Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on our planet and yet it constitutes the smallest area of dry land. Scattered over this vast ocean, small islands of Polynesians, Melanesians and Micronesians.

The largest Island in the pacific is New Guinea being one of the largest islands on earth. The smallest island that has an independent postal service is Pitcairn Islands which is but a few kilometres in size with a population of about 60 people.

In between, these islands represent a patchwork of diversity having evolved their distinctive cultures and languages over the ages of total isolation. Today, most of these islands are independent entities issuing their own stamps. However, most have adopted many of the characteristics of their earlier colonial masters.

Great Britain and France as well as the US predominated. Ecuador owns the famous Galapagos with its unique fauna and flora and Chili the very well known Easter Island with its monoliths.

Australia must be included with the Pacific. However, because as an island continent, it has its own designation on our web site. It was the colonial power to Papua New Guinea and Nauru, both being sovereign states now. However, Norfolk Islands, though remaining under and within Australian jurisdiction has issued its own stamps since 1947. Lord Howe Island is another famous Pacific island which is part of Australia and has only issues a single “provisional” stamp