COVER N.62 - Palau

Postmark: ROP Postal Service - Koror 06JAN2022
Posted on the 6th January; received on the 21stJanuary
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Fantastic cover! Thank you so much Stephen!

I was not expecting to get any mail from such an uncommon origin in my letterbox. I'm sure Mr. Postman must have wondered too, when he delivered this beautiful cover, full of interesting stamps. 

Palau... I had once again to go and ask Google earth to help me locate this tiny archipelago country made out of more than 500 islands, although only eight have main island status.

Located in the Pacific Ocean, not very far from the Philippines to the West and Indonesia to the South, the Republic of Palau's history is one of constant domination by external powers, that began in the 18th century with the Spanish, followed by the German, the Japanese, direct administration by the League of nations, the USA,  until finally gaining its independence in 1994.

As to be expected  from such an exotic location, Tourism is its main economic driver although fishing also contributes to Palau's balance of Trade with products such as Tuna and shellfish.

Stephen used a lot of stamps on this particular cover. The four  20 cent stamps constitute a set that was issued on 05DEC1984 in se-tenant form dedicated to  flowers (local, presumably). The stamps integrate a small "Christmas 1984" legend, so they can be considered to be a Christmas emission.  The flowers depicted are (left to right):  Mountain Apple (Eugenia malaccensis); Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea littoralis);Turmeric (Curcuma domestica) and Plumeria (Plumeria obtusa).

The two 25 cent stamps are the lower right corner of a 25 stamp (5x5) minisheet, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon, issued on 20Jul1989, and they depict respectively the command module reentry into Earth's atmosphere and the jettisoning of the service module.