Universal Postal Union
From Free net encyclopedia
The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. Each member country agrees to the same set of terms for conducting international postal duties.
Prior to the establishment of the UPU, a country had to conclude a separate postal treaty with each other country that it wished to carry international mail to or from. The United States called for an international postal congress, which was held in 1863. This led Heinrich von Stephan, Prussian Minister for Posts, to found the Universal Postal Union, the second oldest international organization (after the ITU). It was created in 1874, under the name "General Postal Union", as a result of the Treaty of Berne signed on 9 October 1874. In 1878 the name was changed to "Universal Postal Union".
The UPU established that (1) there should be a more or less uniform flat rate to mail a letter anywhere in the world; (2) postal authorities should give equal treatment to foreign and domestic mail; and (3) each country should retain all monies it collected for international postage.
One of the most important results of the UPU treaty was that it ceased to be necessary, as it often had been previously, to affix the stamps of any country through which one's letter or package would pass in transit; the UPU provides that stamps of member nations are accepted for the whole international route.
After the foundation of the United Nations, the UPU became its specialized agency.
In 1969 the UPU introduced a new system of payment by which fees were payable between countries according to the difference in the total weight of mail between the respective countries. These fees were called terminal dues. As this affected the cost of the delivery of periodicals, the UPU devised a new "threshold" system, which was implemented in 1991.
The system sets separate letter and periodical rates for countries which receive at least 150 tonnes of mail annually. For countries with less mail, the original flat rate has been maintained. The United States has negotiated a separate terminal dues formula with thirteen European countries that includes a rate per piece plus a rate per kilogram, and has a similar arrangement with Canada.
The UPU also operates the system of International Reply Coupons.
Member countries
The United Nations member states may all become member countries of the UPU. The 191 United Nations member states are all UPU member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau whose situation with regard to the UPU has not yet been settled. A non-member state of the United Nations may also become a UPU member if two-thirds of the UPU member countries approve its request. Vatican City is a UPU member country and a non-member state observer of the United Nations (as the Holy See).
The UPU has 190 member countries since Timor-Leste joined on 28 November 2003, including the Dutch territories of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba as a single UPU member, and the British overseas territories, which are not independent states.
The Republic of China joined the UPU on 1 March 1914. After the People's Republic of China was founded, the Republic of China continued to represent China in the UPU, until the UPU decided on 13 April 1972 to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate Chinese representative, though mail addressed to Taiwan will still be delivered there. Various other non-recognized countries such as Somaliland, Sealand and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries (Sealand's mail goes via the UK, TRNC's mail via Turkey, and Somaliland's mail via Ethiopia).
The members are listed below by alphabetical order in their short-form English names, with the date of entering the UPU. Territories covered by a sovereign member country are included under that country.
| Contents: | Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|---|
A
- Template:AFG - April 1, 1928
- Template:ALB - March 1, 1922
- Template:DZA - October 1, 1907
- Template:AGO - March 3, 1977
- Template:ATG - January 20, 1994
- Template:ARG - April 1, 1878
- Template:ARM - October 14, 1992
- Template:AUS - October 1, 1907
- Template:AUT - July 1, 1875
- Template:AZE - April 1, 1993
B
- Template:BHS - April 24, 1974
- Template:BHR - December 21, 1973
- Template:BGD - February 7, 1973
- Template:BRB - November 11, 1967
- Template:BLR - May 13, 1947
- Template:BEL - July 1, 1875
- Template:BLZ - October 1, 1982
- Template:BEN - April 27, 1961
- Template:BTN - March 7, 1969
- Template:BOL - April 1, 1886
- Template:BIH - July 1, 1892, January 26, 1993
- Template:BWA - January 12, 1968
- Template:BRA - July 1, 1877
- Template:BRU - January 15, 1985
- Template:BGR - July 1, 1879
- Template:BFA - March 29, 1963
- Template:BDI - April 6, 1963
C
- Template:KHM - December 21, 1951
- Template:CMR - July 26, 1960
- Template:CAN - July 1, 1878
- Template:CPV - September 30, 1976
- Template:CAF - June 28, 1961
- Template:TCD - June 23, 1961
- Template:CHL - April 1, 1881
- Template:ROC - March 1, 1914
- Template:PRC - The UPU recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the only legitimate representative of China April 13, 1972.
- Template:COL - July 1, 1881
- Template:COM - July 29, 1976
- Template:COD - January 1, 1886
- Template:COG - July 5, 1961
- Template:CRI - January 1, 1883
- Template:CIV - May 23, 1961
- Template:HRV - July 20, 1992
- Template:CUB - October 4, 1902
- Template:CYP - November 23, 1961
- Czechoslovakia - May 18, 1920
- Template:CZE - March 18, 1993
D
- Template:DNK - July 1, 1875
- Template:DJI - June 6, 1978
- Template:DMA - January 31, 1980
- Template:DOM - October 1, 1880
E
- Template:ECU - July 1, 1880
- Template:EGY - July 1, 1875
- Template:SLV - April 1, 1879
- Template:GNQ - July 24, 1970
- Template:ERI - August 19, 1993
- Template:EST - July 7, 1922, April 30, 1992
- Template:ETH - November 1, 1908
F
- Template:FJI - June 18, 1971
- Template:FIN - February 12, 1918
- Template:FRA - January 1, 1876
- French Overseas Departments
- Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution
G
- Template:GAB - July 17, 1961
- Template:GMB - October 9, 1974
- Template:GEO - April 1, 1993
- Template:DEU - July 1, 1875
- Template:GHA - October 10, 1957
- Template:GRC - July 1, 1875
- Template:GRD - January 30, 1978
- Template:GTM - August 1, 1881
- Template:GIN - May 6, 1959
- Template:GNB - May 30, 1974
- Template:GUY - March 22, 1967
H
- Template:HTI - July 1, 1881
- Template:HND - April 1, 1879
- Template:HUN - July 1, 1875
I
- Template:ISL - November 15, 1919
- Template:IND - July 1, 1876
- Template:IDN - May 1, 1877
- Template:IRN - September 1, 1877
- Template:IRQ - April 22, 1929
- Template:IRL - September 6, 1923
- Template:ISR - December 24, 1949
- Template:ITA - July 1, 1875
J
K
- Template:KAZ - August 27, 1992
- Template:KEN - October 27, 1964
- Template:KIR - August 14, 1984
- Template:PRK - June 6, 1974
- Template:KOR - January 1, 1900
- Template:KWT - February 16, 1960
- Template:KGZ - January 26, 1993
L
- Template:LAO - May 20, 1952
- Template:LVA - October 1, 1921, June 17, 1992
- Template:LBN - May 12, 1931, May 15, 1946
- Template:LSO - September 6, 1967
- Template:LBR - April 1, 1879
- Template:LBY - June 4, 1952
- Template:LIE - April 13, 1962
- Template:LTU - January 1, 1922, January 10, 1992
- Template:LUX - July 1, 1875
M
- Template:MKD - July 12, 1993
- Template:MDG - November 2, 1961
- Template:MWI - October 25, 1966
- Template:MYS - January 17, 1958
- Template:MDV - August 15, 1967
- Template:MLI - April 21, 1961
- Template:MLT - May 21, 1965
- Template:MRT - March 22, 1967
- Template:MUS - August 29, 1969
- Template:MEX - April 1, 1879
- Template:MDA - November 16, 1992
- Template:MCO - October 12, 1955
- Template:MNG - August 24, 1963
- Template:MAR - October 1, 1920
- Template:MOZ - October 11, 1978
- Template:MMR - October 4, 1949
N
- Template:NAM - April 30, 1992
- Template:NRU - April 17, 1969
- Template:NPL - October 11, 1956
- Template:NLD - July 1, 1875
- Netherlands Antilles and Aruba - July 1, 1875 (as a separate UPU member from the main European part of the Netherlands)
- Template:NZL - October 1, 1907
- Template:NIC - May 1, 1882
- Template:NER - June 12, 1961
- Template:NGA - July 10, 1961
- Template:NOR - July 1, 1875
O
- Template:OMN - August 17, 1971
- Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - April 1, 1877
- Anguilla
- Ascension
- Bermuda
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno (Islands)
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- St Helena
- St Helena (dependencies) (Islands)
- Tristan da Cunha
- Turks and Caicos Islands
P
- Template:PAK - November 10, 1947
- Template:PAN - June 11, 1904
- Template:PNG - June 4, 1976
- Template:PRY - July 1, 1881
- Template:PER - April 1, 1879
- Template:PHL - January 1, 1922
- Template:POL - May 1, 1919
- Template:PRT - July 1, 1875
Q
R
- Template:ROU - July 1, 1875
- Template:RUS - July 1, 1875
- Template:RWA - April 6, 1963
S
- Template:KNA - January 11, 1988
- Template:LCA - July 10, 1980
- Template:VCT - February 3, 1981
- Template:WSM - August 9, 1989
- Template:SMR - July 1, 1915
- Template:STP - August 22, 1977
- Template:SAU - January 1, 1927
- Template:SEN - June 14, 1961
- Template:SCG - July 1, 1875, December 24, 1921, June 18, 2001
- Template:SYC - October 7, 1977
- Template:SLE - January 29, 1962
- Template:SGP - January 8, 1966
- Template:SVK - May 18, 1920, March 18, 1993
- Template:SVN - December 24, 1921, August 27, 1992
- Template:SLB - May 4, 1984
- Template:SOM - April 1, 1959
- Template:ZAF - January 1, 1893, August 22, 1994
- Template:ESP - July 1, 1875
- Template:LKA - July 13, 1949
- Template:SDN - July 28, 1956
- Template:SUR - May 1, 1877, April 20, 1976
- Template:SWZ - November 7, 1969
- Template:SWE - July 1, 1875
- Template:CHE - July 1, 1875
- Template:SYR - May 12, 1931, May 15, 1946
T
- Template:TJK - June 9, 1994
- Template:TZA - March 29, 1963
- Template:THA - July 1, 1885
- Template:TLS - November 28, 2003
- Template:TGO - March 21, 1962
- Template:TON - January 26, 1972
- Template:TTO - June 15, 1963
- Template:TUN - July 1, 1888
- Template:TUR - July 1, 1875
- Template:TKM - January 26, 1993
- Template:TUV - February 3, 1981
U
- Template:UGA - February 13, 1964
- Template:UKR - May 13, 1947
- Template:ARE - March 30, 1973
- Template:UK - July 1, 1875
- Template:USA - July 1, 1875
- Territories coming within the UPU's jurisdiction by virtue of article 23 of the UPU Constitution
- Template:URY - July 1, 1880
- Template:UZB - February 24, 1994
V
- Template:VUT - July 16, 1982
- Template:VAT - June 1, 1929
- Template:VEN - January 1, 1880
- Template:VNM - October 20, 1951
Y
Z
External links
es:Unión Postal Universal fr:Union postale universelle it:Unione Postale Internazionale lb:Weltpostveräin nl:Wereldpostunie ja:万国郵便連合 pl:Powszechny Związek Pocztowy pt:União Postal Universal sr:Светски поштански савез sv:Universal Postal Union th:สหภาพสากลไปรษณีย์ tr:Dünya Posta Birliği zh:萬國郵政聯盟