Postage stamps and postal history of Burkina Faso Postage stamps and postal history of Burkina Faso This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Burkina Faso, known as Upper Volta until July 1984. The story of the posts in Burkina Faso begins in the 1890s, with French penetration into the area and the establishment of military posts. Prior to the creation of French Upper Volta in 1919, postal service in the area was administered by Senegambia and Niger and then Upper Senegal and Niger. Upper Volta's first stamps were issues of Upper Senegal and Niger overprinted "HAUTE-VOLTE", appearing in 1920. Overprints and surcharges continued
French Upper Volta French Upper Volta Upper Volta () was a colony of French West Africa established on 1 March 1919, from territories that had been part of the colonies of Upper Senegal and Niger and the Côte d'Ivoire. The colony was dissolved on 5 September 1932, with parts being administered by the Côte d'Ivoire, French Sudan and the Colony of Niger. After World War II, on 4 September 1947, the colony was revived as a part of the French Union, with its previous boundaries. On 11 December 1958, it was reconstituted as the self-governing Republic of Upper Volta within the French Community,