Flags and Maps

Åland's first stamps were issued on 1st March 1984 although they were actually produced by the Finnish Post Office in cooperation with Åland's provincial government.  At this time of change both Finland and  Åland stamps could be used on post and the cover above takes full advantage.  A few years later in 1993 under the Autonomy Act matters including postal were run on the islands and Finland's stamps were no longer valid.
Lets look at the stamps starting at the top left which shows Åland located amongst the Nordic Countries; the cover repeats this sentiment in its map outline on top of an aerial photograph.  Travelling anticlockwise next are two of their first fishing boat definitive stamps. Three other stamps were issued in March 1984 of which two are on the cover, the harbour of Marienhamn and the sails of the barque Pommern (a museum ship which is a popular tourist attraction) and in the background, modern car ferries. The Åland flag flies in the corner and the stamps are completed by Midsummer celebrations (one of Finland's Europa stamps from 1981 on the theme of Folklore).

This made me wonder what stamps I might have that combined both flag and map and discovered two from conflict torn countries

This one commemorating Congo Independence also shows Joseph Mobutu who came to power in a military coup

c1966 Official Stamp

and this one also contains an outline of Lake Chad and its source rivers in Chad. 

For a sporting view of the world go back to 1962 when the Football World Cup was held in Chile. The flags are of Columbia and Uruguay who both went out in the group stages

The countries that made it to the quarter finals but no further were the stamp issuers, Hungary, the USSR with their instantly recognisable flag, England and West Germany. The other flag is Yugoslavia who would progress to the semi finals where they lost to Czechoslovakia.  This was the year that Brazil became World Champions. 

British entry into th European Community was celebrated in a set of three stamps two Se-tenant 5p value and

one 3p value. I don't know if the colour has any significance but this is certainly a topical stamp today as we run up to the 'EU In or Out' Referendum some time in 2017.  If we stay in the stamp theme could be reissued with a few more jigsaw pieces and a slightly different shape.  If out, the Union Flag would have to float out into the sea edging out of the stamp.

An entry to Sunday Stamps II theme - Maps or Flags - navigate your way here to see more