#317 Russia...Thanks Christina!

#316 Spain...Thanks Antonio!

Featuring all members of the national team,this souvenir sheet was issued in 2008 devoted to the Spanish National Football team on occasion of its victory in the Eurocup 2008, which was held in Switzerland and Austria from the 7th to the 29th of June and in which took part 16 national teams.

The final match was played in the Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna against Germany’s national team who had already won the cup three times. After a thrilling match and having previously beaten 5 national teams, Spain won 1-0 with an audience of 50,000 spectators. To show their support, a large number of dignitaries were amongst the supporters such as the Prince and Princess of Asturias, members of Government, and in the final match the King and Queen of Spain and the Spanish Prime Minister.

It’s the second time the Spanish national team wins this cup having beaten 44 years ago the former Soviet Union in 1964.

According to a large number of national and international experts, the Spanish team played the best football in the championship and was proclaimed the best national team in the world in 2008.

#315 Oman...Thanks Khilji!

The 50 Baisa stamp was issued in 2009 celebrating 15th GCC Stamps Exhibition in Muscat,capital of Oman.

GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman.

The 100 Baisa stamp was issued in 2010 celebrating the first Arab Water Day (3,March) designated by Arab Water Council in 2009 aiming to achieve water security in the Arab Countries in the way towards sustainable development in the region.

The 200 Baisa stamp was issued in 2009 celebrating 39th National Day.

The Sultanate of Oman is considered to be one of the most peaceful and attractive holiday destinations in the Middle East. Among numerous Oman Festivals and Events in Oman , National Day and Birthday of Sultan Qaboos in Oman deserves special mention.

The birthday of Sultan Sayyed Qaboos bin Sa'id Al ‘Bu Sa'id coincides with the National Day. He overthrew his father, Sa'id ibn Taimur to ascend the throne as the 14 th descendent. Under his able leadership, economy of Oman developed in leaps and bounds. His major contribution lies in changing the name of the country from Muscat and Oman to the Sultanate of Oman. It is therefore no wonder that National Day and Birthday of Sultan Qaboos at Oman is celebrated all over this beautiful country with much gusto.

One of the most popular Oman festivals and Events, National Day and Birthday of Sultan Qaboos in Oman is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur every year on 18 th of November. The event becomes more auspicious because the National Day of Oman also happens to be celebrated on that day. The venue of such celebration does not remain fixed but keeps on rotating.

National Day and Birthday of Sultan Qaboos in Oman is accompanied by camel races and traditional dancing. Every nook and corner of Muscat and other parts of Oman is garlanded with lights. The buildings at night look their elegant best. The star filled night sky over Oman dazzles with the brilliant radiance of the firecrackers that are burst all through the evening into the wee hours in the morning. Every street in the whole country is covered by huge cutouts of Sayyed Qaboos bin Sa'id Al ‘Bu Sa'id and the royal flag of Oman flies high and flutters in the wind.

#314 Brunei...Thanks Alfie!

The 5 stamps on the first row show different portraits of Hassanal Bolkiah (born 1946), the 29th Sultan of Brunei.

The Sultan of Brunei is the head of state with full executive authority.Bolkiah is also the Prime Minister of Brunei, as well as holding the portfolios of Defence and Finance.

The Sultan is famous for his vast automobile collection.The Daily Mirror (UK) reported in 2007 that the Sultan owned 232 Mercedes-Benzes, 224 Ferraris, 245 Bentleys, 150 BMWs, 165 Jaguars, 125 Porsches, 130 Rolls-Royces, and 20 Lamborghinis.

His official residence is the Istana Nurul Iman, with 1,888 rooms, 290 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 square feet (200,000 m²), undisputedly the world's second largest palace after Beijing's Forbidden City (720,000 m²).

Despite his personal extravagance, he has attempted to share the country's oil wealth. In a country mockingly dubbed the "Shellfare State", in reference to the significant influence of the Shell Oil Company, Bruneians have free education and medical services. There are neither personal nor corporate taxes in Brunei.

The two 20sen stamps were issued in 2007 celebrating 40th Anniv.of ASEAN showing Secretariat Building in Brunei and National Museum of Cambodia.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, the protection of the peace and stability of the region, and to provide opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully.

ASEAN spans over an area of 4.46 million km2 with a population of approximately 580 million people, 8.7% of the world population. In 2009, its combined nominal GDP had grown to more than USD $1.5 trillion. If ASEAN was a single country, it would rank as the 9th largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP.

#313 USA...Thanks Robbie!

Thanks Robbie for this fabulous cover with 17 stamps altogher!

The 4 stamps on the upper left are from huge Americana series issued in 1975-1981,which shows a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States.

The next 2 stamps are also from a huge Presidential series issued in 1938-1954 showing White House and Martha Washington who was the wife of George Washington.In 1902, Martha Washington became the first American woman to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp.

The 4 stamps below are from another huge Liberty series issued in 1954-1968 showing Palace of the Governors,Santa Fe;Mount Vernon;Bunker Hill Monument and the Hermitage.

The Palace of the Governors (1610) is an adobe structure within the Santa Fe Historic District in New Mexico and it served as the seat of government for the State of New Mexico for centuries. The Palace of the Governors is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States.

Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.

Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is owned and maintained in trust by The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association and is open every day of the year, including holidays and Christmas.

The Bunker Hill Monument was built to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill.the first major conflict between British and Patriot forces in the Revolutionary War, fought there June 17, 1775.The 221 foot (67 m) granite obelisk was erected between 1827 and 1843 in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

The next stamp is from 1965-78 Prominent American series honoring Albert Gallatin,who was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, Congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. He was also a founder of New York University.

The 15c stamp was issued in 1980 honoring Dolley Madison,who was the spouse of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison.

The 3c stamp was issued in 1947 dedicated to Everglades National Park,which is a national park in Florida that protects the southern 25 percent of the original Everglades. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and is visited on average by one million people each year.It is the third-largest national park in the lower 48 states after Death Valley and Yellowstone. It has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance, only one of three locations in the world to appear on all three lists.

The 3c,5c and 32c stamps were issued to commemorate the settlement of Florida in 1565 and statehood in 1845.

The state of Florida is located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. Over the century after discovery, both the Spanish and French established settlements in Florida with St. Augustine,the oldest city in the United States, established in 1565 by Spain."Florida",a Spanish term for the "Flowery Easter" season, and for the land's appearance as a "flowered land" is also the oldest surviving European place-name in the United States.

#312 Portugal...Thanks Jose!

The 0.01€ stamp on the left is from 2010 Third group of Public City Transport series showing Articulated Bus.

The 0.68€ stamp is Açores' issue of Europa 2010:Children's Book.

The 0.10€ stamp is from 2006 Mask issue illustrating the mask used in Carnival in Lazarim,one of Portugal’s Pagan Pageants.

In the 15th century, Portugal navigated its way to the earth’s far corners, bringing language, architecture, music, and the Christian calendar. Brazil, their largest colony, grew with the West African slave trade. Paradoxically, Portugal having introduced Christianity and the customs related to Catholic practice to Brazil, has started to adopt some of the aspects of Brazilian-style Carnival celebrations, in particular those of Rio de Janeiro with sumptuous parades, Samba and other Brazilian musical elements.

#311 Japan...Thanks Honda!

These 4 stamps were issued for the 24th,25th,34th and 38th National Sports Festival of Japan(国民体育大会),which is the national premier sports event of Japan since 1946 held annually.