• Visit date: July 15 2024
• The visited post office: Uliga Majuro Post Office
• Cost of sending mail: same as in USA
• Postcard availability: limited choice of postcards in Post Office. Nice assortment in MJCC Majuro shop.
• Out of all the postcards we sent to different countries, the one sent to USA arrived the fastest, only in one week.

A Brief History of Marshall Islands Postage

The Marshall Islands is one of the youngest country in the world, having gained independence in 1986. The state encompasses a total of 1,225 islands and 870 reef systems. It is also one of the least visited countries as a tourist destination.

The first post office in the Marshall Islands was established by Germany in 1888. In 1897, special stamps for the Marshall Islands were introduced, overprinted with “Marschall Inseln”. Although the Marshall Islands came under Japanese control in 1914, German stamps intended for the Marshall Islands were still issued until 1919. However, after 1914 these stamps were only available at the Philatelic Division of the Post Office in Berlin. In 1914, the Australian occupying forces in German New Guinea overprinted the Marshall Islands stamps with “GRI”. These overprinted stamps were only used in German New Guinea, not in the Marshall Islands themselves. From 1919 to 1944, Japanese stamps were used in the islands.

The Marshall Islands were captured by the United States during World War II and became an US Trust Territory under UN mandate in 1947. On May 1, 1981, they adopted their constitution and established a government with a president. Stamps were first issued in October of that year, but these were privately printed in Japan. The Marshall Islands began issuing their own stamps in May 1984.

Our Visit to the Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands has six post offices, three of which are located on Majuro Atoll. During our visit, we explored two of these: the Uliga and Airport Post Offices. The Delap Post Office was closed. The remaining post offices are situated on Kwajalein Atoll (Ebeye), Wotje Atoll, and Jaluit Atoll. The Uliga Post Office in Majuro was conveniently located just across the street from our hotel, the Robert Reimers Hotel.

Despite being an independent nation, the Marshall Islands use the US dollar. Sending postcards costs the same as in the US. The post office offered a limited selection of only four postcards, each featuring stamps depicting fish. Our search for postcards finally paid off when we stumbled upon a store with a diverse selection. MJCC is a name of the store that is selling everything from souvenirs to motorbikes, but to our delight, also postcards.

American Airlines provides services between the islands, ensuring our letters arrived promptly, first in Guam (US) and then onward to their destinations worldwide.

We were fortunate to be on the island during the 10th Micronesian Games. The energy was palpable; the usual island rhythm was infused with a vibrant sporting spirit. My days were a delightful mix of exploring the post office, relaxing by the ocean, and enjoying the competitions. You can read more about the visit to Marshall Islands in another post – Marshall Islands.

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