Compendium of postage stamp issuers (Ar - Az)

Each "article" in this category is in fact a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

See the page for details of the project.

Arad (French Occupation)

Hungarian stamps overprinted Occupation Française.

;Dates : 1919 only;Currency : 100 filler = 1 korona

;Refer : French Occupation Issues

Arbe

Stamps of Fiume overprinted Arbe during the last month (Nov-Dec 1920) of the Carnaro regencyin Fiume. Arbe became the Yugoslav island of Rab. Fiume has been renamed Rijeka.

;Dates : 1920 only;Currency : 100 centesimi = 1 lira

;Refer : Fiume

Archipel des Comores

;Refer : Comoro Islands

Argentina

;Dates : 1858 -;Capital : Buenos Aires;Currency : 100 centavos = 1 peso

;Main Article Needed:

Argentine Territories

;Main Article Needed:

;Includes : Buenos Aires;: Córdoba;: Corrientes: Tierra del Fuego

Armenia

Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Armenia became an independent republic andstarted to issue its own stamps in 1992.

;Dates : 1992 -;Capital : Yerevan;Currency : (1992) 100 kopecks = 1 Russian ruble: (2002) 100 luma = 1 dram

;Main Article Needed:

;Includes : Armenia (pre-Soviet)

;See also : Transcaucasian Federation;: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Armenia (pre-Soviet)

Formerly part of Transcaucasian Russia, Armenia gained temporary independence after the 1917Russian Revolution. During 1922-1924, Armenia formed part of the Transcaucasian Federationwith Azerbaijan and Georgia. Used stamps of the USSR 1924-1991.

;Dates : 1919 - 1923;Capital : Yerevan;Currency : 100 kopecks = 1 Armenian ruble

;Refer : Armenia

Army Post

;Refer : Egypt (British Forces)

Artsakh

;Refer : Nagorno-Karabakh

Aruba

Aruba is a small, rocky and semiarid island in the Caribbean, about 165 miles north of
Venezuela. It is one of the Leewards and is near the Dutch islands of Curacao and Bonaire. Oil refining was its major industry until 1985 when the refinery was closed down. Attempts are now being made to promote tourism. The population is cosmopolitan with Dutch the official language.

The island was occupied by Spain early in the 16th century. The Spaniards were driven out by the Dutch in 1634. Apart from a brief period of British rule during the Napoleonic Wars, it has remained a Dutch territory ever since, forming part of the Netherlands Antilles until 1986.

The economic situation in the 1970s led to demands for separation. This was achieved on 1 January 1986 when Aruba was granted the status of internal autonomy within the Kingdom of the
Netherlands. The first stamps were issued on the same date. Aruba was scheduled for fullindependence in 1996.

;Dates : 1986 -;Capital : Oranjestad;Currency : 100 cents = 1 gulden

;Main Article Needed:

;See also : Netherlands Antilles

Arwad

;Refer : Ile Rouad

= Ascension =

Used GB stamps 1867-1922.

;Dates : 1922 -;Capital : Georgetown;Currency : (1922) 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound: (1971) 100 pence = 1 pound

Asch (Sudetenland)

There was an issue in Asch (now Aš) by Germans in September 1938, not unauthorized by Czechoslovak authorities which would soon lose control after the Munich agreement.

;Refer : Czechoslovakia

Astypalaea

Island in the Dodecanese which belonged to Italy 1912-1945 and used general issues of Aegean Islands (Egeo) throughout that period. Also issued own stamps inscribed STAMPALIA, which is the Italian name of the island.

;Dates : 1912 - 1932;Currency : 100 centesimi = 1 lira (Italian)

;Refer : Aegean Islands (Dodecanese)

Ataman Semyonov Regime (Transbaikal)

This was based at Chita until it was overthrown by forces of the Far Eastern Republic.

;Dates : 1920 only;Capital : Chita;Currency : 100 kopecks = 1 Russian ruble

;Refer : Russian Civil War Issues

Aunus (Finnish Occupation)

The Russian town of Olonetz was occupied by Finland during the Russian Civil War. Finnishstamps were issued with an overprint of AUNUS.

;Dates : 1919 only;Currency : 100 penni = 1 markka

;Refer : Finnish Occupation Issues

= Australia =

Before 1913, the individual states had their own issues.

;Dates : 1913 -;Capital : Canberra;Currency : (1913) 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound: (1966) 100 cents = 1 dollar

;See also : New South Wales;: Queensland;: South Australia;: Tasmania;: Victoria;: Western Australia

Australian Antarctic Territory

;Dates : 1957 -;Currency : (1957) 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound: (1966) 100 cents = 1 dollar

= Austria =

;Dates : 1850 -;Capital : Vienna;Currency : (1850) 60] kreuzer = 1 gulden: (1858) 100 kreuzer = 1 gulden: (1899) 100 heller = 1 krone: (1925) 100 groschen = 1 schilling: (1938) 100 pfennige = 1 Reichsmark (German): (1945) 100 groschen = 1 schilling: (2002) 100 cent = 1 euro

;See also : Lombardy & Venetia

Austria-Hungary

The Austrian Empire was formed in 1804 to anticipate the dissolution in 1806 of the ancient andmaligned Holy Roman Empire by Napoleon. Austria, home of the Habsburg dynasty, had been thecentral part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the aftermath of Waterloo, Austria was one of thestrongest nations in Europe and its foreign minister Metternich became the architect of the
Concert of Europe which was able to maintain peace in a divided continent for several decades.
Hungary, the land of the Magyars that lies to the east of Austria, was part of the AustrianEmpire at that time but it constantly sought control of its own affairs.

Austria faced a crisis after its defeat by Prussia in the Seven Weeks War of 1866. Toconsolidate his power, the Emperor Franz Josef negotiated in March 1867 the Ausgleich(Compromise) with the Magyar ruling classes. As a result, Hungary gained control of itsinternal affairs and the two states of Austria and Hungary were federated into what becamecommonly known as the Dual Monarchy. The words Kaiserliche und Königliche on Austrian stampsrefer to the Empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary, both titles being held by FranzJosef. The Dual Monarchy endured until the end of WWI.

Austria and Hungary had separate postal administration from the time of the Ausgleich althoughit was not until May 1871 that Hungary could issue its first stamps. In the meantime, a set of"neutral" stamps were issued that showed a profile of Franz Josef and a value.

The fact of the Dual Monarchy was emphasised in stamps issued abroad by Austro-Hungarian postoffices or military forces. Hence, reference should be made to Austria and Hungary separatelyre home issues and to the various Austro-Hungarian entries for overseas issues.

;Refer : Austria;: Austro-Hungarian Military Post;: Austro-Hungarian Occupation of Bosnia & Herzegovina;: Austro-Hungarian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire;: Hungary

Austrian Italy

;Refer : Lombardy & Venetia

Austrian Levant

;Refer : Austro-Hungarian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire

Austrian Territories acquired by Italy

;Refer : Italian Austria

Austro-Hungarian Military Post

Stamps inscribed K-u-K FELDPOST were issued in Serbia (1916), Montenegro (1917), Romania (1917-1918) and Italy (1918).

;Dates : 1915 - 1918;Currency : 100 heller = 1 krone (General Issues, Serbia, Montenegro);: 100 centesimi = 1 lira (Italy);: 100 bani = 1 leu (Rumania)

;Main Article Needed:

;Includes : Italy (Austrian Occupation);: Montenegro (Austrian Occupation);: Rumania (Austrian Occupation);: Serbia (Austrian Occupation)

Austro-Hungarian Occupation of Bosnia & Herzegovina

;Refer : Bosnia & Herzegovina

Austro-Hungarian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire

Austria had various issues, some with overprinted values, for use in its offices throughout the
Turkish Empire, including those in territory that now belongs to Greece.

The offices in what is now Greek territory were at: Prevesa (Epirus); Jannina (Epirus); PortLagos (Thrace); Dedeagatz (Thrace); Volos (Thessaly); Kavalla (Macedonia); Vathy (Samos);Mytilene; Corfu; Salonika; Leros (Dodecanese); Rhodes. There were special issues for theAustrian offices in Crete.

;Dates : 1867 - 1915;Currency : (1867) 100 soldi = 1 gulden: (1886) 40 paras = 1 piastre

;See also : Crete (Austro-Hungarian Post Offices)

AVIANCA

Private air company.

;Dates : 1950 - 1951;Currency : 100 centavos = 1 peso

;Refer : Colombian Territories

Azarbaycan

;Refer : Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Azerbaijan became an independent state and hasissued its own stamps, inscribed AZARBAYCAN, since 1992.

;Dates : 1992 -;Capital : Baku;Currency : 100 qopik = 1 manat

;Main Article Needed:

;Includes : Azerbaijan (pre-Soviet);: Nakhichevan

;See also : Transcaucasian Federation;: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Azerbaijan (pre-Soviet)

Formerly part of the Russian Empire, it became temporarily independent in May 1918 but was invaded by the Soviet Union in April 1920. Subsequently joined the Transcaucasian Federation prior to incorporation within the USSR, whose stamps it used from 1924 to 1991.

;Dates : 1919 – 1921;Capital : Baku;Currency : 100 kopecks = 1 Azerbaijani ruble

;Refer : Azerbaijan

;See also : Transcaucasian Federation;: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

= Azores (Acores) =

;Dates : 1980 -;Capital : Ponta Delgada;Currency : 100 centavos = 1 escudo

;Includes : Azores (Portuguese Colonial Issues)

;See also : Africa (Portuguese Colonies);: Azores Territories;: Portugal

Azores (Portuguese Colonial Issues)

;Dates : 1868 - 1931;Capital : Ponta Delgada;Currency : (1868) 1000 reis = 1 milreis: (1912) 100 centavos = 1 escudo

;Refer : Azores

Azores Territories

;Main Article Needed:

;Includes : Angra;: Horta;: Ponta Delgada

;See also : Azores

Sources

* Stanley Gibbons Ltd: various catalogues
* [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/home.html Encyclopaedia of Postal History]
* Stuart Rossiter & John Flower: "The Stamp Atlas"