A thematic album entitled The Maltese Countryside has just been issued by the Philatelic Bureau of Maltapost.

The album, the first in a series, takes a look at the Maltese countryside through a number of stamp sets issued since the year 2000.

The album includes eight issues with cancelled stamps, together with a number of 16-stamp sheetlets, covering such diverse topics as Maltese flowers, insects, moths and butterflies, mammals and reptiles, cats, dogs and windmills.

Besides a general essay, the text also includes full annotations of all the stamps in the album.

The thematic album, which has been designed by 26th Frame, is aimed at visitors to the Maltese Islands, philatelists, and people who appreciate the countryside.

The album will be available from all Maltapost postal retail outlets and from the Philatelic Bureau from 18 August. It is being offered at Lm4, and philatelists who purchase the forthcoming Naval Vessels set being issued by Maltapost on 18 August, will be given a Lm1 credit voucher to be used for the purchase of the thematic album.

Additional information can be obtained from the Philatelic Bureau (tel. 2123 9153, e-mail [email protected]) or from the Maltapost website www. maltapost.com