Postage Stamps of the British Empire

 

Kenya Postage StampWhat Countries’ Postage Stamps are Considered “British Empire?”

One will sometimes hear a stamp collector state that he or she “collects British Empire,” without or with further modification, such as, “British Empire, pre-Elizabeth II”.  Collecting the stamps of the British Empire can indeed be a fascinating undertaking, with the added appeal to most Americans that the writing on the postage stamps and in associated philatelic reference works and catalogues will normally be in English.  But just what is included in, “British Empire?”

The list below answers that question but, first, an explanation: the world of philately is not the world of politics.  What I am getting at here is that many of the countries listed below were once ruled in some way by Britain, but no longer are.  Ireland, to take one example, became independent of Britain in 1922 and, quite obviously, is no longer considered to be within the British Empire by anyone.  Note, also, that there is a difference between what is meant by “British Empire” and what is meant by the term, “British Commonwealth“.

The list was derived by using the Stamp Sales Circuit Categories of the American Philatelic Society, and the abbreviations shown in parentheses are those used by the Society. 

  • British Empire (B)

o British Africa (BF)

  • Ascension
  • British Central Africa
  • British East Africa
  • British Offices in Africa
  • British Southern Africa (SF)
  • Basutoland
  • Bechuanaland Protectorate
  • Bechuanaland
  • Botswana
  • Cape of Good Hope
  • Griqualand West
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Natal
  • New Republic
  • Northern Rhodesia
  • Nyasaland Protectorate
  • Orange River Colony
  • Republic of South Africa
  • Rhodesia
  • South Africa
  • South-West Africa
  • Southern Rhodesia
  • Stellaland
  • Swaziland
  • Transvaal
  • Union of South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • Zululand
  • East Africa & Uganda Protectorate
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Gold Coast
  • Kenya
  • Lagos
  • Madagascar
  • Mauritius
  • Niger Coast Protectorate
  • Nigeria
  • Northern Nigeria
  • Northern Rhodesia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somaliland Protectorate
  • Southern Nigeria
  • St. Helena
  • Sudan
  • Tanganyika
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tristan Da Cunha
  • Uganda
  • Zambezia
  • Zambia
  • Zanzibar

o British America (BA)

  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • British Antarctic Territory
  • British Caribbean Saints (BCS)
  • Nevis
  • St. Christopher
  • St. Kitts – Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent
  • British North America (BNA)
  • British Colombia
  • Canada (CPE)
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland
  • Nova Scotia
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Vancouver Island
  • British Honduras
  • British Guiana
  • British West Indies (BWI)
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Barbuda
  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Jamaica
  • Leeward Islands
  • Montserrat
  • Tobago
  • Trinidad
  • Turks & Caicos Islands
  • Turks Islands
  • Virgin Islands
  • Falkland Islands
  • Guyana
  • South Georgia

o British Asia (BS)

  • Bahrain
  • Bangkok
  • Bangladesh
  • Batum
  • British Offices in Asia
  • Burma
  • Bushire
  • Ceylon
  • Hong Kong (HK)
  • India (IND)
  • India
  • Indian States
  • Malaysia (MAY)
  • Brunei
  • Johore
  • Kedah
  • Kelantan
  • Labuan
  • Malacca (Melaka)
  • Malaya
  • Malaysia
  • Negri Sembalan
  • North Borneo
  • Pahang
  • Penang (Pulau Pinang)
  • Perak
  • Perlis
  • Sabah
  • Sarawak
  • Selangor
  • Singapore
  • Straits Settlements
  • Sungei Ujong
  • Trengganu

o British Europe (BE)

  • Cyprus
  • British Channel Islands (BCH)
  • Guernsey
  • Heligoland
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Gibraltar
  • Great Britain (GB)
  • British Offices Abroad
  • Great Britain
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • Ireland (IRE)
  • Malta

o British Middle East

  • Abu Dhabi
  • Aden
  • Ajman
  • Bahrain
  • British Offices in Asia
  • Dubai
  • Fujeira
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Mesopotamia
  • Oman
  • Palestine
  • Qatar
  • Ras Al Khaima
  • Sharjah & Dependencies
  • South Arabia
  • Trucial States
  • Umm al Qiwain
  • United Arab Emirates

o  British Oceania (BO)

  • Aitutaki
  • Australia (AUS)
  • Australia
  • Australian Antarctic Territory
  • Australian States (AST)

o New South Wales

o Queensland

o South Australia

o Tasmania

o Victoria

o Western Australia

  • British Solomon Islands
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  • Cook Islands
  • Fiji
  • Gilbert & Ellice Islands
  • Gilbert Islands
  • Kiribati
  • Nauru
  • New Hebrides
  • New Britain
  • New Guinea
  • New Zealand (NZ)
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • North West Pacific Island
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Penrhyn Island
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tokelau Islands
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu
  • Western Samoa

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