Settled alternately in the 17th and 18th centuries by the  French and British, Canada was united in 1840. The growth of the postal system paralleled the development of the country as isolated settlements-separated by unexplored territory- became incorporated in the workings of the nation. Initially Canada  had a single post road between Quebec and Montreal and a packet service from LA Rochelle. Under British Rule in 1763, the postal services of the lower colonies (now the United States) were extended to Canada. In 1784, Canada was given its own postmaster-general and, by 1828 there were 151 Post Offices throughout the country. Canada's first postal stamp was issued in April 1851.

The first mail service between the original colonies was established in 1673. Until independence was won, mail was generally overseen by the British Crown. Indeed, the cost of colonial postage and the Stamp Act of 1765 were among the forccs that stirred the colonies to rebel against Britain and fight for independence. In 1782, the postal service was made the monopoly of the central government- system that would remain until the mid- twentieth century. In 1863, a uniform postal rate regardless of distance was initiated. Mail was well served by steamboats, railroads and the famous Pony-Express. And, in 1918, the first regular internal air service was begun in the United States.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Australia experienced the first great wave of British settlement, mail between Australia and Britain traveled around either the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn. Delivery was difficult due to the vast distance between the two countries, However through a combination of airplanes, trains and lorries, mail was soon being transported from Singapore to Sydney and settlements in between, Within Australia itself, the postal service existed as early as 1803. By 1838, there were 40 Post Offices on the continent. Because of the distances involved in delivering mail throughout Australia itself, travelling post offices were established on trains.

Germany’s complicated 20th century history affected almost every aspect of life. including postal service. The German Federal Republic (West Germany) was formally established on September 2!, 1949. although its first stamps had been issued two weeks earlier on September 7 The Ger- man Democratic Republic (East Germany) issued its first stamps on October 9, 1949 which were valid throughout the country and in East Berlin as well. The reunification of the two Germanys has resulted in unification of the postal system. This is an especially welcome change for the German people because postal service had been in disarray since the end of World War I

A relatively young European country Belgium received its independence from Holland in 1830. Its postal history, stretches back to March 1, 1500, when Belgium established its post office as a province of Austria. In 1874, Belgium became one of the first signatories of the international General Postal Union (which would later become the Universal Postal Union.) In 1893, stamps began adding the Flemish spelling Belgie in addition to the existing French spelling. And, ever since, Belgian stamps have used both languages. In both World Wars, Belgium was occupied by German forces, and its postal system was disrupted during that period.

One of the Channel Islands and part of the British Isles. Guernsey retains its own local administration and collects its own taxes. The first post office established on Guernsey was in 1794. By 1939. mail was a delivered to the island from the UK by air at no extra charge. but this service was interrupted by German occupation of the island between 1940 and 1945. During this time, the stock of British issued stamps ran low, and the island was permitted to bisect for use. After liberation, the British Post Office fully sanctioned Guernsey stamps which previously had only local and inter-island validity. In 1969, Guernsey first issued its own stamp as an independent Postal Administration.