The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau (now trading as Tuvalu Post Limited) is the government body in

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...

that issues new

stamps Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

and first day covers, which are available for purchase by stamp collectors around the world. The Bureau is located in

Funafuti Funafuti is the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 6,320 people (2017 census), and so it has more people than the rest of Tuvalu combined, with approximately 60% of the population. It consists of a narrow sweep of la ...

. The sale of stamps has since the independence of Tuvalu in 1976 has been an important source of revenue for the country and government. However, such revenue has significantly declined in recent years.

History

The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau was established on 1 January 1976, which was the day the

Gilbert and Ellice Islands The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean were part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. They were a protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a colony until 1 January 1976. The history of the colony w ...

Colony was dissolved and Tuvalu was established with separate British dependency status. The first postage stamp cancellation devices were put into use the same day. The first issue was a set of provisional overprinted definitive stamps and a commemorative set of three stamps. Tuvalu became fully independent within the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

on 1 October 1978. The philatelic business activities are authorised by the ''Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Ordinance'' (1982). Karl Tili was the first Tuvaluan general manager of the Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau from 1989 to 31 December 2011. In 2013, the Tuvalu government was proposing to merge the Bureau with the Tuvalu Post Office, which is regulated by the ''

Tuvalu Post Office Act 1977 The Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They l ...

''. The Tuvalu Post Office is not separately constituted and is a government department.

Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter

The Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau has published a newsletter since March 1976, initially under the name ''News and Views''. In 1999 the name was changed to ''Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter''. The Newsletter provides information about new stamp issues and articles about Tuvalu.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau

Communications in Tuvalu Philately of Tuvalu Organizations based in Tuvalu 1976 establishments in Tuvalu