The Republic of Yemen came into existence in 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) and the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen).
In 1967 the British Protectorate of Aden and the Federation of South Arabia merged into the Peoples Republic of Southern Yemen which changed its name to the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970.
The first meter stamps appeared in Aden in 1950.
The stamps are grouped according to political inscription:
A - ADEN, to 1967
B - FEDERATION OF SOUTH ARABIA, to 1967
C - PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF SOUTHERN YEMEN, 1967 – 1970
D - PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YEMEN, 1970 – 1990
E - YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC (North Yemen), 1967 – 1990
F - REPUBLIC OF YEMEN or YEMEN REPUBLIC, 1990 to present
For specialized information about the meter stamps of Yemen, see “Aden Meter Marks” by Gary Brown, serialized in The Dhow, journal of the Aden-Somaliland-Yemen Study Group, September 2003 through September 2004.
Upright frank with simulated perforation border and straight line inner border.
Country name in Arabic at top and English at bottom.
M# at bottom below inner border.
M# with “N” prefix in corners.
TM: DC
V/F: 000
B3. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV). [Rare]
Upright frank with simulated perforation border.
With inner panels at the sides.
Country name in Arabic above inner frame.
Country name in English and M# at bottom.
M# with “U” prefix in small boxes beneath the side panels.
TM: DC
V/F: 000 0000
NOTE. When the Federation of South Arabia achieved independence from Britain in 1967 mailers were directed to use rubber stamps reading “PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF SOUTHERN YEMEN” in Arabic and English on mail franked by Group B stamps in order to conceal "Federation of South Arabia". Rubber stamped covers are probably very rare. Only Type B3 covers are known with the rubber stamp but it was likely used on Type B1 and B2 mail as well.
GROUP C: Issues of the PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF SOUTHERN YEMEN, 1967–1970
Frank with straight outer border and panel across top containing country name in Arabic.
With inner vertical panels at sides.
M# with “RN” prefix in small boxes beneath side panels.
TM: DC
V/F: 000
a. Frank inverted, value figures upright, M# RN16
D3. Neopost “505” (MV). [Very rare]
Horizontal frank with widely spaced simulated perforation frame line.
Arab text across the top.
"PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC / REPUBLIC OF YEMEN" in two lines at the bottom.
M# with "RN" prefix brakes frame line in lower left corner.
TM: BIC
V/F: 0 0 0 0
D4. Neopost (LV). [Exceptionally rare]
Small, upright frank with straight line border. The stamp is divided into two horizontal sections. The top section filled with the contry identification in Arabic and English. The bottom section is mostly empty space but with POSTAGE in Arabic and English at top and the value figure centred at bottom. In the lower corners are the meter number with "N" prefix at left.
M# “N 10” seen.
TM: BIC
Values seen: 20, 125
GROUP E: Issues of the YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC (North Yemen), 1967–1990