Postage stamps and postal history of Brazil Postage stamps and postal history of Brazil Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. It was a colony of Portugal from 1500 until 1815. Brazil was the second country in the world, after Great Britain, to issue postage stamps valid within the entire country (as opposed to a local issue). Like Great Britain's first stamps, the design does not include the country name. The first stamps of Brazil were issued on 1 August 1843 and are known as "Bull's Eyes" due to their distinctive appearance. On 1 July 1844 a new series was issued which is known as
Postage stamps and postal history of the Azores and arranged irregularly. The first two stamps (that began circulating on 1 July 1853) had a facial cost of 5 and 25 réis. The following day, issues of 100 réis, and on 22 July 1853, 50 réis were available. Portugal was the 45th nation to adopt the use of postage stamp. In the Azores, then known as the "Ilhas Adjacentes" ("Adjacent Islands"), stamps were cancelled with circular postmark between 1853 and 1869 (referred to as the First Reform) that included numerals corresponding to the localities: Between 1869 and 1878 oval postmarks began to be used (the Second Postal Reform), with