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Kampuchea
Final Issue for Kampuchea
Angkor Wat Issue of 1989

Angkor Wat Issue

The final issue of Cambodian stamps inscribed "Kampuchea."

Under the dictatorship of Pol Pot, postal services were abolished . For more than five years after the issue of the U.P.U. Centenary issue on April 12, 1975, no new stamps were issued.

In December of 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and within two weeks the capital, Phnom Penh had fallen. The People's Republic of Kampuchea was declared on January 10, 1980. The "riel" was introduced as a new currency based on the value of a kilo of rice and in April 1980 postal services were restored. On April 10 four stamps were issued depicting "soldiers with the flag in front of Angkor Wat," "people and the flag," "fishermen" and "soldiers passing the flag." Over the next nine years over six hundred stamps inscribed "Republique Populaire du Kampuchea" were printed in Cuba. Most depicted popular topical subjects such as flora and fauna, air craft, space, the Olympics, trains and motor vehicles. Some stamps were issued reflecting solidarity with other Communist countries or aspects of Cambodian culture. The final issue (illustrated above), depicted sculptures from Angkor Wat was issued on May 15, 1989. Subsequent issues were inscribed "Etat du Cambodge."


Bibliography

"Kampuchea." Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. 2008.

Mackay, James. "Cambodia and Laos." Gibbons Stamp Monthly. Dec. 2001: 77-79.


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