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, the 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 the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and 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^{[Note 1]}
Algeria – 1 October 1907^{[Note 2]}
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^{[Note 3]}
Azerbaijan – 1 April 1993

B

Bahamas – 24 April 1974
Bahrain – 21 December 1973
Bangladesh – 7 February 1973
Barbados – 11 November 1967
Belarus – 13 May 1947^{[Note 4]}
Belgium – 1 July 1875
Belize – 1 October 1982
Benin – 27 April 1961^{[Note 5]}
Bhutan – 7 March 1969
Bolivia – 1 April 1886
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 26 January 1993
Botswana – 12 January 1968
Brazil – 1 July 1877^{[Note 6]}
Brunei – 15 January 1985
British overseas territories – 1 April 1877^{[Note 7]}

Dependencies of St Helena

Turks and Caicos Islands

Bulgaria – 1 July 1879^{[Note 8]}
Burkina Faso – 29 March 1963^{[Note 9]}
Burundi – 6 April 1963^{[Note 10]}

C

Cambodia – 21 December 1951^{[Note 11]}
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 12]}
- Hong Kong^{[Note 13]} – 1 April 1877
- Macau
Colombia – 1 July 1881
Comoros – 29 July 1976
Congo, Democratic Republic of the – 1 January 1886^{[Note 14]}
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
Czechia – 18 March 1993

D

Denmark – 1 July 1875
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
Djibouti – 6 June 1978
Dominica – 31 January 1980
Dominican Republic – 1 October 1880^{[Note 15]}

E

Ecuador – 1 July 1880
Egypt – 1 July 1875^{[Note 16]}
El Salvador – 1 April 1879
Equatorial Guinea – 24 July 1970
Eritrea – 19 August 1993
Estonia – 30 April 1992^{[Note 17]}
Eswatini - 7 November 1969^{[Note 18]}
Ethiopia – 1 November 1908^{[Note 19]}

F

Fiji – 18 June 1971
Finland – 12 February 1918
- Åland Islands
France – 1 January 1876

French Overseas Departments

French Guiana
Guadeloupe (including Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin)
Martinique
Reunion
Mayotte
Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution

French Polynesia (including Clipperton Island)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
New Caledonia
Wallis and Futuna

G

Gabon – 17 July 1961
Gambia – 9 October 1974
Georgia – 1 April 1993
Germany – 1 July 1875^{[Note 20]}
Ghana – 10 October 1957
Greece – 1 July 1875^{[Note 21]}
Grenada – 30 January 1978
Guatemala – 1 August 1881
Guinea – 6 May 1959
Guinea-Bissau – 30 May 1974
Guyana – 22 March 1967

H

Haiti – 1 July 1881
Honduras – 1 April 1879^{[Note 15]}
Hungary – 1 July 1875^{[Note 22]}

I

Iceland – 15 November 1919^{[Note 23]}
India – 1 July 1876^{[Note 24]}
Indonesia – 1 May 1877
Iran – 1 September 1877^{[Note 25]}
Iraq – 22 April 1929^{[Note 26]}
Ireland – 6 September 1923^{[Note 27]}
Israel – 24 December 1949
Italy – 1 July 1875^{[Note 28]}

J

Jamaica – 29 August 1963
Japan – 1 June 1877^{[Note 29]}
Jordan – 16 May 1947

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 30]}
Kuwait – 16 February 1960
Kyrgyzstan – 26 January 1993

L

Laos – 20 May 1952^{[Note 31]}
Latvia – 17 June 1992^{[Note 32]}
Lebanon – 15 May 1946
Lesotho – 6 September 1967
Liberia – 1 April 1879
Libya – 4 June 1952^{[Note 33]}
Liechtenstein – 13 April 1962
Lithuania – 10 January 1992^{[Note 34]}
Luxembourg – 1 July 1875

M

Madagascar – 2 November 1961
Malawi – 25 October 1966
Malaysia – 17 January 1958^{[Note 35]}
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^{[Note 36]}
Montenegro – 26 July 2006
Morocco – 1 October 1920^{[Note 37]}
Mozambique – 11 October 1978
Myanmar – 4 October 1949^{[Note 38]}

N

Namibia – 30 April 1992
Nauru – 17 April 1969
Nepal – 11 October 1956^{[Note 39]}
Netherlands – 1 July 1875
Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten – 1 July 1875^{[Note 7]}^{[Note 40]}
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 41]}
Norway – 1 July 1875^{[Note 42]}

O

Oman – 17 August 1971

P

Pakistan – 10 November 1947
Panama – 11 June 1904
Papua New Guinea – 4 June 1976
Paraguay – 1 July 1881
Peru – 1 April 1879
Philippines – 1 January 1922
Poland – 1 May 1919
Portugal – 1 July 1875

Q

Qatar – 31 January 1969

R

Romania – 1 July 1875
Russia – 1 July 1875^{[Note 43]}
Rwanda – 6 April 1963

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^{[Note 44]}
San Marino – 1 July 1915
São Tomé and Príncipe – 22 August 1977
Saudi Arabia – 1 January 1927^{[Note 45]}
Senegal – 14 June 1961
Serbia – 9 October 1874^{[Note 46]}
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^{[Note 47]}
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 15]}
Suriname – 20 April 1976
Sweden – 1 July 1875^{[Note 48]}
Switzerland – 1 July 1875
Syria – 15 May 1946^{[Note 49]}

T

Tajikistan – 9 June 1994
Tanzania – 29 March 1963^{[Note 50]}
Thailand – 1 July 1885^{[Note 51]}
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^{[Note 52]}
Turkey – 1 July 1875^{[Note 53]}
Turkmenistan – 26 January 1993
Tuvalu – 3 February 1981

U

Uganda – 13 February 1964
Ukraine – 13 May 1947^{[Note 54]}
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 55]}

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^{[Note 56]}

Y

Yemen – 1 January 1930^{[Note 57]}

Z

Zambia – 22 March 1967
Zimbabwe – 31 July 1981

Observer states

Palestine – Has special observer status to the UPU since 1999, West Bank mail delivered through Jordan since 2008.^[15]^[16] From ^[when?] 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] However, UPU member states did not approve the application.^[19]

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.^[20]

Andorra^[21] – 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. Additionally, its stamps are accepted by 57 UPU members.^[22]

States with limited recognition

These states need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries.^[20]

Somaliland mail routed through Ethiopia^[23]
Northern Cyprus mail routed through Turkey^[20]
Kosovo mail routed through Serbia^[20]
Abkhazia mail routed through Russia^[20]
South Ossetia mail routed through Russia^[20]
Nagorno-Karabakh mail routed through Armenia^[20]
Transnistria mail routed through Moldova^[20]
Sahrawi Republic mail routed through Algeria^[20]
Taiwan (Republic of China) mail routed through Japan and the United States^{[Note 12]}^{[Note 58]}^[24]

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^[25]^[26] (organized as the Territory of Hawaii, an organized incorporated territory of the United States)
Orange Free State – 1 January 1898 – 31 May 1902^{[Note 59]}
South African Republic – 1 January 1895 – 31 May 1902^{[Note 60]}
Gold Coast – January 1879^[29] – 1957 (became Ghana)
Czechoslovakia From 18 May 1920 – Slovakia and the Czech Republic ratified the treaty after Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1992. Wartime Slovakia (1939–1945) ratified the Universal Postal Treaty and all its protocols on 5/8/1941.^{[citation needed]}
Yugoslavia (country ceased to exist in 1992)
Independent State of Croatia 1941–1945 (country ceased to exist)
Republic of China – 1 March 1914 – 1 October 1949 (politically ceased to exist; confined to Taiwan from 7 December 1949)^{[Note 12]}
Korean Empire – 1 January 1900 – 29 August 1910 (annexed by Japan)
South Vietnam (country ceased to exist in 1975)
East Germany From 1 July 1875^{[Note 61]} (country ceased to exist in 1990)
South Yemen (country ceased to exist in 1990)

Notes

^ Ratified as the Principality of Albania.
^ Ratified as French Algeria.
^ Ratified as Austria-Hungary.
^ Ratified as the Byelorussian SSR.
^ Ratified as the Republic of Dahomey.
^ Ratified as the Empire of Brazil.
^ a b Dependent territory whose membership was grandfathered in by the Constitution.^[3]
^ Ratified as the Tsardom of Bulgaria.
^ Ratified as Upper Volta.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Burundi.
^ Ratified while a French protectorate.
^ a b c 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 switched 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.
^ a b c 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 Ethiopian Empire.
^ Ratified as the German Empire.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Greece.
^ Ratified as Austria-Hungary.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Iceland.
^ Ratified as the Dutch East Indies.
^ Ratified as the Sublime State of Iran.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration.
^ Ratified as the Irish Free State.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Italy.
^ Ratified as the Empire of Japan.
^ Ratified as the Korean Empire.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Laos.
^ Originally joined on 1 October 1921 prior to Soviet occupation^[8]
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Libya.
^ Originally joined on 1 January 1922 prior to Soviet occupation^[8]^[9]
^ Ratified as the Federation of Malaya.
^ Ratified as the Mongolian People's Republic.
^ Ratified while a French protectorate.
^ Ratified as the Union of Burma.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Nepal.
^ 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 Western Samoa.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd.
^ Ratified as the Principality of Serbia. Continued membership as the Yugoslavia 1918–2003.
^ At the time split between the Trust Territory of Somaliland and British Somaliland.
^ Ratified as the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway.
^ Ratified as the Syrian Republic.
^ Ratified as Tanganyika.
^ Ratified as the Kingdom of Siam.
^ Ratified as the Regency of Tunis.
^ 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 State of Vietnam.
^ 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.^[27] 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^[28] 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.
^ a b "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.
^ a b c d e "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".
^ a b c "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. Vol. 1. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 9041117369.
^ "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.
^ "The US is staying in the UPU, but global postal rate changes are coming".
^ "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 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
^ "President signs accession papers to a number of international organizations". Wafa. 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2018-11-17.
^ "UPU issues statement on membership application from State of Palestine". Universal Postal Union. 2019-09-18. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
^ a b c d e f g h i "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.
^ [1] Sovereign Order of Malta — Associate Countries (Postal Agreements)
^ "Postal Power". One Radio Network. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017.
^ Chen, Lung-chu (陳隆志) (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.
^ "Application of Hawaii to enter Postal Union". Trove. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^ du Toit Spies, François Jacobus (1946). 'n Nederlander in diens van die Oranje-Vrystaat (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Swets & Zeitlinger. p. 67. LCCN a47000226. OCLC 13561098.
^ du Toit Spies, François Jacobus (1946). 'n Nederlander in diens van die Oranje-Vrystaat (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Swets & Zeitlinger. p. 66. LCCN a47000226. OCLC 13561098.
^ Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986. ISBN 0-356-10862-7