Polar Year

Polar Year miniature sheet

Stamp year 2007 begins in Finland on 24 January with six new interesting postage stamp issues. International Polar Year is the subject of a two-stamp miniature sheet with two 70-cent stamps. The stamps partly overlap each other on the sheet, and the part shared by both stamps feature a glittering snowflake hologram. Susanna Rumpu and Ad Lakaniemi designed the miniature sheet.

Research campaign

The International Polar Year (IPY) is a multidisciplinary research campaign and joint project by tens of countries and scientific organizations. Its aim is to increase research into polar regions and to expand awareness of these regions' importance globally. The participants in the project from Finland are universities and research institutions.

Northern lights

One of the subjects for the research to be done in Finland is the aurora borealis, and the northern lights also star in one of the stamps of the International Polar Year miniature sheet. The other stamp depicts a snowflake, which points to the high standards of research performed in Finland into snow and ice. In the lower left-hand corner of the miniature sheet there is a close-up of icy blueberry twigs to refer to research into adaptations by plants to changes in the climate and environment.

Finnish research stations

The lower right-hand corner of the sheet includes a map showing the Finnish research stations taking part in research projects for IPY. Pekka Honkakoski, Pekka Luukkola and Heikki Nikki took the photos used in the illustrations for the stamp sheet.

Stamp book

In the beginning of March, an international, 50-page IPY publication will go on sale, with stamps from the eight countries participating in the International Polar Year, along with background information. The texts will be in the national language of the country and in English. The price of this publication is 25 Euro.

Stamps in detail

Value: 2 x 70 cent
Issue: Finland, 24 January 2007, 350.000 miniature sheets
Design: Ari Lakeniemi and Susanna Rumpu
Stamp size: 38.5 x 38.5mm and 43.1 x 30.7mm
Print: 4-color offset with hologram by Cartor Secuity, France

More information

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