World Post Office Day

Adm Desk Oct 10, 2018

Every year the World Post Day is celebrated on October 9th. You all must be aware about the history and the importance of the day. If not let me tell you that the day is celebrated by various countries across the globe and various senior officials’ present speeches about the glorious history of the postal system in their respective countries. But what is even more interesting is that are some really unique post offices across the globe that you may not be aware of. Some are under water, while some are on the mountain tops. Not just their location but some of them are really unique in the way they operate. Let’s have a look at them-

Purpose of celebrating World Post Day

The World Post Day aims at spreading awareness about the postal sector focusing on their roles and contribution in our lives. The day is celebrated to understand the socio-economic contribution of the post offices in the world.

You will be amazed to know about some of the most unusual post offices in the world that work in really different settings-

Vanuatu Post's Underwater Post Office, Republic of Vanuatu- This unusual post office lies under water, off the Coast of Hideaway Island in Vanuatu. The staff includes scuba divers that collect posts dropped by snorkelers and divers. This aquatic post office was established on 30th June, 2003 to celebrate the status of ‘marine paradise’ acquired by this 83-island archipelago. People buy special waterproof postcards accessible on land before diving 9 feet down. Underwater they have their mail stamped with a waterproof stamp while surrounded by coral and multicolored fish.
Hikkim Post Office, Spiti Valley, India- This is the world’s highest post office at an elevation of 4,440 m. This small post office in the village of Hikkim connects this isolated region with the rest of the world. Villagers post letters or deposit money in their savings account at this post office. The post office remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall. Two postmen walk for over 46 Kms daily in the mountainous region to collect the letters.
China Post Office, Everest Base Camp, Nepal-The China’s Post Office at the base camp of Mount Everest is the world’s highest post office. It is also known as The Qomolangma, in the independent Tibet Region. On an average, around 30 customers post letters in a day. Due to the extreme weather conditions, the post office remains open only for seven months i.e. from April and October.
Susami Post Box, Japan- This underwater post box in Susami holds the Guinness World Record for being the deepest underwater postbox. The postbox is 33 feet (10 meters) below sea level. The mailbox was established in 1999 during the marine sports festival event and is still used for sending mails. Divers can post a waterproof plastic postcard for 150 yen ($1.20) into the box and a local diving shop staff picks up cards once a day, like any other mail service.
U.S. Post Office, Christmas, Florida, United States of America- What is unusual about this post office is its “Christmas, Fl” postmark. This post office is situated in a sleepy town outside of Orlando and people from across the region come in huge numbers to get their postcards stamped at this office.
The Republic of Molossia Post Office- Molossia is the world's smallest sovereign republic in the world and the compact Post Office of Molossia, near Dayton, Nevada, helps its people to connect with the world via its postal service. Molossia is a micro nation with only 12 members; Kevin Baugh is its founder and president.
China Post Space Office- This virtual post office lies 213 miles (343 km) above the Earth's surface. The post office was opened by China on 3rd November, 2011, to celebrate the docking of Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft with space lab module Tiangong-1. The post office is capable of delivering mail from the general public to astronauts on board space station Tiangong-1.
British Base and Post Office, Port Lockroy, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica- This remote post office is located at Port Lockroy, in Antarctic Peninsula in the British Base A. The office collects around 70,000 cards from over 100 countries every year. It takes 2 to 6 weeks for a mail to arrive at the camp.
Post Office Bay, Island of Floreana, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador- This is a pre historic post office developed in the time of whalers and pirates. Post Office Bay is also the oldest post office that works as mail delivery point where ships heading home collect the mail and carry it to their destinations, in Europe and the United States. The post office is located on Floreana Island, one of the islands of Galapagos Islands. It has been providing its services to tourists for the past 200 years.
Ochopee Post Office, Ochopee, FL- This is the smallest post office in U.S. with only one person working, who manages at the desk and makes deliveries in two to three countries daily. It measures only seven by eight feet and is located in Ochopee, an unincorporated community in Collier County. This country has a population of less than 15 people.
Post office in Hell, Grand Cayman Islands- This postcard is situated in Hell and so every time you send a postcard from here it is stamped as "postcards from hell." If you have been to this post office, you have been to Hell and back. It’s unusual and fun.
Dal Lake Post Office, Srinagar, J & K, India- This is one of its kind floating post office located on a houseboat in Dal Lake, Srinagar. It is called Srinagar’s Floating Post Office. It is a heritage post office that has existed since colonial times. It was earlier known as Nehru Park post office but later was renamed by the then chief postmaster John Samuel in 2011.