StampNews.com has prepared its second research dealing with the activity of the post offices – this time from 150 countries - and their contribution in the development of international philately.

This year big changes came over our rating. Though the leader is the same (Japan), now the second place is taken by Malaysia (last year it was France).

Japan and Malaysia are followed by UK, France, Spain, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Romania, South Africa and Ukraine.

Peru has considerably raised its position (+119 points), now this country is at the 15th place, the same is for Malaysia (+82 points), which is among the top three. Rumania has raised a great deal (+37), which brought it at the 8th place, as well as South Africa (+41) and Ukraine (+51), entered in the top 10.

It’s interesting that top 10 was left by USA, Australia and China. Only three countries – UK, France and Spain - could keep their position in the top 10 from the previous year. China and USA came down considerably. China left 76 points at once. USA moved from the 8th to the 45th place.

Here are the Top 10:

Position in 2011

Logo

Country

Contributing Ranking Index

Position in 2010

Change

1		Japan	758	1	0
2		Malaysia	640	84	+82
3		United Kingdom	625	4	+1
4		France	600	2	-2
5		Spain	593	7	+2
6		Marshall Islands	560	n.a.	n.a.
7		Papua New Guinea	555	24	+17
8		Romania	554	45	+37
9		South Africa	549	50	+41
10		Ukraine	537	61	+51

Here is the full list: Top 150 countries contributing to philately, by results of the year 2010

How this rating has been arrived at:
The Offices were rated by the non-dimensional index characterizing their contribution. It is defined at 60% by the quantity of newly issued stamps in 2010. But not only this: the index is partly formed by the estimation of websites and their internet shops. The index is calculated by the formula:

index(i) = 0.4 õ Ai/Amax + 0.6 õ Bi/Bmax

where Ai is the integral website and e-shop mark, and Bi is the general quantity of new stamps issued in 2010.

All the values were normalized according to the group maximal value.