Somalia (soomaaliya)- Postal History
Stamp issuing began in Italian and British regions in 1903. An Italian company that administered territory leased to Italy by the sultan of Zanzibar in 1892 issued definitives under the name BENADIR from 1903. After the Italian government took over the administration in 1905, issues of the post office (SOMALIA ITALIANA) were printed from 1907.
From 1884, the British protectorate in the north was administered from Aden as an Indian dependency. Stamps of India were used until 1903, when stamps of British India were overprinted BRITISH SOMALILAND. Definitives inscribed SOMALILAND PROTECTORATE were issued from 1904. The British protectorate was occupied by Italy between 1940-41.
The entire region became a trusteeship territory under Italian administration between 1950-60. In 1960, the Republic of Somalia came into existence with the fusion of independent Italian and British Somaliland. It was declared the Democratic Republic of Somalia on 21 October 1969.