SOUTH AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA / SUID-AFRIKA.

150th anniversary of the Boer migration (Great Trek).
Map with the Boers' itineraries.
First stamp in a set of 4, issued on 21.11.1988.
Face value: 16 South African cents.
Design: J. van Niekerk.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 29 x 38 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 762.
- Scott No. 758.
- StampWorld No. 801.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 673.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 679.

The Great Trek (Afrikaans: Die Groot Trek) was a Northward migration of Dutch-speaking settlers who traveled by wagon trains from the Cape Colony into the interior of modern South Africa from 1836 onwards, seeking to live beyond the Cape's British colonial administration. The Great Trek resulted from the culmination of tensions between rural descendants of the Cape's original European settlers, known collectively as Boers, and the British Empire. Boers who took part in the Great Trek identified themselves as voortrekkers, meaning "pioneers", "pathfinders" (literally "fore-trekkers") in Dutch and Afrikaans. The migration led directly to the founding of several autonomous Boer republics, namely the South African Republic (also known simply as the Transvaal), the Orange Free State, and the Natalia Republic. It was also responsible for the displacement of the Northern Ndebele people, and was one of several decisive factors influencing the decline and collapse of the Zulu Kingdom. During the Great Trek there were several armed conflicts with the local populations of the territories occupied by the Boers, which caused great massacres. The Great Trek was used by Afrikaner nationalists as a core symbol of a common Afrikaans history. It was used to promote the idea of ​​an Afrikaans nation.

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Thanks to Dragan Buškulić for his contribution (https://worldofstamp2.wordpress.com/).

INDIA

INDIA / भारत.

15th Anniversary of Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
Mount Everest.
Stamp issued on 15.05.1973.
Face value: 20 Indian paisa.
Printed by India Security Press, Nashik.
Printing: Photogravure.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 565.
- Scott No. 581.
- StampWorld No. 568.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 685.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 358.

Mount Everest (in Nepali, सगरमाथा [Sagarmāthā]; in Tibetan, ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ [Chomolungma]; in Chinese, 珠穆朗玛 [Zhūmùlǎngmǎ]), in the Himalayas, 8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft) high above sea level, it is the highest mountain on the earth's surface. It is located on the border between Nepal (on its south face) and Tibel, in China (on its north face). After several attempts, the Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and the New Zelander Edmund Hillary were the first to officially reach the summit, via the southeast ridge, on May 29, 1953. The first ascent up the north ridge was made by the Chinese mountaineering team of Wang Fuzhou, Gonpo and Qu Yinhua on May 25, 1960. The name by which the mountain is universally known, adopted by the Royal Geographical Society in 1865, is that of the British George Everest, who had been General Surveyor of India.

Indian Mountaineering Foundation is an apex national body which organize and support, mountaineering and rock climbing expeditions at high altitudes in the Himalayas. The organization also promote and encourage schemes for related adventure activities and environmental protection work in the Indian Himalayas. IMF was formed in 1957 as the Sponsoring Committee of the Cho Oyu Expedition. The foundation was registered on November 3, 1961.

SPAIN

 SPAIN / ESPAÑA.

Nature.
Duratón River Gorges Natural Park.
First stamp in a set of 2, issued on 10.03.2008.
Face value: 0.31 euros.
Printed by RCM.-FNMT (Real Casa de la Moneda - Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre).
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.
Size: 40.9 x 28.8 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 4428.
- Edifil No. 4397.
- Michel No. 4302.
- Scott No. 3556.
- StampWorld No. 4310.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 4344.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 4007.

The Duratón River Gorges Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Natural de las Hoces del Río Duratón) covers an area of 5,037 hectares (12,450 acres) in the province of Segovia, Community of Castile and León; It extends over land in the municipalities of Sepúlveda, Sebúlcor and Carrascal del Río. It was established on June 27, 1989. The park contains a series of 100 m (330 ft) high gorges that were formed by the Duratón River, a tributary of the Douro. It is home to a population of griffon vultures, along with Egyptian vultures, common kestrels, and peregrine falcons. The park space has been occupied by humans since prehistoric times; The oldest finds are Neolithic ceramics dating from 3000 BC. The gorges were classified as a Special Protection Area, becoming part of the Natura 2000 Network in April 1991 and declared a Site of Community Importance (SCI) in January 1998.

MACAU

MACAU (Portuguese colony).

Inauguration of the Macau-Taipa Bridge.
First stamp in a set of 2, issued on 07.10.1974.
Face value: 20 Macanese avos.
Printed by Lito Nacional, Porto.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- Afinsa-Mundifil No. 435.
- Michel No. 461.
- Scott No. 433.
- StampWorld No. 455.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 525.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 431.

The Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge also known as the Macau-Taipa Bridge (澳氹大橋), is a dual-lane two-way bridge connecting Macau Peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane at the northern slope of Taipa Pequena (Small Taipa Hill). ) crossing the former Praia Grande Bay (Baía da Praia Grande). It is locally known as "The Old Bridge" (Chinese: 舊大橋). The bridge was designed by Edgar Cardoso. Construction started in June 1970. With a length of 2,569.8 m (8,431 ft) and a width of 9.2 m (30 ft), it was open to traffic in October 5,1974. The highest point of the structure reaches 35 m (115 ft) above sea level to allow the passage of ships.

NAMIBIA

NAMIBIA / NAMIBIË.

Minerals.
Rosh Pinah zinc mine.
First stamp in a set of 8, issued on 02.01.1991.
Face value: 35 South African cents.
Design: J. van Niekerk.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 690.
- Scott No. 682.
- StampWorld No. 23.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 560.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 647.

This mine is located near Rosh Pinah in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia, about 20 km (12 mi) north of the Orange River and 50 km (31 mi) east of the Atlantic. It is owned by Trevali Mining Corporation since 2017. German-born Jew Mose Kohan discovered zinc in the nearby Hunz Mountains in 1963. He also coined the name "Rosh Pinah" which is a Hebrew term for "cornerstone". The mine has been in continuous operation since 1969, and it has reserves amounting to 14 million tonnes of ore grading 2% lead and 8% zinc thus resulting 280,000 tonnes of lead and 1.12 million tonnes of zinc. The mine also produces copper, silver and gold as byproducts.

SOVIET UNION

SOVIET UNION / СОЮЗ СОВЕТСКИХ СОЦИАЛИСТИЧЕСКИХ РЕСПУБЛИК.

Soviet Mountain Climbing.
Mount Khan Tengri (now in the Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China border).
First stamp in a set of 3, issued on 28.12.1964.
Face value: 4 Soviet kopeks.
Design: N. Kruglov and E. Aniskin. 
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 4,000,000 copies.
Size: 38 x 40 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 3002.
- Scott No. 2982.
- StampWorld No. 2793.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 3077.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2899.
- Zagorski No. 3055.

Khan Tengri (Kyrgyz: Хан-Теңири; Kazakh: Хан Тәңірі; simplified Chinese: 汗腾格里峰; Uighur: خانتەڭرى) is a mountain of the Tian Shan mountain range. It is on the China—Kyrgyzstan—Kazakhstan tripoint, east of lake Issyk Kul. Its geologic elevation is 6,995 m (22,949 ft), but its glacial icecap rises to 7,010 m (22,999 ft). It is a massive marble pyramid, covered in snow and ice. Peter Semenov was the first European to see the Tian Shan and its peak in 1857. The first ascent of the peak was made in 1931 by Mikhail Pogrebetsky, Boris Tyurin and Franz Sauberer. In the worldview of the ancient peoples of Turkic-Mongolian origin, Tengri is the supreme deity, the organizer of the world, along with the goddess Umai.

TOKELAU

TOKELAU.

Map of Nukunonu Atoll.
Second stamp in a set of 3, issued on 22.06.1948.
Face value: 1 New Zealand penny.
Printing: Recess.
Size: 41 x 25 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 2.
- Scott No. 2.
- StampWorld No. 2.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2.

Tokelau (Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand from January 1, 1948. It is located in the southern Pacific Ocean, and consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo.

Nukunonu (formerly, Nukunono) is the largest atoll within Tokelau. It comprises 30 islets surrounding a central lagoon, with about 5.5 km² (2.1 sq mi) of land area and a lagoon surface area of 109 km² (42 sq mi). The first European vessel known to have come upon Nukunonu was the Royal Navy ship HMS Pandora, in 1791, whose captain, Edward Edwards, named Duke of Clarence Island in honor of Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews, the third son of King George III and later king himself, as William IV. Between 1856 and 1979, the United States claimed that it held sovereignty over the island and the other Tokelauan atolls. In 1979, the U.S. conceded that Tokelau was under New Zealand sovereignty, and a maritime boundary between Tokelau and American Samoa was established by the Treaty of Tokehega. Local administration consists of a Taupulega (Council of Elders), made up of heads of family groups and two elected members. In 2013, some 400 people live on Nukunonu, of which more than 95% belong to the Catholic Church.

ESTONIA

ESTONIA / EESTI.

Estonian lighthouses.
Kõpu lighthouse.
Second stamp in a set of 2, issued on 25.02.2000.
Face value: 3.60 Estonian kroon.
Design: Roman Matkiewicz (b. Tallinn, 27.02.1966).
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 1,014,720 copies.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 393.
- Michel No. 366.
- Scott No. 389.
- StampWorld No. 399.
- Stanley Gibbons No.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 354.

Kõpu Lighthouse (Estonian: Kõpu tuletorn) is located in Mägipe village, northwestern of the island of Hiiumaa. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world, having been in continuous use since its completion in 1531. This lighthouse marks the Hiiu Shoal (Estonian: Hiiu madal, Swedish: Neckmansgrund) and warns ships away from the shoreline. Light from Kõpu Lighthouse can be used for navigation as far as 26 nautical miles (48 km or 30 mi) away. It was previously known by its Swedish name, Övre Dagerort. The lighthouse is built at the top of the highest hillock of Hiiumaa island, Tornimägi (English: Tower Hill, 68 m or 223 ft). The height of the building itself is 37.7 m (124 ft), and the light is 103.6 m (340 ft) above sea level, making it the highest coastal light on the Baltic Sea. Due to deterioration, the lighthouse underwent frequent repairs; major repairs were in completed in 1957 and 1970. During the repairs in years 1978–81 on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the lighthouse, it was covered with a reinforced concrete shell and perchlorovinyl yellow paint. The lantern room of the lighthouse was renovated in 2001 and the tower was last repainted, with whitewash, in 2012.

UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES.

Pre-Columbian America Issue.
Grand Canyon.
Stamp issued on 12.10.1990.
Face value: 25 cents of United States dollar.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 151,000,000 copies.
Size: 40 x 25 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 2111.
- Scott No. 2512.
- StampWorld No. 2246.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2546.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1923.

The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Öngtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:kaʼi:la; Navajo: Bidááʼ Haʼaztʼiʼ Tsékooh; Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi; Spanish: Gran Cañón or Gran Cañón del Colorado) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona. It is 446 km (277 mi) long, up to 29 km (18 mi) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (1,857 m or 6,093 ft). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation. The Grand Canyon is a river valley in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata. Between 100,000 and 3 million years ago, volcanic activity deposited ash and lava over the area which at times completely obstructed the river. These volcanic rocks are the youngest in the canyon. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540. James Ohio Pattie, along with a group of American trappers and mountain men, may have been the next European to reach the canyon, in 1826.

NEW CALEDONIA

NEW CALEDONIA / NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE - KANAKY.

Definitive stamps.
Towers of Notre Dame.
Third stamp in a set of 9, issued on 01.03.1948.
Face value: 10 CFP francs.
Design: Jules Douy.
Printed by Hélio-Vaugirard, Paris.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 40 x 25 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 341.
- Scott No. 291.
- StampWorld No. 341.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 321.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 274.

The Towers of Notre Dame (French: Les Tours de Notre-Dame; Puxa in the Fwâi language) is an islet of black calcareous stone located at the mouth of the Hienghène River, on the northeastern coast of New Caledonia, very close to the town of Hienghène . The islet is also known as Poule couveuse de Hienghène (“Hienghène Broody Hen”) because of its shape when seen from the south. It is a taboo place for the inhabitants of the area (it is forbidden to access it) and a famous tourist attraction.

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Thanks to Dragan Buškulić for his contribution (https://worldofstamp2.wordpress.com/).

JAMAICA

JAMAICA.

Old Iron Bridge in Spanish Town.
First stamp in a set of 5, issued on 02.10.1972.
Face value: 15 cents of Jamaican dollar.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 31 x 38 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 358.
- Scott No. 352.
- StampWorld No. 361.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 353.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 362.

Spanish Town (Jamaican Creole: Panish Tong) is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the historic county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the Spanish and British capital of Jamaica from 1534 until 1872. The cast-iron bridge, spanning the Rio Cobre, was designed by Thomas Wilson and manufactured by Walker and Company of Rotherham, England. It was erected in 1801. It is the earliest iron bridge in the Americas. The bridge was in use until the year 2000, when it was closed to traffic due to its deterioration due to lack of maintenance. It was restored between 2004 and 2010.

BRITISH EAST AFRICA

BRITISH EAST AFRICA (Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika).

Royal Visit, King George VI.
Lake Naivasha.
First stamp in a set of 2, issued on 01.02.1952.
Face value: 10 East African cents.
Printing: Recess.
Size: 34 x 27 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 88.
- Scott No. 98.
- StampWorld No. 58.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 163.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 81.

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake in Kenya, outside the town of Naivasha in Nakuru County, which lies north west of Nairobi. It is part of the Great Rift Valley. The name derives from the local Maasai name Nai'posha, meaning "rough water" because of the sudden storms which can arise. It is located at an altitude of 1,884 m (6,181 ft), has an area of 139 km² (54 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 30 m (98 ft). The lake is fed by various streams and by the Malewa and Gilgil rivers. Between 1937 and 1950, the lake was used as a landing place for flying boats on the Imperial Airways passenger and mail route from Southampton in Britain to South Africa. In 1999, the Lake Naivasha Riparian Association received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award. Floriculture forms the main industry around the lake; Fishing in the lake is also another source of employment and income for the local population.

GREECE

GREECE / ЕΛΛΑΣ.

Tourism.
Astypalaia Island.
Seventh stamp in a set of 10, issued on 27.12.2004.
Face value: 1 euro.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 600,000 copies.
Size: 56 x 21 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 2285.
- Karamitsos No. 2342.
- Michel No. 2269A.
- Scott No. 2171.
- StampWorld No. 2251.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2317A.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2247 (A).

Astypalaia (Greek: Αστυπάλαια), is a Greek island belonging to the Kalymnos regional unit, in the Dodecanese, in the southeastern Aegean Sea. The island is 18 km (11 mi) long, 13 km (8 mi) wide at the most, and covers an area of 97 km², along with numerous smaller uninhabited offshore islets. In 2011, its population was 1,334 inhabitants. The capital and the previous main harbor of the island is Astypalaia or Chora, as it is called by the locals. The island has a small airport close to Maltezana. Astypalaia was believed to be named after Astypalaea, an ancient Greek mythological figure.

COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA.

Tourism.
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Airmail. Second stamp in a set of 3, issued on 01.12.1993.
460 Colombian pesos.
Design: Dieter Bortfeldt (1940-2014).
Printed by Carvajal, S.A., Cali.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 600,000 copies.
Size: 40 x 50 mm.

Catalogs
- Leo Temprano No. 1940.
- Michel No. 1927.
- Scott No. 1086b.
- StampWorld No. 1909.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1994.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA879.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (English: Snow-Covered Mountain Range of Saint Martha) is an isolated mountain range that extends between the departments of Magdalena, Cesar and La Guajira in northern Colombia, separate from the Andes range. Its summits, of the same height (5,730 m or 18,800 ft) are Pico Cristóbal Colón and Pico Simón Bolívar. It is integrated into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta), established in 1964. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to the remnants of the Native American Tairona Culture; Arhuacos, Koguis, Wiwas and Kankuamos, who live in Resguardos indígenas (indigenous reserves) located in the mid-highlands.

SYRIA

SYRIA / سُورِيَة

Definitive stamps.
Daphne Bridge.
Fouth stamp in a set of 7, issued in 03.1925.
Face value: 3 Syrian piastre.
Design: Joseph de La Nézière (1873-1944).
Printed by Imprimerie de Hélio-Vaugirard, Paris.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 40 x 24 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 272.
- Scott No. 182.
- StampWorld No. 181.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 184.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 163.

It is a bridge represented by the French orientalist painter Joseph de La Nézière (1873-1944), located in the town of Daphne, on the banks of the Orontes River, near the city of Antioch (Antakya), currently belonging to Turkey. Today’s city stands partly on the site of the ancient Antiochia, also known as Antioch on the Orontes or Syrian Antioch.

CAPE VERDE

CAPE VERDE / CABO VERDE - KABU VERDI (Portuguese colony).

Portuguese sailors.
Portuguese nautical chart from around 1471.
First stamp in a set of 10, issued on 09.05.1952.
Face value: 5 Portuguese centavos.
Design: Rui Preto Pacheco (1922-1989).
Engraved and printed by Litografía Nacional, Porto.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 3,500,000 copies.
Size: 41 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- Afinsa-Mundifil No. 266.
- Michel No. 280.
- Scott No. 277.
- StampWorld No. 275.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 346.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 269.

The Cape Verde archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Senegal, is made up of ten volcanic islands and has a land area of 4,033 km² (1,557 sq mi). It was uninhabited until the 15th century, when Portuguese explorers discovered and colonized it: The first Portuguese settlers landed in 1462 on what is now Santiago Island, and founded the oldest European city in the tropics: Ribeira Grande (today Cidade Velha). The archipelago was a Portuguese colony until its independence, declared on January 20, 1973 (and recognized by Portugal on July 5, 1975). It was a major slave trading center until 1876, when slavery was abolished.

GHANA

GHANA.

Volta River.
Fouth stamp in a set of 13, issued on 05.10.1959.
Face value: 2 Ghanaian penny.
Design: Ghana Information Bureau.
Engraved and printed by Harrinson & Sons Ltd, London.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 41 x 31 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 51.
- Scott No. 51.
- StampWorld No. 51.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 216.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 44.

The Volta River is the main river system in Ghana. It flows into Ghana from Bobo-Dioulasso highlands of Burkina Faso. The main parts of the river are the Black Volta, the White Volta, and the Red Volta. In the northwest, the Black Volta forms the international borders between the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. The Volta flows southward along Akwapim-Togo highlands, and it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at the Gulf of Guinea at Ada Foah. It has a smaller tributary river, the Oti, which enters Ghana from Togo in the east. The Volta River has been dammed at Akosombo for the purpose of generating hydroelectricity. The reservoir named Lake Volta stretches from Akosombo Dam in the south to the northern part of the country, and is the largest man-made reservoir by area in the world. The river has a length of about 1,500 km (930 mi). Volta, meaning twist or turn, was named by the Portuguese gold traders.

ESTONIA

ESTONIA / EESTI.

Suur Munamägi Hill and Tower.
Stamp issued on 17.07.1999.
Face value: 5.20 Estonian kroon.
Design: Jaan Saar.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 506,450 copies.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 375.
- Michel No. 348.
- Scott No. 365.
- StampWorld No. 381.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 336.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 339.

Suur Munamägi ("Great Egg Mountain") is the highest peak in Estonia (and the Baltic states), reaching 318 m (1,043 ft) above sea level. It is located near the village of Haanja, in Võru County in the south-eastern corner of Estonia, close to the borders of both Latvia and Russia. The landscape around the peak (the Haanja Upland) is gently hilly. On the top of the hill is the Suure Munamäe vaatetorn (“Suur Munamägi Tower”), opened on July 19, 1925 and rebuilt of ferrocement in 1939 with a height of 25.7 m (84 ft). During the Second World War it was not seriously harmed and the repair was made in 1955. In 1969 an additional floor was built at the top of the tower and the staircase was modified. The tower was now 29.1 m (95 ft) high. The view from the height of 346.7 m (1,137 ft) is 50 km (31 mi) in radius. A renovation project of the tower was started in 1998 by Haanja parish, and on July 24, 2005 the renovated observation tower of Suur Munamägi was festively opened. Previously there were other smaller towers in the same place, built in 1812 and 1870.

JAPAN

JAPAN / 日本

100th Anniversary of National Weather Forecasts.
Map of Japan and satellite Himawari.
Stamp issued on 01.06.1984.
Face value: 60 Japanese yen.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 30,000,000 copies.
Size: 28 x 37 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1588.
- Sakura No. C988.
- Scott No. 1564.
- StampWorld No. 1578.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1741.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1489.

The first meteorological predictions in Japan were made in 1884, and on July 1, 1956 the Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁) was created, based in Minato (Tokyo), charged with gathering and providing results for the public that are obtained from data based on daily scientific observation and research into natural phenomena in the fields of meteorology, hydrology, seismology and volcanology, among other related scientific fields. On July 14, 1977, the first Geostationary Meteorological Satellite of the Himawari series (ひまわり), which is the one depicted on the stamp, was launched into orbit.

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Thanks to Dragan Buškulić for his contribution (https://worldofstamp2.wordpress.com/).

LITHUANIA

LITHUANIA / LIETUVA.

Tribute to Lithuanian aviation pioneers Darius and Girėnas.
Flight of the Lituanica plane over the Atlantic.
Airmail. Second stamp in a set of 6, issued on 18.05.1934.
Face value: 40 Lithuanian centas.
Printing: Recess.
Print: 2,500,000 copies.
Size: 38.5 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 386.
- Michel No. 386.
- Scott No. C80.
- StampWorld No. 390.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 390.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA85. 

Lituanica was a Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane flown from the United States across the Atlantic Ocean by Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas in 1933. After successfully flying 6,411 km (4,043 mi) from New York, it crashed near present-day Myślibórz (Poland, then on German territory) on July 17, 1933, due to undetermined circumstances, 650 km (404 mi) from its destination, Kaunas, Lithuania. The planned route was: New York – Newfoundland – Atlantic Ocean – Ireland – London – Amsterdam – Swinemünde – Königsberg – Kaunas airport (a total of 7,186 km). Due to weather conditions over Ireland, they veered to the north and reached Germany via Scotland and the North Sea.

ITALY

ITALY / ITALIA.

National Parks.
Stelvio National Park and Red Deer Stag (Cervus elaphus).
Third stamp in a set of 4, issued on 22.04.1967.
Face value: 90 Italian lire.
Design: Corrado Mancioli (1904-1968).
Printed by I.P.S. (Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato), Officina Carte e Valori, Roma.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 12,000,000 copies.
Size: 40 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No.
- Michel No. 1228.
- Sassone No. 1062.
- Scott No. 955.
- StampWorld No. 1204.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1179.
- Unificato No. 1042.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 966.

Stelvio National Park (Italian: Parco nazionale dello Stelvio; German: Nationalpark Stilfser Joch), established in 1935, is located in northeast Italy, and covers part of the regions Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Lombardy, in 24 municipalities. It has borders with the Swiss National Park, Adamello Brenta Natural Park, and Adamello Regional Park; Together, these parks comprise 400,000 hectares (1,500 sq mi) of protected natural environment in the heart of the Alps. The park includes an extensive territory of valleys and high mountains, ranging from 650 m (2,130 ft) to 3,905 m (12,812 ft) in height. In its territory there are large forests, agricultural areas, mountain farms, farmhouses and inhabited towns. In the Park you can find deer, chamois, roe deer, mountain goats, marmots, foxes, stoats, squirrels, hares, badgers and weasels, among other animals.

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Thanks to Fadda Giuseppe for his contribution.

SOUTH KOREA

SOUTH KOREA /  대한민국

Seoraksan.
First stamp in a set of 2, issued on 10.04.1980.
Face value: 15 South Korean won.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 26 x 23 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1192.
- Scott No. 1219.
- StampWorld No. 1186.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1368.

Seoraksan (Korean: 설악산 or 雪嶽山) is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range in the Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea, and is known for its extraordinarily steep rocky landscape. It is located in the Seoraksan National Park, established in March 1970 near the city of Sokcho. In August 1982 it was designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The mountain reaches 1,708 m (5,603 ft). Seoraksan is divided into Naeseorak (‘Inner Seorak’), Oaeseorak (‘Outer Seorak’), and Namseorak (‘South Seorak’).

NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND / AOTEAROA.

Landscapes.
Mount Cook.
First stamp in a set of 9, issued on 27.03.1996.
Face value: 5 cents of New Zealand dollar.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 35 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1502.
- Scott No. 1345.
- StampWorld No. 1545.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1925.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1440.

Mount Cook (Māori: Aoraki) is the highest mountain in New Zealand. Its height, as of 2014, is listed as 3,724 m (12,218 ft). It sits in the Southern Alps, the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. It consists of three summits: from south to north, the Low Peak (3,593 m or 11,788 ft), the Middle Peak (3,717 m or 12,195 ft) and the High Peak. The summits lie slightly south and east of the main divide of the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, with the Tasman Glacier to the east and the Hooker Glacier to the southwest. The mountain is in the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, established in 1953 in the Canterbury Region. The park contains more than 140 peaks standing over 2,000 m (6,600 ft) and 72 named glaciers, which cover 40 percent of its 700 km² (170,000 acres). The first known ascent was on December 25, 1894, when New Zealanders Tom Fyfe, John Michael (Jack) Clarke and George Graham reached the summit via the Hooker Valley and the north ridge.

FRANCE

FRANCE.

Tourism.
Canal de l'Ourcq.
Stamp issued on 30.05.1992.
Face value: 4 French francs.
Engraving: Pierre Béquet (1932-2012).
Printing: Recess.
Print: 6,647,681 copies.
Size: 40 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 3002.
- Michel No. 2901.
- Scott No. 2290.
- StampWorld No. 2893.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 3079.
- Unificato No. 3002.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2764.

The Canal de l'Ourcq in the Île-de-France region (greater Paris) with 10 locks. It has a length of 108.1 km (67.2 mi). It was built at a width of 3.20 m (10.5 ft) but was enlarged to 3.7 m (12 ft), which permitted use by more pleasure boats. The canal begins at Port-aux-Perches near the village of Troësnes, where it splits from the channeled river Ourcq, and flows to the Bassin de la Villette, where it joins the Canal Saint-Martin, and it represents one of the elements of the Parisian Canal Network (Réseau des Canaux Parisiens), a public-works authority operated by the city. Its construction began in 1805 under the direction of Édouard de Villiers du Terrage, it was filled with water on December 2, 1808 and was crossed by the first boat on August 15, 1813. In 1893 a canal inclined plane was constructed on the channel, near Meaux. In 1895 construction began to widen the canal in order for it to accommodate 1,000 tonne vessels. In 1920 this widening was extended to Les Pavillons-sous-Bois. Today the canal provides approximately half of the 380,000 m³ (500,000 cu yd) daily water requirement for the city's public works.

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Thanks to Daniel Mathieu for his contribution (http://lettresdumonde.blogspot.com/)

VENEZUELA

VENEZUELA.

Opening of General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge in Lake Maracaibo.
Second stamp in a set of 3, issued on 24.08.1963.
Face value: 0.35 Venezuelan bolívares.
Printed by De La Rue & Co. Ltd., Basingstoke (England).
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 300,000 copies.
Size: 30 x 40.5 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1505.
- Scott No. 838.
- StampWorld No. 1525.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1790.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 680.

The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge, also locally called the Bridge over the Lake, crosses the narrowest part (the Tablazo Strait) of Lake Maracaibo, in the State of Zulia, in northwestern Venezuela, and connects the city of Maracaibo with the rest from the country. Designed by the Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi and later modified by the Puente Maracaibo Consortium (Consorcio Puente Maracaibo, CPM), it was built in reinforced and prestressed concrete between 1957 and 1963. It has 134 pillars, a length of 8,678 m (28,471 ft) and a width of 17.40 m (57 ft). It was officially inaugurated and opened to traffic on August 24, 1962. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was renovated and illuminated in its six main pillars, using 96 600 W luminaires that can change color. The bridge is named after General Rafael Urdaneta, a Venezuelan hero of Independence who was born in Maracaibo.

DENMARK

DENMARK / DANMARK.

Danish Tourist Association.
Sorø from Sorø Lake. 
First stamp in a set of 5, issued on 18.06.1981.
Face value: 100 Danish øre.
Design: Alan Havsteen-Mikkelsen (1938-2002) and Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen (1912-1999).
Engraved by Czesław Słania (1921-2005).
Printing: Recess.
Print: 7,125,000 copies.
Size: 31 x 24 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 730.
- Michel No. 733.
- Scott No. 682.
- StampWorld No. 736.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 704.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 735.

Sorø is a town, capital of Region Zealand (Danish: Sjælland) on the island of Zealand in east Denmark. The population in 2022 was 7,999. It is located in an area with forests, on the shores of Sorø Lake. The name comes from Sor Ø ('Sor Island'), as the original Benedictine abbey, founded in 1142, was located in the middle of a marshy, lacustrine terrain.

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Thanks to Dragan Buškulić for his contribution (https://worldofstamp2.wordpress.com/).

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA.

National Parks.
Mount Field National Park, Tasmania.
Last stamp in a set of 7, issued on 09.04.1979.
Face value: 20 cents of Australian dollar.
Design: Max Robinson (1934-2018).
Printed by Asher and Co., Melbourne.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 27 x 38 mm.

Catalogs
- Brusden-White No. 843.
- Michel No. 679.
- Scott No. 706.
- Seven Seas Stamps No. 730.
- StampWorld No. 678.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 714.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 661.

Mount Field National Park is located in Tasmania, 64 km (40 mi) northwest of Hobart. The landscape ranges from eucalyptus temperate rainforest to alpine moorland, rising to 1,434 m (4,705 ft) at the summit of Mount Field West. The Park was established in 1916. Its area is 162.65 km2 (62.8 sq mi). The area around Russell Falls (pictured in the stamp) has been protected for its natural beauty since 1885, when it was set aside as Tasmania’s first nature reserve. The Park was named for Judge Barron Field, who visited Tasmania as an itinerant judge in 1819 and 1821.

POLAND

POLAND / POLSKA.

Centenary of the Treaty of Riga.
Map of Poland after the Treaty of Riga.
Stamp issued on 18.03.2021.
Face value: 3.30 Polish złotych.
Design: Jan Konarzewski.
Printed by PWPW (Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych), Warszawa.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 168,000 copies.
Size: 43 x 31.25 mm.

Catalogs
- Fischer No. 5131.
- Michel No. 5281.
- Scott No. 4534.
- StampWorld No. 5286.
- Unificato No. 5281.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 4839.

The Treaty of Riga (Polish: Traktat Ryski) or Peace of Riga, was signed in Riga on March 18, 1921, among Poland, Soviet Russia (acting also on behalf of Soviet Belarus) and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish–Soviet War. The new borders established by the treaty remained in force until World War II. They were later redrawn during the Tehran Conference, Yalta Conference and Potsdam Conference. Peace talks began in Minsk on August 17, 1920, but as the Polish counter-offensive drew near, the talks were moved to Riga, and resumed on September 21. The Soviets proposed two solutions, the first on September 21 and the second on September 28. The Polish delegation made a counter-offer on October 2. Three days later the Soviets offered amendments to the Polish offer, which Poland accepted. An armistice was signed on October 12 and went into effect on October 18, 1920. The Treaty consisted of 26 articles. Poland was to receive monetary compensation (30 million rubles in gold) for its economic input into the Russian Empire during the Partitions of Poland. Under Article 14 Poland was also to receive railway materials (locomotives, rolling stock, etc.) with a value of 29 million gold roubles. Russia was to surrender works of art and other Polish national treasures acquired from Polish territories after 1772.

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Thanks to Krystyna Betiuk for his contribution (https://pocztowkowezbiory.blogspot.com/)