A Brief History of Saudi Post and its Network
Saudi Post or SPL (Arabic: بريد) (formerly part of the Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephone), is a government-run postal system in Saudi Arabia. “Al-Bareed” is also its common name within the kingdom. An efficient postal network (SPA) now covers all the cities and villages of the country, with 478 central and 180 branch post offices all over the kingdom. In 2006, public and private offices handled approximately 858.1 million pieces of Post.
The Saudi Post has gone through two major stages. The first is the establishment of Saudi Arabia, and the second is the establishment of office by the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud.
Main Services of Saudi Post بريد
- خدمتة واصل: is a service of delivering all postal services to the homes of citizens and residents. Providing a unique postal address through the Geographic Information System (GIS).
- خدمتة جامعی: Explicitly designed for students to send free admission documents to all public universities.
- الخدمتة مريح: This service is to the benefit of reviewers of ministries and government agencies so that the citizen can follow all his official transactions through the offices of Saudi Postal Corporation stationed in all cities and provinces of Saudi Arabia.
- خدمتة التوصيل للمملكة المتحدة: A unique service for UK shipping via EMS.
- خدمتة الخلیج اکسریبس: is a low-cost service for parcels and gifts to other Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The next day delivery is available to all the capitals of the Gulf states.
- خدمتات التوصيل للهند: This is a highly competitive service for sending parcels and gifts up to 30 kg to India.
- Same-day deliveries
Saudi Post WEBSITE بريد: https://splonline.com.sa/ar/
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Early Days of Saudi Posts بريد
Before introducing stamps and railways, Camel was the prominent way to send mail. In Riyadh, shop owners voluntarily gathered in Safa Square to complete the postal service by placing cloth sacks labelled town or village.
Senders then put their letters in the corresponding sacks, sent with caravans or travellers to that particular city.
In the early 20th century, Hijaz developed postage stamps, postal services, and small-scale operations. They have even sent mails worldwide.
Recognizing the importance of postal services in KSA, King Abdul Aziz established the Directorate of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones (PTT) in 1926. In the same year, King Abdul Aziz issued postage stamps, which contained the King’s Tigra, the ruler’s signature and insignia.
Following the country’s unification, the first stamps identifying Saudi Arabia came in 1934, and later in 1952, postal activities placed into Ministry of Communications. Many postal services such as EMS and NAQIL, which greatly expanded their work. Since 1969, the Saudi Post has seen many developments, most notably the announcement of an independent budget for the Saudi Postal Services.
Today, Saudi Post has a postal network covering all parts of the kingdom, with more than 475 significant branches and 180 post offices.
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Pre Stamp Era of Saudi Post
The Hijaz came under Turkish rule in the western part of Arabia in 1517. It gets directly controlled by the Turks in 1845. Before introducing stamps and railways, a limited number of mails get sent, mainly travelling by camel.
Between 1900 and 1908, a railway gets built between Medina and Damascus, known as the Hijaz Railway, and several railway stamps get issued for use on the service. They also printed Revenue stamps in connection with railway financing.
The Turks operated post offices in Abha or Ebha, El Ula, Hedye, Jeddah, Konfida, Mecca, Taif, Tebouk and Yanbo, and an Egyptian post office in Jeddah between 1865 1881.
Hijaz gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1916. Hijaz Issued first stamps in October 1916. Stamps lasted until 1925, and many of the problems are due to their complexity with various prints and overprints, which get often found in reverse.
By 1925, Najd had conquered the kingdom of Hijaz. Various types of stamps get issued during the occupation, including stamps, railway stamps, postage dues and revenue stamps.
On January 8, 1926, Sultan Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud became King of the Hijaz in the Grand Mosque of Mecca. On January 29, 1927, he took the title of King of Najd over the previous Sultan. In the Treaty of Jeddah on May 20 1927, the United Kingdom Recognizes the Realm of King Abdul Aziz.. And they addressed it as the Kingdom of Hijaz and Najd.
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First Saudi Post بريد Stamp
The first stamps of the new kingdom get issued in February 1926. Several other series get issued up until 1932. However, the first stamps marked Saudi Arabia get published on January 1 1934.