31/08/2022

THAILAND

THAILAND / ประเทศ

Water Falls.
Siriphum Falls.
Last stamp in a set of 4, issued on 01.07.1980.
Face value: 6 Thai baht.
Printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd.
Printing: Offet lithography.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.
Size: 48 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 945.
- Scott No. 921.
- StampWorld No. 979.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1027.
- Thai Stamp Catalogue No. 1027.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 920.

Siriphum Falls (Thai: น้ำตกสิริภูมิ) are located in Chiang Mai Province (northern Thailand), within the Doi Inthanon National Park. Siriphum is a combination of the names of Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol. It was originally called Lao Lu. The water falls from a height of approximately 100 m (330 ft).

30/08/2022

CHAD


CHAD / TCHAD.

Chagoua Bridge over the Chari River, and hippopotamus.
Sixth stamp in a set of 13, issued in 1961.
Face value: 5 Central African CFA francs.
Printing: Typography.
Size: 41 x 25 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 74.
- Scott No. 75.
- StampWorld No. 75.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 74.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 71.

The Chagoua Bridge crosses the Chari River south of the city of N'Djamena, the capital of Chad. Construction of the bridge began in the late 1950s when Chad was still a French colony and was completed and opened in 1959. It is approximately 550 m (1,800 ft), of which 300 m (984 ft) is over the river. It is a single-lane girder bridge, and the road that leads to the border with Cameroon passes through it. It is currently very deteriorated, and is used mostly by pedestrians.

29/08/2022

LAOS


LAOS / ລາວ

25th Anniversary of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East.
Nam Ngum Dam.
Second stamp in a set of 3, issued on 15.03.1972.
Face value: 80 Lao kip.
Design: Anoulom Souvandouane (b. 1948).
Engraving: Claude Jumelet (b. 1946).
Printed by Imprimerie des timbres-poste, Périgueux.
Printing: Recess.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 335.
- Scott No. 229.
- StampWorld No. 335.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 347.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 246.

The Nam Ngum (Laotian: ນໍ້າງືມ) Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Nam Ngum River, a major tributary of the Mekong River in Laos. It is located about 75 km (46.6 mi) north of Vientiane. The dam was constructed in three stages, beginning in with stage I in 1968 and ending with the completion of stage III in 1984. The stage I was opened in 1971. The dam has a capacity of 155 MW and generates most of Laos' electricity, including all the power used in the capital, Vientiane; Additionally 70–80 percent of electricity created by the dam is exported to Thailand. The dam, which is also used for flood control, irrigation, is 468 m (1,535 ft) long and 70 m (230 ft) high. The reservoir formed by the dam has an area of 370 km2 (140 sq mi).

The United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ESCAP) was establshed in March 28, 1947 to assist in post-war economic reconstruction, and is currently headquartered in Bangkok (Thailand). It is composed of 53 Member States and nine Associate members, mostly from the Asia and Pacific regions. In addition to countries in Asia and the Pacific, the commission's members include France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. On August 1, 1974, the commission was renamed to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

28/08/2022

BULGARIA


BULGARIA / БЪЛГАРИЯ.

Landscapes.
Malyovitsa Peak.
Third stamp in a set of 6, issued on 26.10.1964.
Vace value: 3 Bulgarian stotinski.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 6,000,000 copies.
Size: 22 x 32 cm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1472.
- Scott No. 1374.
- StampWorld No. 1484.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1483.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1287.

Malyovitsa (Bulgarian: Мальовица) is a peak in the northwestern part of the Rila Mountain in southwestern Bulgaria. It is 2,729 m (8,953 ft) high. The Malyovitsa region is the cradle of Bulgarian rock climbing and mountaineering. The imposant north wall of the summit was first climbed in August 23, 1938 by Konstantin Savadzhiev and Georgi Stoimenov.

27/08/2022

AUSTRIA


AUSTRIA / ÖSTERREICH.

Myra Falls, Lower Austria.
Stamp issued on 07.12.1977.
Face value: 20 Austrian schilling.
Design: Otto Zeiller (1913-1988).
Engraving: Werner Pfeiler (b. 1941).
Printing: Photogravure and recess.
Size: 28 x 33 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 1459.
- ANK No. 1600.
- Michel No. 1565.
- Scott No. 975.
- StampWorld No. 1610.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1688d.
- Unificato No. 1381.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1381.

The Myra Falls (German: Myrafälle) are located in a ravine in the municipality of Muggendorf in the Lower Austria state. The ravine has been cut by the Myra, a small tributary of the Piesting. In 1912 Oskar von Rosthorn built a small pumped-storage power station at the Myra Falls, that was in operation until 1974/1975. The actual ravine with the falls is about 600 m (2,000 ft) long; The gorge runs from north to south and is protected as a natural monument. The subsoil of the gorge is limestone. The Myra falls in several cascades through the gorge. At the upper and lower end the water is impounded into a small pond.

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

26/08/2022

UNITED STATES


UNITED STATES.

50 Years New Mexico Statehood.
Shiprock.
Stamp issued on 06.01.1962.
Face value: 4 cents of United States dollar.
Printing: Recess.
Print: 113,000,000 copies.
Size: 39 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 820.
- Scott No. 1191.
- StampWorld No. 991.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1190.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 723.

Shiprock (Navajo: Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "winged rock") is a monadnock (volcanic breccia and minette) aged 27 million years, rising nearly 482.5 m (1,583 ft) above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico. Its peak elevation is 2,187.5 m (7,177 ft) above sea level. It is about 17.30 km (10.75 mi) southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak. The formation is in the Four Corners region and plays a significant role in Navajo religion, myth, and tradition. It is located in the center of the area occupied by the Ancient Pueblo People. In 1975, Shiprock was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. The first ascent was in 1939, by a Sierra Club team. The idea of climbing Shiprock is repugnant to many Navajo people: climbing has been illegal since 1970. The name "Ship Rock" in english dates from the 1870s.

25/08/2022

NEW ZEALAND


NEW ZEALAND / AOTEAROA.

Railway Services.
Tauranga Harbour and small location map.
Last stamp in a minisheet of 6, issued on 06.08.1997.
Face value: 1.80 New Zealand dollar.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 44 x 28 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1619.
- Scott No. 1451.
- StampWorld No. 1673.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2096.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1553.

Tauranga Harbour is the natural tidal harbor that surrounds the city of Tauranga and the Mount Maunganui, on the North Island of New Zealand. The harbor is effectively two flooded river systems separated from the Pacific Ocean by Matakana Island. It is a large tidal estuary with an area of some 200-km2 (77 sq mi) and has a tidal range of up to 1.98 m (6.49 ft). Container ships and cruise ships use the harbour's waters, which are also useful for many recreational activities, including water skiing, kite surfing, jet skiing, boating, swimming, diving and fishing. The port is linked by rail to the city of Auckland (line that is located on the small map that appears on the stamp).

24/08/2022

ZAIRE (Democratic Republic of Congo)


ZAIRE / ZAÏRE (Democratic Republic of Congo).

7th Anniversary of the New Regime.
Inga Dam, 1st Phase.
Last stamp in a set of 3, issued on 25.01.1973.
Face value: 0,18 Zairean zaire.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 43 x 33 mm.

Catalogs (Numbering of the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Belgium No. 825.
- Michel No. 472.
- Scott No. 792.
- StampWorld No. 469.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 813.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 831.

Republic of Zaire (French: République du Zaïre) is the name adopted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo from October 27, 1971 to August 15, 1974, following Mobutu's seizure of power in a military coup in 1965, following five years of political upheaval following independence from Belgium known as the Congo Crisis.

Inga Dam is located across the Congo River, approximately 150 km (93 mi), upstream of where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean, at an altitude of 47 m (140 ft) above sea level. The stamp reproduces the first of the three planned dams, built between 1965 and 1971. It is 587 m (614 ft) long and its function is to produce hydroelectric power. The dam was built on the right bank of the river, taking advantage of the Nkokolo, a dry valley that used to be the riverbed, whose banks reached 150 m (492 ft) high at the level of the Inga Falls, parallel to the site. The water is withdrawn 10 km (6.21 mi) upstream of the dam, at an altitude of 125 m (410 ft).

23/08/2022

GUATEMALA


GUATEMALA.

Landmarks and Quetzal.
Lake Atitlán.
Airmail. Fourth stamp in a set of 5, issued on 01.01.1937.
Face value: 30 Guatemalan centavos.
Design: C. Marckwordt.
Printed by Joh. Enschedé Stamps, Haarlem, Netherlands.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 37 x 17 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 317.
- Scott No. C42.
- StampWorld No. 368.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 304a.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA57.

Atitlan is a lake in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountain range. It is in the Sololá Department of southwestern Guatemala. It is the deepest lake in Central America (estimated maximum depth: 340 m or 1,120 ft). Its surface elevation is 1,562 m (5,125 ft), and its area is 130.1 km2 (50.2 sq mi). The lake basin is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed by an eruption 84,000 years ago. In 1955, the area around Lake Atitlán became a national park. The lake is surrounded by many villages in which Maya culture is still prevalent and traditional dress is worn. The Maya people of Atitlán are predominantly Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel. In the last plane of the stamp you can see the Atitlán, Tolimán and San Pedro volcanoes. One of the characteristics of Lake Atitlán is a strong wind known as Xocomil.

The resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is a small bird found in southern Mexico and Central America. It has an important role in Mesoamerican mythology, and is closely associated with Quetzalcoatl. Presently, it is the national animal of Guatemala, being pictured on the country's flag and coat of arms; it also grants its name to the State's currency, the Guatemalan quetzal.

22/08/2022

MALAYSIA


MALAYSIA.

Inauguration of Federation.
Simplified map.
First stamp in a set of 3, issued on 16.09.1963.
Face value: 10 Malaysian sen.
Printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 36 x 25 mm.

Catalogs
- ISC Malaysia No. 1.
- Michel No. 1.
- Scott No. 1.
- StampWorld No. 1.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1.

The federal constitutional monarchy of Malaysia consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire, along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate. Peninsular Malaysia was unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and achieved independence on August 31, 1957. The independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore on September 16,1963 to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate independent country. Total area of the country is 330,803 km2 (127.724 sq mi) and the population, according to the 2020 census, 32,447,385 people. The administrative capital of the federation is Putrajaya, and the legistative and judicial is Kuala Lumpur.

21/08/2022

ESTONIA


ESTONIA / EESTI.

Estonian Lighthouses.
Ristna Lighthouse and map.
First 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. 392.
- Michel No. 365.
- Scott No. 388.
- StampWorld No. 398.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 366.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 353.

Ristna Lighthouse (Estonian: Ristna tuletorn) is located in Ristna Point, in the westernmost part of the Kõpu Peninsula, on the island of Hiiumaa. The metal structure of the lighthouse was built in Gustave Eiffel's factory in Paris and assembled in 1874. It is a 20.5 m (97 ft) hexagonal tower. It consists of two concentric iron cylinders with a spiral staircase between them. During World War I in 1915, the lighthouse was damaged, and five years later, in 1920, the tower was covered with concrete.  In 1994, a satellite navigation base station was installed at the lighthouse with the help of the Finnish Maritime Administration. 

20/08/2022

SOUTH AFRICA


SOUTH AFRICA / SUID-AFRIKA.

Beauty in Nature.
Gordon's Rock, Pearl Mountain / Paarlberg.
First stamp in a set of 4, issued on 20.11.1986.
Face value: 14 cents of South African rand.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 31 x 48 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 697.
- Scott No. 678.
- South African Stamp Catalog No. 616.
- StampWorld No. 735.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 608.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 614.

Pearl Mountain (Afrikaans: Paarlberg) is a domed granite mountain located near the town of Paarl, in the Boland region, Western Cape province. The summit is 654 m (2,146 ft) high and is part of three mountain peaks that include Britannia Rock and Gordon's Rock (represented in the stamp). It is the second largest granite formation in the world, after Uluṟu in Australia. The Khoikhoi people call them the Turtle Mountains. It was discovered in 1657 by Abraham Gabemm; because it shone like a pearl in the sun, he called it Peerleberg, a name that later became Paarlberg.

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

19/08/2022

ECUADOR


ECUADOR.

Inauguration of Saracay or Zaracay Railway Bridge.
Airmail stamp issued on 26.08.1960.
Face value: 1.30 Ecuadorian sucre.
Printed by Waterlow & Sons Ltd.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.

Catalogs
- Bertossa No. 1084.
- Michel No. 1047.
- Scott No. C368.
- StampWorld No. 1046.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1174.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA368.

The Saracay or Zaracay railway bridge (currently probably in disuse and nonexistent), over the Piloto River, is located in Santa Rosa, El Oro Province. It was inaugurated on August 26, 1960.

18/08/2022

BAHAWALPUR


BAHAWALPUR / بہاول پور

Silver Jubilee of the Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan V.
Panjnad Dam and portrait of the Nawab.
First stamp in a set of 4, issued on 03.03.1949,
Face value: 3 Pakistani pies.
Printed byPrinted by De La Rue & Co. Ltd., Basingstoke (England).
Printing: Recess.
Size: 36 x 31 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 22.
- Scott No. 22.
- StampWorld No. 22.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 39.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 18.

The Bahawalpur state (Urdu: بہاولپُور) was founded in 1609 by Nawab Bahawal Khan Abbasi. On February 22, 1833, Abbasi III entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British, by which Bahawalpur was admitted as a princely state of British India. After various vicissitudes, it remained independent until its voluntary incorporation into Pakistan on October 7, 1947, under Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur, but remained an autonomous entity till October 14, 1955. Immediately after its accession to the Pakistani state, the Hindu and Sikh minority communities migrated to India, while Muslim refugees from India settled in the city of Bahawalpur and the region. The Royal House of Bahawalpur is said to be of Arabic origin and claims descent from Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, progenitor of the Abbasid Caliphs of Baghdad and Cairo.

The Panjnad dam (Urdu: پنجند), on the river of the same name, was opened in 1929. It is located west of the city of Bahawalpur. It has three canals: Panjnad canal, Abbassia canal, and Abbassia link canal. These canals irrigate Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts and the northern Sindh area.

16/08/2022

ALGERIA


ALGERIA / الجزائر - ⴷⵣⴰⵢⴻⵔ

Landscapes.
Rhumel Gorges and Sidi M'Cid Bridge, in Constantine.
Airmail stamp issued on 26.02.1972.
Face value: 4 Algerian dinar.
Design: Ismaïl Samsom (1934-1988).
Printed by Imprimerie Delrieu, Paris (1959-1985).
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 5,000,000 copies.
Size: 45.5 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 582.
- Scott No. C18.
- StampWorld No. 583.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 583.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA20. 

The Rhumel Gorges are formed by the Rhumel River (Arabian: وادي الرمال), in the Constantine Province. The Sidi M'Cid (جسر سيدي مسيد) suspension bridge, in the city of Constantine, crosses the gorge at a height of 175 m (575 ft) above the river: construction began in 1909, and was opened to traffic on April 19, 1912; it is 164 m (538 ft) long and 5.70 m (18.70 ft) wide. The bridge was designed by the French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin.

15/08/2022

GREECE


GREECE / ЕΛΛΑΣ.

Plastira Lake and Martagon lily (Lilium martagon).
Sixth stamp in a set of 8, issued on 27.06.2001.
Face value: 200 Greek drachma / 0.59 euro.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 26,000,000 copies.
Size: 38 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 2091.
- Karamitsos No. 2163.
- Michel No. 2076.
- Scott No. 1998.
- StampWorld No. 2058.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2163.
- Unificato No. 2054.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2063.

Lake Plastiras (Greek: Λίμνη Πλαστήρα) also called Tavropos Reservoir (Greek: Τεχνητή Λίμνη Ταυρωπού) is an artificial lake fed by Megdovas river, located in Karditsa regional unit (Thessaly). It is named after the Greek general and politician Nikolaos Plastiras, who was the first to visualize the construction of an artificial lake in the area. The building of the dam started on December 14, 1955, and on October 30, 1960 it was officially inaugurated. The surface área of the lake is 24 km2 (9.3 sq mi). It is used for irrigation and as a power source of a hydroelectric plant, but also as the main water source to the city of Karditsa.

The martagon Lily or Turk's cap Lily (Lilium martagon), is a Eurasian species of lily. It has a widespread native region extending from Portugal east through Europe and Asia as far east as Mongolia. It is stem-rooting, growing between 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) and 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall. The flower colour is typically a pink-purple, with dark spots, but is quite variable, extending from near white to near black. The flowers are scented.

14/08/2022

ARMENIA


ARMENIA / ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆ.

Landscapes.
Garni Canyon.
First stamp in a set of 5, issued on 24.05.1993.
Face value: 0.40 Armenian rubles.
Design: Haroutiun Samuelian (b. 1947).
Printed by House of Questa.
Printing: Offset lithograpy.
Print: 100,000 copies.
Size: 32 x 63.5 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 215.
- Scott No. 452.
- StampWorld No. 241.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 268.
- Unificato No. 192.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 189.

The Garni Canyon (Armenian: Քարերի սիմֆոնիա) is situated in the Kotayk Province, on the Caucasus Mountains, 23 km (14.3 mi) east of Yerevan. Along the sides of the gorge are cliff walls of well-preserved basalt columns, carved out by the Azat River. This portion of the canyon is typically referred to as the "Symphony of the Stones". Near the gorge is the Geghard monastery.

13/08/2022

NEPAL


NEPAL / नेपाल

Mount Kanjiroba.
Stamp issued on 30.12.1987.
Face value: 10 Nepalese rupee.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 486.
- Scott No. 462.
- StampWorld No. 482.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 495.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 456.

Kanjiroba (Nepali: कान्जिरोबा) is a mountain in the Himalayas of Dolpa District, Karnali Province, western Nepal. With a summit elevation of 6,883 m (22,582 ft) above sea level, it is the highest peak of the Kanjiroba Himal, a subrange of the Himalayas. A Japanese expedition from Osaka University was the first to climb Kanjiroba in 1971 via the Southeast Ridge.

12/08/2022

FALKLAND ISLANDS


FALKLAND ISLANDS.

Nature Reserves.
Bird Island stylized map and coastal cliffs. Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris)
and Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome).
Third stamp in a set of 4, issued on 09.04.1990.
Face value: 31 Falkland Islands penny.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 520.
- Scott No. 522.
- StampWorld No. 535.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 599.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 532.

Bird Island (Spanish: Isla Pájaro) is located 4.5 km (2.80 mi) south of West Falkland. Its area is 1.2 km2 (0.5 sq mi), and highest elevation 107 m (351 ft).  It has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. Amongst the birds which breed here are rockhopper penguins, king shags, petrels and black-browed albatrosses. The island is roughly triangular in shape. The western half of the southern coast has sheer cliffs reaching at least 70 m (230 ft) and the plateau above slopes gently to the north and west. In the centre of the island there is a large seasonal pool to the west of a small inlet. The eastern promontory has two domed peaks with sheer southern cliffs of 30 m (98 ft) and very steep slopes in the north.

11/08/2022

MALI


MALI.

30th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's Flight.
Simplified map of Mali and portrait of Amelia Earhart.
Airmail stamp issued on 29.05.1967.
Face value: 500 Malian francs.
Design: Pierrette Lambert (b. 1928).
Printed by Société Générale d'Impression, Toulouse.
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 52 x 31 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 145.
- Scott No. C45.
- StampWorld No. 145.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 145.
- Yvert et Tellier No. PA45.

Amelia Mary Earhart (Atchison, Kansas, July 24, 1897 – disappeared in the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. She was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and set many other records. She was one of the first aviators to promote commercial air travel, and wrote her best-selling books about her flying experiences. After many experiences as a pilot and after a first failed attempt, on May 20, 1937 she undertook in Oakland, California, the flight that would take her around the world, and after crossing the Atlantic from Natal (Brazil) to Saint-Louis (Senegal), on June 10, landed in Gao (French Sudan, now Mali), from where he left the next day for Fort-Lamy. He traveled in various stages through East Africa, British India, Burma, Siam (now Thailand), Singapore, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), landing in Darwin (Australia) on June 28, and the next day in Lae (New Guinea), from where he left on July 2 for the Howland Island, where he no longer arrived: the last position he reported was the vicinity of the Nukumanu Atoll. She was just two days away from completing the course and landing back in Oakland.

10/08/2022

FRANCE

FRANCE.

Tourism.
Gulf of Morbihan.

Stamp issued on 06.05.2005.
Face value: 0.53 euro.
Design: Michel Bez (1951-2018).
Printed by ITVF (Imprimerie des Timbres-Poste et des Valeurs Fiduciaires), Périgueux.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 3,779,242 copies.
Size: 80 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 4026.
- Michel No. 3936.
- Scott No. 3108.
- StampWorld No. 3901.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 4085.
- Unificato No. 3761.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 3783.

The Gulf of Morbihan (French, golfe du Morbihan; Breton, Mor Bihan) is an inland gulf or sea located at the bottom of Quiberon Bay, on the Atlantic coast of the Brittany region. It has a length of 20 km (12.4 mi) and a maximum width of 15 km (9.3 mi) and includes numerous islands and islets. Due to the presence of numerous species of migratory birds, its ancient marshes have been classified as a nature reserve. The gulf receives the waters of four main rivers: the Auray, the Vincin, the Marle and the Noyalo. It is an interesting area for the study of prehistory and especially the Neolithic period from 7500 years before our era; Numerous megalithic monuments (menhirs, dolmens and cairns) are found in it.

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

09/08/2022

COLOMBIA


COLOMBIA.

Docks in Barranquilla Port.
First stamp in a set of 8, issued on 05.03.1956.
Face value: 5 Colombian centavos.
Printed by De La Rue & Co. Ltd., Basingstoke (England).
Printing: Recess.
Print: 3,000,000 copies.
Size: 35 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- Leo Temprano No. 835.
- Michel No. 764.
- Scott No. 644.
- StampWorld No. 746.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 869.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 509.

Barranquilla is the capital of Atlántico Department. It is located on the western bank of the Magdalena River, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) from its mouth in the Caribbean Sea. In 1993 it was constitutionally organized in a special, industrial and port district. It is the main economic center of the Caribbean region of Colombia. Its population, in 2018, was 1,274,250 people. In 1849, Sabanilla Bay, in the Caribbean Sea, was converted into a commercial port and a customs office was installed in the current Castillo de Salgar. In 1893 the Puerto Colombia pier was built, which was at the time one of the longest in the world. The current port area of Barranquilla, on the banks of the Magdalena River, has a length of about 22 km (14 mi); Construction began in 1925 and it was officially inaugurated in December 1936. The docks that can be seen in the stamp were built in 1939, the year in which the activity of Puerto Colombia was abandoned.

08/08/2022

SINGAPORE


SINGAPORE / SINGAPURA - 新加坡共和国

River life.
Singapore River.
First stamp in a set of 3, issued on 02.09.1987.
Face value: 10 Singapore cents.
Design: Ng Keng Sen.
Printed by Secura, Singapore.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 2,760,000 copies.

Catalogs
- ISC Malaysia No. 562. 
- Michel No. 536.
- Scott No. 508.
- StampWorld No. 537.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 558.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 519.

The Singapore River flows in the city of Singapore, parallel to Alexandra Road and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of Singapore. It is approximately 3.2 km (1.99 mi) long from its source at the Kim Seng Bridge to where it empties into Marina Bay; the river extends more than two kilometers beyond its original source at the Kim Seng Bridge as the Alexandra Canal. The mouth of the Singapore River was the old Port of Singapore, being naturally sheltered by the southern islands. Historically, the city initially grew around the port so the river mouth became the center of trade, commerce and finance. During British colonization, the river was the commercial artery and the center of economic activity. From the second decade of the 19th century and well into the 20th century, the river's waters were highly polluted due to the disposal of garbage, sewage, and other by-products from the industries located along its banks, but in 1977 the government ordered the cleaning of the rivers of the country, which have recovered their previous state.

07/08/2022

FAROE ISLANDS


FAROE ISLANDS / FØROYAR.

Islands.
Nólsoy.
Last stamp in a set of 4, issued on 18.09.2000.
Face value: 1,000 Faroese oyra.
Printing: Offset lithography.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 376.
- Michel No. 384.
- Scott No. 386.
- StampWorld No. 376.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 375.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 380.

Nólsoy is an island in central Faroe Islands. It has an area of 10.3 km2 (4.0 sq mi) and its population was 227 people in 2018. The highest point of the island is Eggjarklettur (372 m or 1,220 ft). The southern coast contains two capes, each with a lighthouse (Øknastangi on the south-east, Borðan on the south); The lighthouses were built in the late 18th century. There is only one settlement on the island, also called Nólsoy, on the north-west coast on the Stongin peninsula which is attached to the rest of the island by a meter-wide isthmus. Nólsoy has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for seabirds, especially European storm petrels, Atlantic puffins and black guillemots.

06/08/2022

SLOVAKIA


SLOVAKIA / SLOVENSKO.

Technological advances.
Orava Dam and Reservoir.
Stamp issued on 21.04.2017.
Face value: 0.95 euro.
Design: Marián Komáček (b. 1959).
Engraving: František Horniak (b. 1956).
Printed by Poštovní tiskárna cenin Praha.
Printing: Photogravure and recess.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.
Size: 44.1 x 26.5 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 780.
- Michel No. 815.
- POFIS No. 634.
- Scott No. 764.
- StampWorld No. 803.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 761.
- Unificato No. 815.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 714.

Orava (Slovak: Oravská priehrada) is a reservoir in northernmost Slovakia, forming the largest lake in Slovakia (35.2 km2). It was created by the construction of a dam between 1941 and 1953 on the former two sources of the Orava river. Several former villages had to be inundated for this purpose. The reservoir has two islands: Vtáčí ostrov ("Bird Island"), an ornithological reservation with Protected Bird Area status, and Slanický ostrov ("Slanica Island").

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

05/08/2022

CAMBODIA


CAMBODIA / ស្រុកខ្មែរ

Opening of Sihanoukville port.
Map of Souhanoukville and portrait of King 
Norodom Sihanouk.
Second stamp in a set of 3, issued on 02.04.1960.
Face value: 5 Cambodian riel.
Printing: Recess.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 99.
- Scott No. 77.
- StampWorld No. 99.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 99.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 85.

Sihanoukville (Khmer: ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ [Krŏng Preăh Seihănŭ], also known as Kampong Som (Khmer: កំពង់សោម [Kâmpóng Saôm]), is a coastal city in Cambodia and the capital of Preah Sihanouk Province, at the tip of an elevated peninsula in the country's south-west on the Gulf of Thailand. The city, which was named in honour of former king Norodom Sihanouk (portrait on the stamp), had a population of around 73,000 people in 2019, and approximately 66,700 in its urban center. A relatively young city, established November 22, 1957, it has evolved in parallel with the construction of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which commenced in June 1955, as the country's gateway to direct international sea trade. Sihanoukville's many beaches and nearby islands make it Cambodia's premier seaside resort with steadily rising numbers of national visitors and international tourists since the late-20th century.

04/08/2022

TURKEY


TURKEY / TÜRKİYE.

Tourism.
Alanya City and Bay.
Last stamp in a set of 5, issued on 05.04.1965.
Face value: 130 Turkish kuruş.
Printed by APA Offset Basimevi.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 1,000,000 copies.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1948.
- Scott No. 1643.
- StampWorld No. 1992.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2094.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1731.

Alanya, formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the Mediterranean Region. As of 2010 census, the city had a population of 98,627. Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea below the Taurus Mountains, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many Mediterranean-based empires, including the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. Alanya's greatest political importance came in the Middle Ages, with the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm under the rule of Alaeddin Kayqubad I, from whom the city derives its name.

03/08/2022

UNITED KINGDOM, England


UNITED KINGDOM. England.

A British Journey.
Start Point, Start Bay.
Third stamp in a set of 6, issued on 08.02.2005.
Face value: 40 British penny.
Design: Phelan Barker Design Consultants.
Printed by De La Rue & Co. Ltd., Basingstoke (England). 
Printing: Photogravure.
Size: 35 x 35 mm.

Catalogs
- AFA No. 2479.
- Michel No. 2276.
- Scott No. 2263.
- StampWorld No. 2261.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2514.
- Unificato No. 2657.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2618.

Start Point is a promontory in the South Hams district in Devon, south-west England. Close to the most southerly point in the county, it marks the southern limit of Start Bay, which extends northwards to the estuary of the River Dart. The rocks of the point are greenschist and mica-schist, formed by metamorphism of Devonian sediments during a period of mountain building towards the end of the Carboniferous period. As a result of the many shipwrecks in the area, Start Point lighthouse was built in 1836 to alert ships to the danger of the point and its surrounding rocks.

02/08/2022

CUBA


CUBA.

Lighthouses of Cuba.
Morro de Santiago de Cuba Lighthouse and simplified map of Cuba.
Last stamp in a set of 3, issued on 25.10.1982.
Face value: 30 centavos of Cuban peso.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 288,000 copies.
Size: 33.5 x 45 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 2704.
- Scott No. 2555.
- StampWorld No. 2708.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2861.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 2405.

The Morro lighthouse is located next to the San Pedro de la Roca Castle, better known as Castillo del Morro, built by the Spanish colonizers in the 17th century south of the city of Santiago de Cuba, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, on the southernmost coast of the island. Its height is 18 m (59 ft), 83 m (272 ft) from sea level. It is the work of French builders and was put into operation in 1842. It was destroyed during the Spanish-American War in 1898, and was rebuilt in a short time. The lighthouse was modernized in 1914 but, due to disruptions caused by World War I, its optical equipment was not installed until 1923. Its lamp emits beams of light through lenses, which rotate 360 degrees. Its range is 27 nautical miles (approximately 50 km or 31 mi).

01/08/2022

GABON


GABON.

Admission to the United Nations.
Map and flag.
Last stamp in a set of 3, issued on 09.02.1961.
Face value: 85 Central African CFA francs.
Design and engraving: Jacques Combet (1920-1993).
Printing: Recess.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 159.
- Scott No. 153.
- StampWorld No. 172.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 169.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 152.

Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic (French: République gabonaise), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa. It is located on the equator. It has an area of 267,667 km2 (103,347 sq mi) and in 2021 its population was 2,284,912 people. Its territory, inhabited for about 650,000 years, was colonized by the Mpongwe people from the 11th century. The first Europeans to arrive on its shores were the Portuguese in the 15th century, who called the country Gabão, a name taken from the indigenous denomination of the area of the Gabon River estuary, where the country's capital, Libreville, is currently located. Both the Portuguese and the Dutch engaged in the slave trade. In 1886, Gabon became a French colony which, from 1888, merged with the Congo under the name of Gabon-Congo and then, in 1898, in the French Congo. In 1904, Gabon became a separate colony again, and in 1910, the colonies of Gabon and Congo became part of French Equatorial Africa. The country gained independence from France on August 17, 1960 and was admitted to the UN in 1961.