BRIEF HISTORY ON POSTAL SERVICES
    A courier service for the carriage of officials mails from Dzong to Dzongs was in existence for many years in the past, but it was only in 1962 a regular Post Office was established in the country and postage stamps valid for internal and international use were issued after entering into agreement with Postal Administration of India on 10th of October 1962 for exchange of internal mails. A comprehensive scheme for organising a systematic postal service and creating a sound Philatelic programme was drawn up and the Postal Department was included in the first Five Year Plan for socio-economic development in February 1965, thereafter in subsequent plans. The Telegraph Service was first introduced in the country during 1969. In addition to this service, a wireless-telegraph, telex and facsimile service have been introduced in the country. Thus, at the moment, the Deparmtnet has following numbers of Posts and Telegraph Offices opened in various parts of the country. The first Post Office was opened at Phuntsholing on 10th October 1962 and till date we have opened two General Offices, 57 Post Offices, 22 Branch Post Offices and 9 Telegraph Offices. In 1984, Deparment of Civil Wireless was merged to Department of Post and Telegraph as a Division having 45 stations all over the country.

Bhutan having natural barrier of many high, rugged mountains and fast flowing streams has been a challenge to Postal Service. However, over the years, under the wise guidance of His Magesty the King, we have been able to sent mails once a week to every corner of our country which earlier would have taken a month. Once of the most important events in the Postal History of Bhutan was the admission to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in March 1969. Bhutan became a member of Asia Pacific Postal Union (APPU) in 1983, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1988 and Postal member of SAARC countries in 1982. Under these Unions, we are receiving assistance in equipment, consultancy and professional trainings which had help us in achieving present stand of service.

STAMPS OF BHUTAN
    With the conclusion of the Postal Agreement with India in September 1962, the Royal Government of Bhutan issued the first regular postage stamps valid for internal as well as international use on 10th October, 1962. Since then the postage stams of Bhutan have established a reputation in the international market for their thematic value and technical excellence. On them are depicted countless designs of portraits, flowers, birds, pictures of historical Dzongs, animals - indeed the entire gamut of the national heritage of Bhutan in one or all the colours of rainbow. The stamps of Bhutan have served as silent ambassadors and emblems of good will.

    Since the release of Bhutan's first stamps in October 1962, which depicted an archer, a postal runner, a map of the Himalayan Kingdom, an illustration of the monastery fortress of Paro Dzong and a portait of Bhutan's first Druk Gyalpo (King), the Postal Administration has to date released 154 postage stamps issues both on international and local themes.

    Bhutan came into the international philatelic limelight in the early 1970s with the issuing os such sensational items like 3-Dimensional and Rose-Scented, steel and circular grooved disc stamps that played the kingdom's national anthem on the record players. Now Bhutan's stamps fall under five categories; International popular events; the Kingdom's culture; international and national commemorative issues; flora and fauna and definitive issues; the last involving simple, low-cost printing process with limited colours.

    The future objective of the department of the stamp production production programme is to lay greater emphasis to produce more stamps on local themes with the aim of publicising Bhutan's rich cultural heritage, its tradition, architecture and various other interesting local subjects. In addition to the projection of the nation's image in terms of its cultural heritage and portraying important aspects of the Bhutanese culture, the Postal Officials have attempted to appeal to stamp collectors around the world through the selected issuance of stamps on popular topical or thematic subjects like flora and fauna. The department would be issuing a series of stamps, one each on flora and fauna anuually.

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