacific Ocean Soviet Union British East Africa - eest AF rick uh - for - Belgian Congo - BEL jun KON go - for - mer British territories in eastern Africa mer Belgian colony in central Africa; name British Guiana - gee AHN nuh - former changed to Congo Democratic Republic colony on the northern coast of South with independence; current name Zaire America; current name Guyana Belgium - BEL jum - constitutional monar - British Honduras - hahn DUR us - former chy in Western Europe British colony in Central America on the Belize - buh LEEZ - country of central Caribbean Sea; current name Belize British - VUR jin - British Cape Verde - VURD - group of islands in colony in the West Indies. The western the Atlantic, off the west coast of Senegal; portion of the Virgin Islands belongs to the former Portuguese colony U.S. Caroline Islands - KAIR uh line - islands Brunei - broo NYE - sultanate of Borneo; in the western Pacific; a U.S. trust territory former British colony Castellorizo - kahs TEL lo REET so - Brunswick - BRUNZ wik - former state of island in the Mediterranean Sea central Germany - KAY man - island group Bulgaria - bul GAIR ee uh - former and British colony in the West Indies, Communist republic in southeastern northwest of Jamaica Europe, on the Black Sea Central African Republic - SEN trul AF Burkina Faso - bur KEEN ah FAH soh - rick an - country of central Africa; formerly republic in West Africa; formerly the the French colony of Ubangi-Shari French colony of Upper Volta Ceylon - see LON - Indian Ocean island Burma - BUR muh - socialist republic of and former British colony; current name Sri southeast Asia; current name Myanmar Lanka Burundi - boo ROON dee - republic in Chad - chad - republic and former French central Africa; former French colony colony of central Africa Bushire - boo SHEER - Iranian port on the Chile - CHIL ee - southernmost republic of Persian Gulf South America, extending from Peru to the southern end of the continent Belarus - bay luh ROOS - Eastern European republic; formerly part of the China - CHY nuh - country of eastern Asia, Soviet Union bordered by Mongolia, Indo-China and the C China Sea Caicos - KAY kus - island group south of Christmas Islands - KRIS mus - the Bahamas; part of the British colony of Australian islands in the eastern Indian Ocean Cambodia - kam BO dee uh - constitution - Cilicia - sil EEZH uh - district of southern al in southeast Asia between Turkey Thailand and Vietnam; renamed Ciskei - sis KAY - Black South African Kampuchea for a period of years. homeland Cameroun - kam uh ROON - republic in Cochin - ko CHIN - site of Portuguese set - western Africa tlement in southwest India Canada - KAN uh duh - Self-governing Cochin China - area in southern VietNam; of the British Commonwealth, formerly part of French Indo-China occupying the northern portion of North America Cocos - KOH kohs - island group in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sumatra Canal Zone - kuh NAL ZOHN - territory on either side of the Panama Canal adminis - Colombia - koh LUM bee uh - republic in tered by the U.S. until 2000 when ceded to northern South America Panama Comoro - ko MORE oh - island group off - kuh NAIR ee - Spanish the southeastern coast of Africa; former islands off the northwest coast of Africa French colony - JOO bee - Spanish possession Congo Democratic Republic - KON goh - in the western Sahara on the Atlantic Coast nation of west central Africa; formerly the of Africa Belgian Congo or Zaire Congo People’s Republic - KON goh - ern Europe; part of Scandinavia nation in west central Africa; formerly the Diego-Suarez - DYAY go SWAH rays - French colony of Middle Congo northern port in Madagascar Cook Islands - cook - group of islands in Djibouti - gee BOO tee - republic in east - the South Pacific, northeast of New Zealand ern Africa; former French Overseas Costa Rica - KAHS tuh REE kuh - republic Territory of Afars and Issas; until 1967 of central America French colony of Somali Coast Côte d’Ivoire - KOHT dee VWAR - Dodecanese - DOE duh kah NEECE - Govenment in transition as of mid-2007 Greek islands in the Aegean Sea Crete - KREET - Greek island in the - duh min EEK uh - island Mediterranean Sea republic in the Caribbean Sea; former British colony Crimea - cry ME uh - Russian peninsula on the Black Sea Dominican Republic - duh MIN ih kun - eastern two-thirds of the island of Croatia - kroh AY shuh - parliamentary Hispaniola democracy of eastern Europe; formerly a province of northern Yugoslavia Dubai - doo BYE - city and sheikdom in the United Arab Emirates Cuba - CUE buh - Communist island republic in the West Indies Dutch West Indies - see Netherlands Antilles Curacao - KOO rah SA oh - island in the E Netherlands Antilles Ecuado r - ECK wah door - republic on the Cyprus - SI prus - island republic in the western coast of South America eastern Mediterranean Sea; occupied by Egypt - EE jipt - republic in northern Greek and Turkish armed forces Africa Cyrenaica - SEAR uh NAY kuh - ancient El Salvador - ell SAL vuh door - republic region of northeast Libya in Central America bordering the Pacific Czechoslovakia - CHEK oh sloh VAH kee Elobey, Annobon & Corisco - EL oh bay ah - former Communist republic of central AN oh bon kor EES ko - group of Spanish Europe; now divided into Czech Republic islands off the coast of western Africa; now and Slovak Federal Republic part of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea Czech Republic - part of former Epirus - eh PIE ruhs - region in southeast - Yugoslavia until 1993 ern Albania D Equatorial Guinea - EK wah TOR ee al Dahomey - duh HO mee - former republic GIN ee - African republic on the gulf of in western Africa; current name People’s Guinea Republic of Benin Eritrea - ER ih TREE uh - region of north - Dalmatia - dal MAY sha - region on the ern Ethiopia coast of Yugoslavia Estonia - es TOH nee uh - republic in - DAIN ish IN deez - Eastern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea; group of islands east of Puerto Rico; Danish formerly part of the Soviet Union colony until U.S. purchase in 1916; current Ethiopia - EE thee OH pee uh - republic of name U.S. Virgin Islands northeast Africa Danzig - DAHN sig - formerly part of Eupen and Malmedy - YOO pin MAL German kingdom of Prussia maid EE - German towns annexed by Denmark - DEN mark - kingdom in north - Belgium after F tral Africa; former French colony - FAWK lund - group of Gambia - GAM bee uh - republic of West islands in the southern Atlantic off the coast Africa, bordering the Atlantic; former of South America; British colony also British colony claimed by Argentina Geneva - juh NEEV uh - city in Faroe Islands - FAIR oh - group of islands Switzerland; site of United Nations offices in the North Atlantic belonging to Denmark Georgia - JOR juh - republic in southeast - Fernando Po - fur NAN doe POE - former ern Europe, bordering Russia and the Black Spanish island in the Gulf of Guinea west Sea; formerly part of the Soviet Union of Africa; today part of Equatorial Guinea German Democratic Republic - JUR man Fezzan-Ghadames - feh ZAHN geh - formerly East Germany; now part of re- DAHM - districts of southwest Libya unified Germany Fiji - FEE jee - group of islands in the German East Africa - eest AF rick uh - South Pacific; British colony former German protectorate Finland - FIN lund - republic of northern German New Guinea - NOO GIN ee - for - Europe; part of Scandinavia mer German colony in Papua New Guinea Fiume - FYOO may - city on the Adriatic Germany - JUR man ee - republic in Sea which has been by turns Hungarian, Western Europe Italian, and Yugoslavian - GAH nuh - republic in west Africa France - frans - republic of western Europe on the Gulf of Guinea; former British - gee AH nuh - former colony French colony off the northeast coast of - jih BRAWL tur - a fortified South America; now an overseas depart - peninsula on the strait of Gibraltar; British ment of France colony, also claimed by Spain French Morocco - muh ROCK oh - former Gilbert & Ellice - GILL burt EL ihs - two French protectorate in Africa; now part of Pacific island groups northeast of Australia; the kingdom of Morocco formerly a British colony French Polynesia - POL uh NEE zhuh - Gold Coast - GOHLD KOHST – section of French Overseas Territory in the South coastal West Africa; formerly a British Pacific colony; current name Ghana French Sudan - soo DAN - former French colony; current name Mali Great Britain - BRIT’n - island nation off the coast of Western Europe; comprised of French West Africa - AF rick uh - former England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern French administrative unit of Africa, com - Ireland prised of many French African colonies before independence Greece - GREES - republic of southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula Fujeira - foo JEE rah - sheikdom of the United Arab Emirates on the Gulf of Oman Greenland - GREEN lund - Danish island in North Atlantic, off the northeast coast of Funafuti - FOON ah FOO tee - one of the Canada; current name Nalatdlit Nunat Tuvalu Islands - gruh NAY dah - island in the Funchal - foon SHAHL - city in the West Indies; former British colony Madeira Islands, a Portuguese colony in the Atlantic Grenadines - GREN uh deenz - small groups of islands in the West Indies; one G group associated with St. Vincent, the other Gabon - gah BON - republic of west-cen - with Grenada Griqualand West - GREE kwah LAND - Haiti and the Dominican Republic British territory located in South Africa Honan - HOH nan - province in central - gwah d’l OOP - group of 7 China islands in the West Indies; French colony Honduras - hahn DOO ras - republic in - GWAHM - U.S. territory in the Central America western Pacific Ocean Hong Kong - HONG KONG - British Guanacaste - GWAH nah KAHS tay - crown colony on the southeast coast of province of Costa Rica China; reverted to mainland China in 1997 as special Administrative Region Guatemala - GWAH tuh MAH luh - north - ernmost republic in Central America, bor - Horta - OR tah - district of the Azore dering Mexico Islands; a Portuguese colony Guernsey - GURN zee - island in the Hungary - HUN gah ree - former English Channel belonging to Great Britain Communist country in Eastern Europe Guinea - GIN ee - republic in West Africa; Hyderabad - HYE dur uh BAHD - prince - formerly French Guinea ly state of central India Guinea-Bissau - GIN ee bih SOO - repub - I lic in Western Africa; formerly Portuguese Iceland - ICE lund - island republic in the Guinea north Atlantic, near the Arctic Circle Guyana - guy AN nuh - republic on north - Ifni - IF nee - Spanish enclave on the east coast of South America; formerly Atlantic Coast of Morocco British Guiana Ile Rouad - EEL RWAHD - island in the Gwalior - GWAH lee or - state in north- Mediterranean; formerly a French mandate, central India now part of Syria H India - IN dee uh - republic of southern Haiti - HAY tee - western third of the Asia island of Hispaniola Indo-China - IN doh CHY nuh - former Hamburg - HAM berg - seaport in north - French unit in Southeast Asia, comprised of ern Germany what is currently Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam Hanover - HAN oh ver - former kingdom in northern Germany Indonesia - IN doh NEE shuh - republic of southeastern Asia Hatay - HA TAH ih - district of Syria under French mandate Inhambane - IN yam BAH nay - former Portuguese colony in eastern Africa Hawaii - huh WHY ee - former kingdom in the central Pacific Ocean; 50th U.S. state - ee nee NEE - former territory of French Guiana Hejaz - HEE jazz - located on the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula, including Ionian - eye OH nee un - group of islands holy city of Mecca and Medina, in what is off the western coast of Africa now Saudi Arabia Iran - ih RAHN - Islamic nation of the - HEL ih go LAND - island in Middle East, formerly called Persia the North Sea off the north coast of Germany Iraq - ih RAHK - Arab republic Herzegovina - HER tsuh goh VEE nuh - (Transitional Iraqi Government as of mid- region of former Yugoslavia; see Bosnia 2007) in the Middle East; formerly Mesopotamia Hispaniola - HISS pen YO luh - island in the West Indies, east of Cuba; comprised of Ireland - IRE lund - republic in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain colony in southern China Isle of Man - I’LL man - British island in Kionga - KYOHN guh - area in northern the Irish Sea, west of Great Britain Mozambique; formerly part of German East Africa Israel - IS ray ell - republic in the Middle East, on the Mediterranean Sea Kiribati - KEER a boss - island republic of west-central Pacific; formerly the British Istria - IS tree uh - peninsula of Yugoslavia colony of Gilbert Islands on the Adriatic Sea Italy - IT’l ee - republic in southern Europe Korea - koh REE ah - peninsula divided into North and South Korea; located in east - Ivory Coast - EYE vuh ree KOHST - coun - ern Asia on the Sea of Japan try in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; former French colony; current name Kuwait - koo WAIT - sheikdom at the northern end of the Persian Gulf J Kyrgyzstan - kir geez STAHN - republic Jamaica - juh MAY kuh - island in West of central Asia, bordering on China; for - Indies, south of Cuba; former British merly part of the Soviet Union colony Japan - juh PAN - Parliamentary democra - L cy off the northeast coast of Asia Lagos - LAH gus - territory of the former British colony of Nigeria Jersey - JUR zee - island in the English Channel belonging to Great Britain Laos - LAH ohs - a Communist nation in Southeast Asia; formerly part of French Jordan - JAWR d’n - Arab kingdom of the Indo-China Middle East, located between Israel and Saudi Arabia Latakia - LAT uh KEE uh - former French- mandated area of Syria; previously called K Alaouites Kampuchea - KAM poo CHEE uh - for - Latvia - LAT vee uh - republic of eastern mer Communist nation of Southeast Asia; Europe on the Baltic Sea; formerly part of current name Cambodia the Soviet Union - kuh TAHN guh - region of Katanga Lebanon - LEB uh non - republic in the southeastern Zaire Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean, Kathiri State of Seiyun - ka THEAR ee Syria, and Israel say YOON - former British protectorate in - LEE word - islands in Southern Arabia; now part of People’s the West Indies, south of Puerto Rico Republic of Southern Yemen Lesotho - luh SO toe - kingdom in southern Kazakhstan - KA zahk STAHN - republic Africa; formerly British colony of of central Asia, northeast of the Caspian Basutoland Sea; formerly part of the Soviet Union Kedah - KAY dah - sultanate in southwest - Liberia - lie BEER ee uh - republic in ern Malaya; former British colony; now western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; origi - part of nally colonized by freed American slaves Kelantan - kay LAHN TAHN - sultanate in Libya - LIB ee uh - country of northern northeastern Malaya; former British colony; Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea now part of Malaysia Liechtenstein - LIHK ten shtine - princi - Kenya - KEN yah - republic of east-central pality of Central Europe between Africa; former British protectorate Switzerland and Austria Kiauchau - JYOO joh - former German Lithuania - LITH oo AY nee uh - republic of eastern Europe on the Baltic Sea; former - administration ly part of the Soviet Union Marienwerder - mah REE ehn VER der - Lombardy-Venetia - LAHM bar dee ven district of Prussia EE shuh - former kingdom in northern Italy - MAHR shull - islands Lourenco-Marques - lo REHN SO mar in the central Pacific, a former U.S. Trust KESS - district of southern Mozambique Territory Lubeck - LOO beck - former city and state Martinique - MAHR t’n EEK - former of northern Germany French island colony in the West Indies Luxembourg - LUCK sem boorg - grand Mauritania - MORE ih TAY nee uh - duchy in Western Europe African republic; formerly part of French West Africa M - maw RISH us - island in the Macao - muh KOW - Portuguese province Indian Ocean; former British colony on the South China Sea - mah YAHT - one of the Comoro Madagascar - MAD uh GAS kur - island islands republic in the Indian Ocean off the south - east coast of Africa Mecklenburg-Schwerin - MECK lun BURG SHVAIR in - former grand duchy of Madeira - muh DEER uh - Portuguese Germany islands in the Atlantic, northwest of Africa Mecklenburg-Strelitz - MECK lun BURG - muh LAH wee - republic in east - STRAY litz - former grand duchy of ern South Africa; formerly the British Germany Protectorate Memel - MAY mul - district of Lithuania, Malaya - muh LAY uh - region in south - on the Baltic Sea east Asia on the Malayan Peninsula; togeth - er with other states in the region, known as Mesopotamia - MES oh poh TAY mee uh - Malaysia former Turkish province; current name Iraq Malaysia - muh LAY zhuh - country of Mexico - MEK sih ko - republic of north southeast Asia, composed of Malaya, central America Sarawak, Sabah and until 1965, Singapore Micronesia - my kro NEE shuh - islands of the western Pacific, north of the equator; a Maldive Islands - mal DEEV - islands in former U.S. Trust Territory Indian Ocean southwest of Ceylon; former British colony Middle Congo - KONG goh - former French colony in west Africa Mali - MAH lee - republic in western Africa; formerly the colony of French Modena - MOD’n uh - former duchy in Sudan northern Italy

Malta - MAWL tuh - island in the Moheli - maw uh LEE - one of the Comoro Mediterranean, south of Sicily; formerly a Islands British colony Moldavia - mohl DAY vee uh - former Manama - mah NAH muh - capital of name of Moldova Bahrain Moldova - mole DOH vuh - republic of southeastern Europe north of Romania; for - Manchukuo - man CHOO kwo - former merly part of the Soviet Union state in eastern Asia Monaco - MAHN uh koh - principality on Mariana Islands - MAIR ee AN uh - the Mediterranean Sea islands in the western Pacific; former German colony; currently under U.S. Mongolia - mong GOH lee uh - republic in central Asia between China and Siberia of northwest Europe Montenegro - MAHN tuh NEE groh - for - Netherlands Antilles - NETH ur lundz ahn mer kingdom in the Balkans; also formerly TIL eez - group of islands in the West part of Yugoslavia; now an independent Indies belonging to the Kingdom of the republic Netherlands; comprised of Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire Montserrrat - MAWNT sehr RAHT - island in the West Indies; former British Netherlands Indies - NETH ur lundz IN colony deez - former Dutch colony in the East Indies Morocco - muh ROCK oh - kingdom in northwest Africa Netherlands New Guinea - NETH ur lundz noo GIN ee - western half of the Mozambique - mo zem BEEK - Socialist island of New Guinea; now a possession of republic on the southeast coast of Africa; Indonesia former Portuguese colony Nevis - NEE vis - formerly part of the Mozambique Co. - mo zem BEEK KOM Colony in the West pan ee - private company that acquired Indies; currently with St. Kitts, an associat - rights in districts of Mozambique, ending in ed state of the British Commonwealth 1942 New Britain - BRIT 'n - one of the islands Myanmar - my AN mar - republic of of Papua New Guinea Southeast Asia; former name Burma New Brunswick - BRUHNZ wick - former N British colony in eastern Canada Nalatdlit Nunat - nah LAHT lit NEW not - official name of Greenland New Caledonia - KAL uh DOHN yuh - French island in the South Pacific Ocean Namibia - nah MIHB ee ya - formerly the New Guinea - GIN ee - island in the South German colony of South-West Africa; cur - Pacific, north of Australia; now part of rently administered by South Africa in defi - Papua New Guinea ance of U.N. demands for withdrawal - HEB rih deez - islands in Nanumaga - nah noo MA gah - one of the the South Pacific; previously administered Tuvalu islands jointly by France and Great Britain; now the independent republic of Nanumea - nah noo MAY ah - one of the Tuvalu islands New Republic - ree PUHB lik - former Boer (Dutch) republic and British colony; - nuh TAHL - former British colony now part of South Africa on the southeast coast of Africa; now part of South Africa New South Wales - WHALES - former British colony in southern Australia Nauru - nah OO roo - island in the central Pacific Ocean; formerly under British man - New Zealand - ZEE lund - island country date in the South Pacific, southeast of Australia Negri Sembilan - NAY grih SEM beh - NOO fun lund - province LON - sultanate on the west coast of the of eastern Canada Malay Peninsula; now part of Malaysia Nicaragua - NICK uh RAH gwah - repub - Nejd - NEH jid - region of central Saudi lic in Central America Arabia Niger - NYE jur - republic in northern Nepal - neh PAHL - kingdom in southern Africa; former French colony Asia between India and Tibet - part of the for - Netherlands - NETH ur lundz - kingdom mer British colony of Nigeria Nigeria - nye JEER ee uh - republic in Persian Gulf western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; for - Orange Free State - former British colony mer British colony in South Africa Niue - nee OO ay - coral island in the South Ostland - AHST lund - German military Pacific; associated with New Zealand district of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Niutao - nee oo TAH oh - one of the Tuvalu Islands P Pahang - puh HANG - Malaysian state Norfolk Island - NOR fohk - island in the South Pacific under Australian administra - Pakistan - PACK ih STAN - republic in tion south central Asia; formerly part of British India - BOR nee oh - northeastern region of the island of Borneo; former - pah LOO - island in Western British colony now part of the Malaysian Pacific; U.S. Trust Territory Federation; current name Sabah Palestine - PAL es tine - region in the North German Confederation - kon FED Middle East on the Mediterranean; now part er AY shun - former association of German of Israel states Panama - PAN uh maw - republic in Northern Rhodesia - roh DEE shuh - for - Central America occupying the Isthmus of mer British protectorate in southern Africa; Panama current name Zambia Papua New Guinea - PAH pooh uh NOO Norway - NOR way - kingdom of northern GIN ee - independent state occupying east - Europe; part of Scandinavia ern New Guinea; former Australian colony Nossi-Be - NAW see BAY - island in Paraguay - PAR ah gway - republic in cen - Indian Ocean; former French protectorate tral South America Nova Scotia - NO vah SKO shuh - former Penang - pee NANG - former British pos - British colony in eastern Canada session on the Malay peninsula; now part of Nui - NOO ee - one of the Tuvalu islands Malaysia Nukufetau - NOO koo FAY ta - one of the Penrhyn Island - PEN rihn - island in the Tuvalu islands South Pacific; part of the Cook Islands Nukulaelae - NOO koo LAY lay - one of Perak - PAY rahk - sultanate on the Malay the Tuvalu islands peninsula; part of Malaysia Nyasaland Protectorate - ny AHS uh Perlis - PER lihs - former Siamese state on LAND - former British territory in south- the Malay peninsula, now part of Malaysia central Africa; current name Malawi Peru - puh ROO - republic on the Pacific Nyassa - nye AHS uh - district in northwest coast of South America Mozambique Philippines - FILL ih peenz - large island O republic in the southwest Pacific Ocean Obock - OH bok - African seaport on the - PIT kairn - group of Gulf of Aden; part of the former French British-owned islands in the South Pacific Somali Coast colony Ocean Oltre Giuba - OHL trah JOO bah - part of Poland - POE lund - republic of central Italian Somaliland in eastern Africa Europe on the Baltic Sea Oman - oh MAHN - independent sultanate Ponta Delgada - PAHN tuh del GAH duh - on the southeast coast of Arabia, on the chief city of the Azores Portugal - POOR chew gull - republic in Spanish colony on the Gulf of Guinea; now southwestern Europe part of Equatorial Guinea Portuguese Congo - POOR chew geese Roman States - ROH mahn - until 1870 the KON go - former Portuguese colony; now greater part of central Italy under papal con - part of Angola trol Portuguese Guinea - POOR chew geese Romania - roh MAIN ee uh - former GIN ee - former Portuguese Overseas Communist republic in southeastern Europe Territory; now part of Guinea-Bissau Ruanda-Urundi - roo AHN dah oo ROON Portuguese India - POOR chew geese – dee - area of central Africa which became for mer Portuguese holdings; now part of India independent from Belgium as the Republic of Prince Edward Island - PRINTS ED wurd - Rwanda and the Kingdom of Burundi Canadian island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; Russia - RUSH uh - republic occupying the former British colony greater portion of eastern Europe and north ern Prussia - PRUSH ah - former kingdom in Asia; formerly the core of the Soviet Union northern Germany Rwanda - r WAHN duh - country in east- Puerto Rico - PWEAR toh REE koh - central Africa, south of the equator island in the West Indies; former Spanish Ryukyu Islands - ree OO kyoo - Japanese colony, now a commonwealth in associa - islands in the Pacific, extending from Japan tion with the U.S. to Taiwan Q S Qatar - KAH tahr - Arab sheikdom on the Saar - ZAHR - former state in western Germany Persian Gulf Sabah - SAH bah - state in northeast Qu’aiti State - kwah AY tee - former , part of Malaysia; formerly British protectorate in south Arabia; now part of North Borneo People’s Republic of Southern Yemen Samoa - suh MOH uh - islands in the South Queensland - KWEENZ lund - former British Pacific, east of Fiji; Western Samoa is inde - colony in Australia pendent while eastern (American) Samoa is Quelimane - KEL ee MAHN uh - province in administered by the U.S. Mozambique San Marino - muh REE noh - independent R republic in central Italy Ras al Khaima - RAS al KYE ma - sheikdom Sao Tome & Principe - sow too MAY in eastern Arabia PR EN see puh - former Portuguese colony of St. Thomas & Prince - rih DON dah - an island of Antigua Sarawak - suh RAH wahk - state on north - west coast of Borneo; part of Malaysia Reunion - re YOON yun - island in the Indian Ocean; former French colony, now part of Sardinia - sahr DIN ee uh - former king - France dom in northwest Italy Rhodesia - roh DEE shuh - former British Saudi Arabia - sah OO dee uh RAY bee uh colony in southeastern Africa; current name - kingdom and largest country on the Zimbabwe Arabian Peninsula Rio De Oro - REE oh day OR oh - former Saxony - SACK son ee - former German Spanish colony on the northwestern coast of state Africa Schleswig - SCHLES vig - area of central Rio Muni - REE oh MOO nee - former Jutland Peninsula Schleswig-Holstein - SCHLES vig HOLE South Africa - AF rick uh - republic bor - schtine - former German duchies dered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans Selangor - sah LAHNG gor - sultanate on South Arabia - uh RAY bee uh - former the Malay Peninsula; now part of Malaysia federation of British territories in south - western Arabia Senegal - sen eh GAWL - republic on the western coast of Africa; former French South Georgia - JOR juh - British island colony colony in the south Atlantic; part of the Falkland Islands - SEN ih GAHM bee uh - for - mer French colony in northwest Africa; South Moluccas - mah LUCK us - a group now part of the republic of Mali of Indonesian islands which attempted unsuccessfully to gain independence from Serbia - SUR bee uh - republic in the Indonesia Balkans; formerly part of Yugoslavia South-West Africa - former German - say SHELL - group of islands colony now administered by South Africa; in the western Indian Ocean; formerly a renamed Namibia by the United Nations British colony, now a socialist state Spain - SPAYN - republic of southwestern Shanghai - SHANG high - major city and Europe port of China Spanish Morocco - SPAN ish muh ROCK Sharjah - shahr JAH - sheikdom of the oh - northern region of Morocco; now part United Arab Emirates of the kingdom of Morocco Siberia - sy BEER ee uh - region of Asiatic Spanish Sahara - SPAN ish suh HAIR uh - Russia, stretching from the Ural mountains former Spanish colony in northwestern to the Pacific Ocean; formerly part of the Africa; now claimed by Morocco Soviet Union Sri Lanka - sree LAHNG kuh - island Sierra Leone - see AIR uh lee OHN - nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeast republic in western Africa; formerly a coast of India; former British colony of British colony Ceylon Singapore - SING uh pore - island republic St. Christopher - SAYNT KRIS toh fer - on the Malay Peninsula; formerly a British island in West Indies; current name St. Kitts colony St. Helena - SAYNT huh LEE nuh - British Slovakia - sloh VAH kee uh - part of for - colony in the Atlantic Ocean, including the mer Czechkoslovakia; currently Slovak islands of Ascension and Federal Republic St. Kitts-Nevis - SAYNT kits NEE vis - Slovenia - slo VEE nee uh - part of the for - islands in the West Indies; associated states mer Yugoslavia in the British Commonwealth, now issuing Solomon Islands - SAHL uh mun - former stamps separately British islands in the western Pacific, east St. Lucia - SAYNT LOO shuh - former of New Guinea British island colony in the West Indies Somali Coast - soh MAH lee - former St. Pierre and Miquelon - SANT pee French African colony on the Gulf of Aden YAIR MICK uh lahn - French islands south Somalia - soh MAHL yuh - independent of Newfoundland region on the eastern coast of Africa; for - St. Thomas and Prince Islands - SAYNT merly Italian Somaliland TOM us PRINS - former Portuguese colony Somaliland Protectorate - soh MAH lee islands in the Gulf of Guinea; currently the LAND proh TECK tor et - former British independent Democratic Republic of Sao protectorate in eastern Africa Tome and Principe St. Vincent - SAYNT VIN sunt - former Tasmania - taz MAY nee uh - island off British colony island in the West Indies the southeast coast of Australia; formerly the British colony of Van Diemen’s Land, Stellaland - STEL ah LAND - Boer now part of the Commonwealth of Australia (Dutch) republic in southern Africa Thailand - TYE land - republic on the Straits Settlement - STRAYTS – former Malay Peninsula of southeast Asia; former - British colony in Malaya ly the kingdom of Siam Sudan - soo DAN - republic in northeastern Thurn and Taxis - THURN TAHK sis- Africa, south of Egypt princely house which issued stamps in cen - Surinam - SOOR uh nahm - former Dutch tral Europe between the 1500’s and 1800’s colony in South America Tibet - tih BET - former independent Swaziland - SWAH zee land - kingdom in nation in Himalayan region of central Asia, southern Africa; formerly a British protec - seized by China in the 1950’s. Tibet’s torate leader, the Dalai Lama, maintains a govern - ment-in-exile in India Sweden - SWEE dun - monarchy in north - ern Europe; part of Scandinavia Timor - tee MORE - southeast Indonesian island; a Portuguese colony Switzerland - SWIHT sur lund - republic in western Europe - tuh BAY go - former British island colony in the Caribbean Sea; now Syria - SEE ree - Middle Eastern republic united with Trinidad bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey and Lebanon Togo - TOH goh - republic in West Africa bordering the Gulf of Guinea; formerly a T German Protectorate, then a French man - Tahiti - tah HEE tee - island in the South date Pacific, now part of French Polynesia, a French Overseas Territory Islands - TOH kuh LOH - island group north of Samoa in the South Pacific; Taiwan - tie WAHN - island home of the a dependency of New Zealand Nationalist Chinese government; located off the Pacific coast of The People’s Republic Tonga - TAWNG guh - islands in the South of China; also called China Republic; for - Pacific, south of Samoa; formerly a British mer name Formosa colony Tajikistan - tah JEEK ee STAHN - repub - Transkei - TRANS KAY - Black South lic of south central Asia bordering African homeland on the Indian Ocean Afghanistan and China; formerly part of the Transvaal - tranz VAHL - province of the Soviet Union republic of South Africa Tanganyika - TAN gun YEE kuh - former Travancore - trav an KOR - former state of German and British colony; current name southern India Tanzania Trengganu - tren GAH noo - former Tangier - tan JEER - Moroccan city on the British protectorate; now part of Malaysia Strait of Gibraltar Trieste - tree EST - former Italian territory Tannu Tuva - TAH noo TOO vah - area in at the north end of the Adriatic Sea northern Asia between Mongolia and Siberia; formerly part of the Soviet Union Trinidad - TRIH nih dad - island in the West Indies, now united with Tobago; for - Tanzania - tan ZAY nee uh - central mer British colony African republic on the Indian Ocean; for - merly the British colony of Tanganyika and Tripolitania - TRIP uh lih TAY nee uh - Zanzibar former Italian colony in northern Africa Tristan da Cunha - TRISS tan duh KOON Poland yuh - British island in the South Atlantic Upper Volta - UH per VOLE tuh - republic Ocean of western Africa; former French colony; - TROO shull - Arab sheik - current name Burkina Faso doms of eastern Arabia Uruguay - YUR uh gway - republic in Tunisia - too NEE shuh - republic in north - South America on the Atlantic Ocean ern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea; for - mer French protectorate Uzbekistan - ooz BEK ee STAHN - repub - lic of south central Asia; formerly part of Turkey - TUR kee - republic of southeast - the Soviet Union ern Europe and western Asia, bordering the Black Sea, Syria and Iraq V Vaitupu - vye TOO poo - one of the Turkmenistan - turk MEN ee STAHN - Tuvalu islands republic of south central Asia, bordering Iran and Afghanistan; formerly part of the Vanuatu - VAH noo AH too - island Soviet Union republic of South Pacific; formerly the British-French condominium of New Turks & Caicos Islands - TURKS KAY kus - British island group in the West Hebrides Indies, south of the Bahamas Vatican City - VAT ih ken - independent Tuscany - TUS kuh nee - former grand papal state in Rome, Italy duchy in west-central Italy Venda - VEHN duh - Black South African Tuvalu - TOO vah loo - British islands in homeland central-south Pacific; formerly Ellice Islands Venezuela - VEN uh ZWAY luh - republic Two Sicilies - SIS ill eez - former kingdom on the northern coast of South America of Italy and Sicily Victoria - vick TOR ee uh - former British U colony in southern Australia Ubangi-Shari - oo BON gee shah REE - Victoria Land - vick TOR ee uh LAND - former French colony in West Africa; cur - region of Antarctica rent name Central African Republic Vietnam - VEE et NAHM - country in Uganda - yoo GAHN duh - country of east- Southeast Asia; formerly part of French central Africa; formerly a British protectorate Indo-China, then North and South Vietnam Ukraine - yoo KRANE - republic in south - W eastern Europe; formerly part of the Soviet Wallis & Futuna Islands - WAHL is foo Union TOO nah - two island groups in the South Umm al Qiwain - OOM ahl kye WINE - Pacific; a French protectorate sheikdom of the United Arab Emirates Wenden - VEHN dehn - former district of United Arab Emirates - Yoo nye ted AIR eb the Russian province of Livonia; now part EM er its - federation of sheikdoms on the of Latvia and Estonia Persian Gulf side of the Arabian peninsula West Indies - IN deez - several groups of United Nations - Yoo nye ted NAY shunz islands lying between North and South -organization for maintenance of interna - America, separating the Atlantic Ocean tional peace, with offices in New York from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean City, Geneva, Switzerland and Vienna, Sea; also called the Antilles - an TILL eez Austria West Irian - EAR ee in - western half of Upper Silesia - UH per sih LEE see uh - New Guinea; former Dutch colony now former German territory; now part of under Indonesian administration Western Sahara - sah HAIR ah - region of currently Congo Democratic Republic northwest Africa claimed by Morocco; for - merly called Spanish Sahara Zambezia - zam BEE zee uh - a former dis - trict of Mozambique Wurttemberg - VUR tem BURG - former kingdom in Germany Zambia - ZAM bee yuh - republic in south - ern Africa; formerly the British protectorate Y of Northern Rhodesia Yemen - YEM un - ancient state in south - west Arabia; divided today into the Yemen Zanzibar - ZAN zuh BAR - group of Arab Republic and South Yemen islands off the eastern coast of Africa; for - merly a British protectorate; now part of Yugoslavia - YOO goh SLAH vee uh - for - Tanzania mer Communist republic in southeastern Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea; current - Zimbabwe - zim BOB way - republic of ly split into independent republics of Serbia south-central Africa; formerly the British and Montenegro colony of Rhodesia Z Zululand - ZOO loo LAND - province of Zaire - zah EAR - republic of west-central South Africa; formerly part of the British Africa; formerly the Belgian Congo and Did You Know… • In the South American countries of of Stamp Duties in Ireland. Bolivia and Paraguay, stamps actually pro - voked a war! The conflict began when • Dr. John Edward Gray of the British Bolivia issued a stamp claiming an undefined Museum became the first collector of adhesive and long-disputed area of wilderness. This postage stamps when he purchased a block of stamp was simply a map with this territory’s Penny Blacks on May 1, 1840. possession clearly labeled. Enraged by this bold claim, Paraguay countered by issuing a • The January 1, 1869 issue of Stamp larger stamp, which even more clearly showed Collector Magazine showed collectors how to the territory, and labeled in Paraguay’s name. make their own stamp hinges cut from the Also on the stamp were the words, “Has been, margins of stamp sheets. This is the first is, and will be.” Soon afterwards a vicious known example - previously collectors had war over the territory began. The war raged pasted their stamps directly into their albums. for many years with Paraguay eventually proving to be the victor. Several stamps were • In 1918, the British government counter - then issued proudly proclaiming the territory feited stamps from the nations of Austria, as Paraguay’s. Bavaria, and Germany. The stamps were then to be used to mail fake propaganda leaflets • The world’s longest-lived mail delivery and postcards to neutral countries, such as system exists in India. Called the Dak (or Dawk) system, this organization can be traced Switzerland or Holland, who would believe back to Roman relay runners. Dak runners they were genuine articles. It was hoped that carried the mail over long distances by insert - these letters would win support for the Allies, ing it in a stick split down the middle. A torch but the program was abandoned before it bearer helped guide the runners at night, and could be employed. However, during WW II another ran along beating a drum to scare off the British did successfully circulate German dangerous animals. “Hitler Head” stamps. These stamps were The East India Company ran the system used to spread rumors of dissension among while Britain controlled India. During that German troops. time postal inspectors were employed, and • George Herpin of was the first to use timekeepers kept the runners on schedule. the term philately. Herpin didn’t like the term • The first recorded stamp collector was “timbromanie,” which means stamp madness, John Bourke, who served as Receiver-General that had been popular in the 1860s. KS991 9/09