Postal code facts for kids
A postal code is a special series of numbers, or sometimes letters and numbers, that helps post offices figure out exactly where to send a letter or package. Think of it like a unique address for a specific area.
These codes can be read by machines, which makes sorting mail much faster and more accurate. This means your letters and packages get to their destination quicker!
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What is a Postal Code?
A postal code is a short code used by postal services to identify a specific geographic area. It helps to quickly sort mail and deliver it to the correct place. Without these codes, sorting mail would be a very slow and difficult job.
How Do Postal Codes Work?
When you send a letter, the postal code tells the post office which general area it needs to go to first. Then, within that area, the code helps narrow down the exact street or even a few houses. This system makes sure that mail reaches the right person efficiently.
Postal Codes Around the World
Different countries have their own ways of using postal codes. While the basic idea is the same, the format and what the numbers or letters mean can change.
Postal Codes in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, postal codes are made of two parts. The first part usually has one or two letters and one or two numbers. This part tells you the main post town and a bigger area within that town. For example, Ipswich is the post town for a large part of eastern Suffolk. The second part of the code helps pinpoint an even smaller area, sometimes just one street or a few houses on a long street.
Postal Codes in Europe
Most postal codes in Europe use only numbers. To avoid confusion between towns with similar names in different countries, a one or two-letter country code is often placed in front of the postal code. This is especially helpful for international mail.
Postal Codes in France and Monaco
In France, the first two numbers of the postal code usually tell you which "department" (a type of administrative area) the address is in. Monaco, a small country next to France, uses codes that start with "98" as if it were part of France. However, for international mail, Monaco uses "MC" instead of "F" as its country code.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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1977 Soviet stamp promoting the use of postal codes
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It is a mistake to link a postal code to just one land lot. A lot can have many delivery points, each with different codes.
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City blocks surrounded by streets, some streets with a different eight-digit postal code (suffixes 001 to 899).
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Faces of a city block and their extension into its interior. Each color is an eight-digit postal code, usually assigned to a side (odd or even numbered) of a street.
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Faces of a city block and their extension between city blocks. The same colors (polygons) indicate the same postal codes.
See also
In Spanish: Código postal para niños
