This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Early mails The first post office in the region was opened in Dubai in 1909. Dubai had one post office which was Indian in origin, under the Sind circle, and opened on 19 August 1909. Until 1947, Indian stamps were in use and are distinguished by the cancellation "Dubai Persian Gulf". Pakistani stamps were used until 31 March 1948.Stamp world history. Dubai. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia
Britain managed the Trucial States' external relations (a result of the 1892 Exclusive Agreement treaty), including the management of posts and telegraphs – the states were not members of the UPU – the Universal Postal Union). The Government of India opened its first post office in Dubai in 1941 and its operation was taken over by British Postal Agencies, a subsidiary of the GPO (General Post Office) in 1948. Stamps of the time were British stamps surcharged with rupee values, until in 1959 a set of 'Trucial States' stamps was issued from Dubai.
Following the Partition of India, the British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia were established. The British agency stamps issued in Muscat were sold in Dubai until 6 January 1961. The agency issued the Trucial States stamps on 7 January 1961.Stamp world history. Trucial States. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
In Abu Dhabi, an agency was opened on Das Island in December 1960 and in Abu Dhabi City on 30 March 1963, using British agency stamps issued in Muscat. The Trucial States stamps were not used in Abu Dhabi.Stamp world history. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
As each emirate took over its own postal administration, the offices closed: Dubai on 14 June 1963; Abu Dhabi on 29 March 1964.
The northern emirates proceeded to issue a number of editions of stamps intended for the collector's market – particularly Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah. Known today as Dunes, they are colourful and virtually worthless.
First Emirati stamps The UAE issued its first Federal stamps on 1 January 1973.Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986, p.230. Stamp world history. United Arab Emirates. Retrieved 12 August 2018. Before then, the individual emirates issued their own stamps.Stamp world history. Ajman. Retrieved 12 August 2018.Stamp world history. Umm al-Qaiwain. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
See also Dunes (stamps) British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi Postage stamps and postal history of Sharjah Revenue stamps of the United Arab Emirates
References Notes
Citations
External links The Emirates Philatelic Association جمعية الإمارات لهواة الطوابع The Emirates Post مجموعة بريد الإمارات The Emirates Post Shop متجر بريد الإمارات