The Bechuanaland Protectorate was a protectorate established on 31 March 1885, by the United Kingdom in southern Africa. It became the Republic of Botswana on 30 September 1966.Bechuanaland postage stamps were issued from 1888 to 1966. Overprinted stamps were issued until 1932, when the first stamps inscribed "Bechuanaland Protectorate" were issued.
In 1962 the South African rand was introduced, necessitating surcharged stamps until new ones were issued.
Bechuanaland meant the country of the Tswana and for administrative purposes was divided into two political entities.
The northern part was admistered as the Bechuanaland Protectorate and the southern part was administered as the crown colony of British Bechuanaland. British Bechuanaland was incorporated into the Cape Colony in 1895 and now forms part of South Africa.
The northern part, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, had an area of 225,000 square miles (580,000 km2), and a population 120,776.
The British government originally expected to turn over administration of the protectorate to Rhodesia or South Africa, but Tswana opposition left the protectorate under British rule until independence in 1966.
The Bechuanaland Protectorate was technically a protectorate rather than a colony. Originally the local Tswana rulers were left in power, and the British administration was limited to a police force to protect Bechuanaland's borders against other European colonial ventures.
But on 9 May 1891 the British Government gave the administration of the protectorate to the High Commissioner for South Africa, who started to appoint officials in Bechuanaland, and the de facto independence of Bechuanaland ended.
| 1961.01 | 02.10.1961 | Definitives |
| 1c | 158 | African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus | |
| 2c | 96 | African Hoopoe Upupa africana | |
| 2½c | 216 | Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis | |
| 3½c | 218 | Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis | |
| 5c | 95 | Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus | |
| 7½c | 98 | African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus | |
| 10c | 218 | Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps | |
| 12½c | 92 | Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris |
Philately has been considered as an "auxiliary science of history" because it is based on the general principles of other sciences, which in turn contribute to enrich it. It acquires knowledge of the sciences, of the arts, of languages and opens an immense road of social relations through all countries. This science broadens broad horizons of culture, discovers artistic temperaments and offers the interest of the new and the unknown, while performing a positive therapeutic wor.
