In the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th century, a number of countries maintained post offices in foreign countries, arranged by treaty. Most such offices were operated by European powers in the Middle and Far East. They were partly motivated by the desire to provide reliable postal service for merchants and other foreign nationals in major cities, and partly by suspicion of the local postal service. The currency in use could be either the local currency, or that of the home country.
Additionally, it became the practice of occupying military powers to establish postal services in the occupied country.
List
Austrian Post Abroad
Italy (Austrian Occupation) 1918 only
Lombardy-Venetia 1850âÂÂ1866
Montenegro (Austrian Occupation) 1917 only
Romania (Austrian Occupation) 1917âÂÂ1918
Serbia (Austrian Occupation) 1916 only
Austro-Hungarian Post in China 1904âÂÂ1919
Crete (Austro-Hungarian Post) 1903âÂÂ1914
Austro-Hungarian Post in the Ottoman Empire 1867âÂÂ1915
:Palestine (Austrian Post Offices) 1854âÂÂ1914
Austro-Hungarian Military Post 1915âÂÂ1918
Belgian Post Abroad
Eupen and Malmedy (Belgian Occupation) 1920 only
German East Africa (Belgian Occupation) 1916âÂÂ1918
Germany (Belgian Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1920
British Post Abroad
British post offices abroad
British post offices in Africa various issues
Baghdad (British Occupation) 1917 only
Bangkok (British Post Office) 1882âÂÂ1885
Batum (British Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1920
British Levant 1885âÂÂ1923
Bushire (British Occupation) 1915 only
Cameroons (British Occupation) 1915 only
China (British Railway Administration) 1901 only
China (British Post Offices) 1917âÂÂ1930
Crete (British Post Offices) 1898âÂÂ1899
East Africa Forces 1943âÂÂ1948
Eastern Arabia (British postal agencies) 1948âÂÂ1966
Egypt (British Forces) 1932âÂÂ1943
Eritrea (British Military Administration or British Administration) 1948âÂÂ1952
German East Africa (British Occupation) 1917 only
Iraq (British Occupation) 1918âÂÂ1923
Japan (British Post Offices) 1859âÂÂ1879
Japan (British Commonwealth Occupation Force) 1946âÂÂ1949
Long Island (British Occupation) 1916 only
Madagascar (British Consular Mail) 1884âÂÂ1895
Mafia Island (British Occupation) 1915âÂÂ1916
Malaya (British Military Administration) 1945âÂÂ1948
Middle East Forces 1942âÂÂ1947
Morocco Agencies 1898âÂÂ1957
North Borneo (BMA) 1945 only
Salonika (British Field Office) 1916 only
Sarawak (British Military Administration) 1945 only
Somalia (British Military Administration or British Administration) 1948âÂÂ1950
Tangier 1927âÂÂ1957
Tripolitania (British Military Administration or British Administration) 1948âÂÂ1952
Chinese Post Abroad
Chinese post offices in Tibet 1911âÂÂ1912
Egyptian Post Abroad
Gaza (Egyptian Occupation) 1948âÂÂ1967
Jaffa (Egyptian Post Office) 1870âÂÂ1872
Finnish Post Abroad
Aunus (Finnish Occupation) 1919 only
Eastern Karelia (Finnish Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1944
French Post Abroad
Andorra (French Offices) 1931 âÂÂ
Arad (French Occupation) 1919 only
Castelrosso (French Occupation) 1920âÂÂ1921
Cilicia (French Occupation) 1918âÂÂ1921
Ethiopia (French Post Offices) 1906âÂÂ1908
Japan (French Post Offices) 1865âÂÂ1880
KlaipÃÂda 1923 only
Korce (Koritza) 1917âÂÂ1919
Madagascar (French Post Offices) 1885âÂÂ1896
Majunga (French Post Office) 1895 only
Memel (French Administration) 1920âÂÂ1923
Morocco (French Post Offices) 1862âÂÂ1914
Syria (French Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1923
Tangier (French Post Office) 1918âÂÂ1942
Saar (French Administration) 1920âÂÂ1935
French post offices abroad
China (French Post Offices) 1894âÂÂ1922
:Tientsin (French Post Office) 1903âÂÂ1922
Crete (French Post Offices) 1902âÂÂ1913
Egypt (French Post Offices) 1899âÂÂ1931
:Alexandria (French Post Office) 1899âÂÂ1931
:Port Said (French Post Office) 1899âÂÂ1931
Zanzibar (French Post Office) 1889âÂÂ1904
Ottoman Empire (French Post Offices) 1885âÂÂ1923
:Beirut (French Post Office) 1905 only
:Dedeagatz (French Post Office) 1893âÂÂ1914
:Kavalla (French Post Office) 1893âÂÂ1914
:Port Lagos (French Post Office) 1893âÂÂ1898
:Vathy (French Post Offices) 1893âÂÂ1914
:Palestine (French Post Offices) 1854âÂÂ1914
Postage of the Free French Forces in the Levant 1942âÂÂ1946
German Post Abroad
German Ninth Army Post 1918 only
Albania (German Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1944
Alsace-Lorraine (German Occupation) 1870âÂÂ1871
Alsace (German Occupation) 1940âÂÂ1941
Belgium (German Occupation) 1914âÂÂ1918
Dalmatia (German Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Dorpat (German Occupation) 1918 only
Estonia (German Occupation) 1941 only
Laibach (German Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Latvia (German Occupation) 1941 only
Lithuania (German Occupation) 1941 only
Lorraine (German Occupation) 1940âÂÂ1941
Luxembourg (German Occupation) 1940âÂÂ1944
Macedonia (German Occupation) 1944 only
Montenegro (German Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Ostland (German Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1945
Poland (German Occupation WWI) 1915âÂÂ1918
Poland (German Occupation WWII) 1939âÂÂ1945
Romania (German Occupation) 1917âÂÂ1918
Serbia (German Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1944
Ukraine (German Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1944
Zante (German Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Zanzibar (German Postal Agency) 1890âÂÂ1891
China (German Post Offices) 1886âÂÂ1917
Morocco (German Post Offices) 1899âÂÂ1917
German post offices in the Ottoman Empire 1884âÂÂ1914
Postage of German Occupation Forces (WWI) 1914âÂÂ1918
Postage of German Occupation Forces (WWII) 1939âÂÂ1945
Eastern Command Area 1916âÂÂ1918
Western Command Area 1916âÂÂ1918
Palestine (German Post Offices) 1898âÂÂ1914
Germany (Allied Occupation)
Baden (French Zone) 1947âÂÂ1949
Postage of Berlin-Brandenburg in the Russian Zone 1945 only
Postage of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the Russian Zone 1945âÂÂ1946
Postage of North West Saxony in the Russian Zone 1945âÂÂ1946
Saxony (Russian Zone) 1945âÂÂ1946
Postage of South East Saxony in the Russian Zone 1945âÂÂ1946
Thuringia (Russian Zone) 1945âÂÂ1946
Württemberg (French Zone) 1947âÂÂ1949
American, British and Russian Zones 1946âÂÂ1948
Anglo-American Zones (Civil Government) 1948âÂÂ1949
Anglo-American Zones (Military Government) 1945âÂÂ1946
French Zone (General Issues) 1945âÂÂ1946
Postage of the Rhineland â Palatinate in the French Zone 1947âÂÂ1949
Russian Zone (General Issues) 1948âÂÂ1949
Saar (French Zone) 1945âÂÂ1947
Greek Post Abroad
Greek Post Offices in the Turkish Empire 1861âÂÂ1881
Albania (Greek Occupation) 1940âÂÂ1941
Kavalla (Greek Occupation) 1913 only
Khios (Greek Occupation) 1913 only
Lemnos (Greek Occupation) 1912âÂÂ1913
Lesbos (Greek Occupation) 1912âÂÂ1913
Dodecanese Islands (Greek Occupation) 1947 only
Indian Overseas Forces
Gaza (Indian UN Force) 1965 only
Indo-China (Indian Forces) 1954âÂÂ1968
Korea (Indian Custodian Forces) 1953 only
Mosul (Indian Forces) 1919 only
Congo (Indian UN Force) 1962 only
China Expeditionary Force 1900âÂÂ1923
Indian Expeditionary Forces 1914âÂÂ1922
Indo-Chinese Post in China
Canton (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1901âÂÂ1922
China (Indo-Chinese Post Offices) 1900âÂÂ1922
Hoi-Hao (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1902âÂÂ1922
Kouang-Tcheou 1898âÂÂ1943
Mong-Tseu (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903âÂÂ1922
Pakhoi (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903âÂÂ1922
Tchongking (Indo â Chinese Post Office) 1903âÂÂ1922
Yunnanfu (Indo-Chinese Post Office) 1903âÂÂ1922
Israeli Post Abroad
Golan (Israeli Post Offices) 1967 âÂÂ
Sinai (Israeli Post Offices) 1967âÂÂ1982
West Bank and Gaza (Israeli Post Offices) 1967 âÂÂ
Italian Post Abroad
Albania (Italian Occupation) 1939âÂÂ1943
Austria (Italian Occupation) 1918-1919
Benghazi (Italian Post Office) 1901âÂÂ1912
Cephalonia and Ithaca (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
Corfu and Paxos (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
Corfu (Italian Occupation) 1923 only
Dalmatia (Italian Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1923
Ethiopia (Italian Occupation) 1936 only
Lubiana (Italian Occupation) 1941 only
Montenegro (Italian Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1943
Saseno (Italian Occupation) 1923 only
Trentino (Italian Occupation) 1918âÂÂ1919
Tripoli (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1912
Venezia Giulia (Italian Occupation) 1918âÂÂ1919
Fiume and Kupa Zone 1941âÂÂ1942
Ionian Islands (Italian Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1943
Italian post offices in Africa
Italian post offices in China
:Pechino (Italian Post Office) 1917âÂÂ1922
:Tientsin (Italian Post Office) 1917âÂÂ1922
Italian post offices in Crete
:Khania (Italian Post Office) 1900âÂÂ1912
Italian post offices in Egypt
Italian post offices in the Ottoman Empire 1873âÂÂ1923
:Constantinople (Italian Post Office) 1908âÂÂ1923
:Durazzo (Italian Post Office) 1902âÂÂ1916
:Jannina (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1911
:Salonika (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1911
:Scutari (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1915
:Smirne (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1911
:Valona (Italian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1916
:Palestine (Italian Post Offices) 1908âÂÂ1914
Japanese Post Abroad
Brunei (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Burma (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Central China (Japanese Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1944
Honan (Japanese Occupation) 1941
Hong Kong (Japanese Occupation) 1945 only
Hopei (Japanese Occupation) 1941
Inner Mongolia (Japanese Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1943
Japanese Taiwan (Formosa) 1945 only
Java (Japanese Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Kelantan (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Korea (Japanese Post Offices) 1900âÂÂ1901
Kwangtung (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Malaya (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Manchukuo 1932âÂÂ1945
Mengkiang (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Nangking and Shanghai (Japanese Occupation) 1941âÂÂ1945
North Borneo (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
North China (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Sarawak (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
Shansi (Japanese Occupation) 1941
Shantung (Japanese Occupation) 1941
South China (Japanese Occupation) 1942
Sumatra (Japanese Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Supeh (Japanese Occupation) 1941
Japanese post in occupied China 1941âÂÂ1942
Philippines (Japanese Occupation) 1942âÂÂ1945
China (Japanese Post Offices) 1900âÂÂ1922
Japanese Naval Control Area 1942âÂÂ1943
Jordanian Post Abroad
Egypt and Jordan 1948âÂÂ1967
North Korean Post Abroad
South Korea (North Korean Occupation) 1950 only
Polish Post Abroad
Central Lithuania (Polish Occupation) 1920âÂÂ1922
Constantinople (Polish Post Office) 1919âÂÂ1921
Danzig (Polish Post Office) 1924âÂÂ1939
Polish post offices in the Turkish Empire
Polish Army in Russia 1942 only
Polish Corps in Russia 1918 only
Polish Government in Exile 1941âÂÂ1945
Romanian Post Abroad
Banat Bacska (Romanian Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1920
Constantinople (Romanian Post Office) 1896, 1919âÂÂ1922/23
Debrecen (Romanian Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1920
Hungary (Romanian Occupation) 1919âÂÂ1920
Temesvar (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only
Transylvania (Romanian Occupation) 1919 only
Romanian post offices in the Turkish Empire 1896âÂÂ1919
Russian Post Abroad
North Korea (Russian Occupation) 1946âÂÂ1948
South Lithuania (Russian Occupation) 1919 only
Russian post offices abroad
China (Russian Post Offices) 1899âÂÂ1920
Crete (Russian Post Offices) 1899 only
Russian post offices in the Ottoman Empire 1863âÂÂ1914
:Beirut (Russian Post Office) 1879âÂÂ1910
:Constantinople (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Dardanelles (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Kerrasunde (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Mount Athos (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1914
:Mytilene (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1914
:Rizeh (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Salonika (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1914
:Smyrne (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Trebizonde (Russian Post Office) 1909âÂÂ1910
:Palestine (Russian Post Offices) 1868âÂÂ1914
Serbian Post Abroad
Baranya (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
Hungary (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
Temesvar (Serbian Occupation) 1919 only
Spanish Post Abroad
Andorra (Spanish Offices) 1928 âÂÂ
Morocco (Spanish Post Offices) 1903âÂÂ1914
Tangier (Spanish Post Offices) 1921âÂÂ1957
Tetuan (Spanish Post Office) 1908âÂÂ1909
Thai Post Abroad
Malaya (Thai Occupation) 1943âÂÂ1945
Togo (Allied Occupation)
Togo (Anglo-French Occupation) 1914âÂÂ1919
Turkish Post Abroad
Thessaly (Turkish Occupation) 1898 only
US Post Abroad
Guam (US Administration) 1899âÂÂ1901
US post in Japan 1867âÂÂ1874
Shanghai (US Postal Agency) 1919âÂÂ1922
Philippines (US Administration) 1899âÂÂ1945
See also
References
Bibliography
- Stanley Gibbons Ltd, various catalogues
- Stanley Gibbons Ltd, Europe and Colonies 1970, Stanley Gibbons Ltd, 1969
- Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986.
- XLCR Stamp Finder and Collector's Dictionary, Thomas Cliffe Ltd, c.1960
External links