S.Atlantic : New Postcodes in S. Atlantic and British Antarctic Territory
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 19.05.2003 (Article Archived on 02.06.2003)
The South Atlantic Remote Territories and the British Antarctic Territory now have their own postcodes. Photo (C) FCO - Ralph Jones from the Falklands Desk at the FCO posts the first letter using the new postcode.
POSTCODE FOR THE SOUTH ATLANTIC AND BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
By J. Brock (SARTMA)
Ralph Jones from the Falklands Desk at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts the first letter using the new postcode.
From today, residents of the South Atlantic and British Antarctic Territory will be able to enjoy a postcode, similar in format to those used in the UK. Bill Rammell, Foreign Office Minister, welcomed the innovation, saying:
'The new postcode being introduced today will help reduce delays in the direction of mail to the Islands. Falkland Islands inhabitants often find that their letters have transited the postal systems of places such as the Faroe Islands, Iceland or the most popular destination for lost Falklands mail, Falkirk in Scotland. The postcode should also make on-line shopping easier for Falklands residents, given that most Internet-purchasing services require a post or zip code before transactions can be completed. The Islanders can now take full advantage of today's communications options, with all the benefits that that brings.'
A problem that particularly affected letters posted from outside the UK to the Falklands should now be solved.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and British Antarctic Territory will also have new postcodes today.
Other UK Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic, namely St Helena and Ascension Island, have had postcodes since March 2002.
The project was created with the help of the International Division of Royal Mail and the Universal Postal Union in Berne, Switzerland.
The designated postcodes are: Falkland Islands FIQQ 1ZZ
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands SIQQ 1ZZ
British Antarctic Territory BIQQ 1ZZ.
St Helena STHL 1ZZ
Ascension Island ASCN 1ZZ.
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