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List of Overseas Destinations and their Airmail Zones

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - Y - Z

Introduction

Royal Mail map of world destinations, 2020

This page attempts to list the postal rate zones for all of the named destinations to which airmail could be sent from the UK during the various rate periods – essentially, those in the airmail leaflets or Post Office Schemes, together with any commonly used variations and alternatives (e.g. "Holland" for the Netherlands). The English versions of the names are therefore used. (Given the number of political changes since 1947, there may be others that should be added – please let us know if you spot any.)

The general rule is that a zone is only listed for a particular country or territory name if it was extant in the period in question. Thus many colonial territory names that became obsolete after independence appear only in the first period. Conversely, the various former republics of the USSR do not, as that country broke apart in 1991.

Some destinations have changed zones over the years, and this is noted in the tables (with start dates when in the middle of a rate period) – for example, a number of places in Latin America and the West Indies were in zone C for the first year or so, thereafter becoming zone B. A few places that were in zone 1 or 2 when the zones were combined into a single “Rest of World” zone in 2008 had changed zone when this zone was split again in 2012. The USA became Zone 3 by itself in 2020.

European Destinations

"Eur" means that the general Europe rate applied, while "EU" means that from the date specified, the destination was treated as part of the European Economic Community or (from 1993) the European Union. Special rates to the EEC or EU applied in two cases:

  • Separate tables of rates for EU and non-EU European destinations were quoted in Post Office Schemes from 20th October 1986 until 2009, although the only difference was a lower first step rate for letters and postcards from 1986-98 (equal to inland first class). This applied to all-up mail 1986-91 and airmail 1991-98; from 6th April 1998 both sets of rates were identical.
  • As a result of an ECJ ruling, from 31st January 2011 until the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020 certain "enhanced" services that were not part of the basic universal provision became liable to VAT on the total charge when used to EU destinations.

A few European territories (Canary Islands, San Marino, Vatican City) were listed as part of the EEC/EU until 2009 for the purpose of the concessionary rate, but were not subsequently regarded as such as they are not part of the EU VAT zone. Documentation of the changeover date has been hard to find, but it is assumed that it was 31st January 2011, when VAT was first applied to certain services.

From 4th April 2022 European destinations were also split into three zones with rates that varied by zone – these are shown as "E1", "E2", and "E3" in the tables.

A

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Abu Dhabi A - - - -
Aden A - - - -
Afghanistan B 1 RoW 1 1
Ajman A - - - -
Albania Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Algeria A 1 RoW 1 1
American Samoa C 2 RoW 2 2
Andorra Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E3
Angola B 1 RoW 1 1
Anguilla B 1 RoW 1 1
Antigua and Barbuda B 1 RoW 1 1
Argentina B 1 RoW 1 1
Armenia Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Aruba B 1 RoW 1 1
Ascension B 1 RoW 1 1
Australia C 2 RoW 2 2
Austria Eur
EU 1 Jan 1995
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Azerbaijan - Eur Eur Eur E3
Azores A
Eur 1 Jul 1961
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2

B

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Bahamas C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Bahrain A 1 RoW 1 1
Balearic Islands Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Bangladesh B 1 RoW 1 1
Banks Islands C 2 RoW 1 1
Barbados C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Basutoland B - - - -
Bechuanaland Protectorate B - - - -
Belarus Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Belau (Palau) C 2 RoW 2 2
Belgian Congo B - - - -
Belgium Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Belize B 1 RoW 1 1
Benin B 1 RoW 1 1
Bermuda C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Bhutan B 1 RoW 1 1
Bolivia C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Eur Eur Eur E3
Botswana B 1 RoW 1 1
British Cameroons B - - - -
British Guinea C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -
British Honduras C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -
British Indian Ocean Territory B 1 RoW 2 2
British Solomon Islands C - - - -
British Somaliland A - - - -
Brunei B 1 RoW 1 1
Bulgaria Eur Eur
EU 1 Jan 2007
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Burkina Faso B 1 RoW 1 1
Burma B - - - -
Burundi B 1 RoW 1 1

C

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Cambodia B 1 RoW 1 1
Cameroon B 1 RoW 1 1
Canada B 1 RoW 1 1
Canary Islands Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU
Eur 31 Jan 2011
Eur E2
Cape Verde Eur Eur
1 Aug 1995
RoW 1 1
Caroline Islands C - - - -
Cayman Islands B 1 RoW 1 1
Central African Republic B 1 RoW 1 1
Ceylon B - - - -
Chad B 1 RoW 1 1
Chile B 1 RoW 1 1
China C 2 RoW 1 1
Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) B 1 RoW 2 2
Christmas Island (Pacific Ocean) - - - 2 2
Cocos (Keeling) Islands B 1 RoW 2 2
Colombia C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Comoros B 1 RoW 1 1
Congo-Brazzaville B 1 RoW 1 1
Congo (Democratic Republic) B 1 RoW 1 1
Congo (Republic) B 1 RoW 1 1
Congo (People's Republic) B 1 - - -
Cook Islands C 2 RoW 2 2
Coral Sea Island - - - 2 2
Corsica Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Costa Rica C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Croatia - Eur Eur Eur
EU 1 Jul 2013
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Cuba C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Curacao B 1 RoW 1 1
Cyprus A
Eur 1 Jul 1971
Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Cyrenaica A - - - -
Czechia /
Czech Republic
- Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Czechoslovakia Eur Eur - - -

D

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Dahomey B - - - -
Denmark Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Djibouti - 1 RoW 1 1
Dominica C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Dominican Republic C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Dubai A - - - -
Dutch East Indies B - - - -
Dutch Guiana C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -
Dutch West Indies C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -

E

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
East Germany Eur - - - -
East Timor - 2 RoW 1 1
Ecuador C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Egypt A 1 RoW 1 1
El Salvador C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Equatorial Guinea B 1 RoW 1 1
Eritrea A 1 RoW 1 1
Estonia - Eur
EU 1 May 2005
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Eswatini - - - 1 1
Ethiopia A 1 RoW 1 1

F

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Falkland Islands B 1 RoW 1 1
Fanning Island C 2 RoW 1 1
Faroe Islands Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Fiji C 2 RoW 2 2
Finland Eur Eur
EU 1 Jan 1995
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
France Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
French Cameroons B - - - -
French Equatorial Africa B - - - -
French Guiana C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
French Guinea B - - - -
French India B - - - -
French Indochina B - - - -
French Oceania C - - - -
French Polynesia C 2 RoW 2 2
French Somali Coast A - - - -
French Southern and Antarctic Territories - - - 2 2
French Territory of the Afars and Issas A - - - -
French West Indies C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Fujairah A - - - -

G

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Gabon B 1 RoW 1 1
Gambia B 1 RoW 1 1
Gaza and Khan Yunis - 1 RoW 1 1
Georgia - Eur Eur Eur E3
German Democratic Republic Eur - - - -
German Federal Republic Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Germany EU EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Ghana B 1 RoW 1 1
Gibraltar Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E3
Gilbert and Ellice Islands C - - - -
Gold Coast B - - - -
Greece Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Greenland Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Grenada C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Guam C
B 1 May 1948
C 3 Jan 1950
2 RoW 1 1
Guatemala C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Guinea B 1 RoW 1 1
Guinea Bissau B 1 RoW 1 1
Guyana B 1 RoW 1 1

H

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Haiti C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Hawaii C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -
Holland Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Honduras C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Hong Kong B 1 RoW 1 1
Hungary Eur Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2

I

The Republic of Ireland was treated as (in effect) a UK inland destination before 20th October 1986, with the inland rates and regulations applying in almost all cases

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Iceland Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
India B 1 RoW 1 1
Indonesia B 1 RoW 1 1
Iran A 1 RoW 1 1
Iraq A 1 RoW 1 1
Ireland (Republic) "Inland"
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Israel A 1 RoW 1 1
Italy Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Ivory Coast B 1 RoW 1 1

J

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Jamaica C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Japan C 2 RoW 1 1
Jordan A 1 RoW 1 1

K

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Kazakhstan - Eur Eur Eur E3
Kenya B 1 RoW 1 1
Kenya and Uganda B- - - -
Kiribati C 2 RoW 2 2
Korea (Republic) C 2 RoW 1 1
Korea (Democratic People's Republic) C 2 RoW 1 1
Kosovo - Eur Eur Eur E3
Kuwait A 1 RoW 1 1
Kyrgyzstan - Eur Eur Eur E3

L

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Laos B 1 RoW 2 2
Latvia - Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Lebanon A 1 RoW 1 1
Leeward Islands C
B 1 May 1948
- - - -
Lesotho B 1 RoW 1 1
Liberia B 1 RoW 1 1
Libya A 1 RoW 1 1
Liechtenstein Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Lithuania - Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Luxembourg Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2

M

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Macao B 1 RoW 2 2
Macedonia - Eur Eur Eur -
Madagascar B 1 RoW 1 1
Madeira Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Malagasy Republic B - - - -
Malawi B 1 RoW 1 1
Malay States B - - - -
Malaya B - - - -
Malaysia B 1 RoW 1 1
Maldive Islands B 1 RoW 1 1
Mali B 1 RoW 1 1
Malta Eur Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Marian(as) Islands C
B 1 May 1948
C 3 Jan 1950
- - - -
Marshall Islands C 2 RoW 1 1
Mauritania B 1 RoW 1 1
Mauritius B 1 RoW 1 1
Mexico C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Micronesia C 2 RoW - -
Moldova - Eur Eur Eur E3
Monaco Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E1
Mongolia C 2 RoW - -
Montenegro - Eur Eur Eur E3
Montserrat B 1 RoW 1 1
Morocco A 1 RoW 1 1
Morocco (French Zone) A - - - -
Morocco (Spanish Zone) A 1 RoW 1 1
Mozambique B 1 RoW 1 1
Muscat A - - - -
Myanmar B 1 RoW 1 1

N

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Namibia B 1 RoW 1 1
Nauru C 2 RoW 2 2
Nepal B 1 RoW 1 1
Netherlands Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Netherlands Antilles B 1 RoW 1 1
Netherlands New Guinea B - - - -
Nevis B 1 RoW 1 1
New Caledonia C 2 RoW 2 2
New Guinea (Territory) C - - - -
New Hebrides C - - - -
New Zealand C 2 RoW 2 2
New Zealand Antarctic Territory - - - 2 2
Newfoundland B - - - -
Nicaragua C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Niger B 1 RoW 1 1
Nigeria B 1 RoW 1 1
Niue C 2 RoW 2 2
Norfolk Island C 2 RoW 2 2
North Borneo B - - - -
Northern Mariana Islands C 2 RoW 1 1
Northern Rhodesia B - - - -
North Korea C 2 RoW 1 1
North Macedonia - - - Eur E3
Norway Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Norwegian Antarctic Territory - - - 2 2
Nyasaland B - - - -

O

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Oman A 1 RoW 1 1

P

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Pakistan B 1 RoW 1 1
Palestine A 1 RoW 1 1
Panama C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Panama Canal Zone C
B 1 May 1948
1 - - -
Papua C - - - -
Papua New Guinea C 2 RoW 2 2
Paraguay B 1 RoW 1 1
Peru C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Philippines C 2 RoW 1 1
Pitcairn Island C 2 RoW 2 2
Poland Eur Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Portugal Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Portuguese East Africa B - - - -
Portuguese India B - - - -
Portuguese Timor C - - - -
Portuguese Guinea B - - - -
Portuguese West Africa B - - - -
Puerto Rico C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1

Q

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Qatar A 1 RoW 1 1

R

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Ras al Khaima A - - - -
Reunion B 1 RoW 1 1
Rhodesia B 1 RoW 1 1
Rio de Oro A - - - -
Romania Eur Eur
EU 1 Jan 2007
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Ruanda-Urundi B - - - -
Russia - Eur Eur Eur E3
Rwanda B 1 RoW 1 1

S

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Saar Eur - - - -
Sabah B - - - -
St Helena B 1 RoW 1 1
St Kitts B 1 RoW 1 1
St Lucia C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
St Pierre and Miquelon B 1 RoW 1 1
St Thomas and Prince B 1 RoW 1 1
St Vincent and the Grenadines C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Samoa (Western) C 2 RoW 1
2 ???
2
Samoa (American) C 2 RoW 2 2
San Marino Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU
Eur 31 Jan 2011
Eur E3
São Tomé and Príncipe B 1 RoW 1 1
Sarawak B - - - -
Saudi Arabia A 1 RoW 1 1
Senegal B 1 RoW 1 1
Serbia - Eur Eur Eur E3
Seychelles B 1 RoW 1 1
Sharjah A - - - -
Sierra Leone B 1 RoW 1 1
Singapore B 1 RoW 2 2
Slovakia /
Slovak Republic
- Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Slovenia - Eur
EU 1 May 2004
EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Solomon Islands C 2 RoW 2 2
Somalia B 1 RoW 1 1
Somaliland Protectorate A - - - -
South Africa B 1 RoW 1 1
South Georgia B 1 RoW 1 1
South Korea C 2 RoW 1 1
South Sandwich Islands B 1 RoW 1 1
South West Africa B - - - -
Southern Rhodesia B - - - -
South Sudan - - RoW 1 1
Soviet Union Eur Eur - - -
Spain Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Spanish Guinea B - - - -
Spanish Sahara A - - - -
Spanish Territories in North Africa A 1 RoW 1 1
Spanish West Africa A - - - -
Spitzbergen Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Sri Lanka B 1 RoW 1 1
Straits Settlements B - - - -
Sudan A 1 RoW 1 1
Suriname B 1 RoW 1 1
Swaziland B 1 RoW 1 -
Sweden Eur
EU 1 Jan 1995
EU EU EU
Eur 1 Jan 2021
E2
Switzerland Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Syria A 1 RoW 1 1

T

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Tahiti C 2 RoW 2 2
Taiwan C 2 RoW - -
Tajikistan - Eur Eur Eur E3
Tanganyika B - - - -
Tanzania B 1 RoW 1 1
Thailand B 1 RoW 1 1
Tibet B 1 RoW 1 1
Timor-Leste C 2 RoW 1 1
Togo B 1 RoW 1 1
Togo (British Sphere) B - - - -
Togo (French Sphere) B - - - -
Tokelau Islands C 2 RoW 2 2
Tonga C 2 RoW 2 2
Trinidad and Tobago C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Tripolitania A - - - -
Tristan da Cunha B 1 RoW 1 1
Tunisia A 1 RoW 1 1
Turkey / Türkiye Eur Eur Eur Eur E3
Turkmenistan - Eur Eur Eur E3
Turks and Caicos Islands C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Tuvalu C 2 RoW 2 2

U

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Uganda B 1 RoW 1 1
Ukraine - Eur Eur Eur E3
Umm al Qiwain A - - - -
United Arab Emirates A 1 RoW 1 1
Upper Volta B - - - -
Uruguay B 1 RoW 1 1
USA B 1 RoW 1
3 2020 (1 Jul)
3
USSR Eur Eur - - -
Uzbekistan - Eur Eur Eur E3

V

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Vanuatu C 2 RoW 1 1
Vatican City Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
EU EU
Eur 2011 (31 Jan)
Eur E3
Venezuela C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Vietnam B 1 RoW 1 1
Virgin Islands
(British)
C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1
Virgin Islands
(US)
C
B 1 May 1948
1 RoW 1 1

W

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Wake Island C 2 RoW 1 1
Wallis and Futuna Islands C 2 RoW 1 1
Western Sahara A 1 RoW 1 2
Western Samoa C 2 RoW 1
2 ???
1
West Germany Eur
EU 20 Oct 1986
- - - -
Windward Islands B - - - -

Y

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Yemen A 1 RoW 1 1
Yemen (People's Democratic Rep.) A - - - -
Yemen (Republic) A - - - -
Yugoslavia Eur Eur - - -

Z

Country 1947-1991 1991-2008 2008-2012 2012-2022 2022-date
Zaire B 1 - - -
Zambia B 1 RoW 1 1
Zanzibar B - - - -
Zimbabwe B 1 RoW 1 1