There is a slight difference between Ghana Zip Code and Ghana Postal Code. In this article, we will look at both and what makes the difference.
I am very sure you have seen many forms online that have the phrase; “Enter Zip Code” or “Enter Postal Code”. It is very confusing at first when you do not know what both mean.
In most cases, we just key in the regular “00233” and move forward which of course, works all the time. But have you taken your time to find out what the Zip code or Postal code means or does? If your answer is no, then read on –while we find out what both mean and the difference between the two.
What Is ZIP Code?
According to Wikipedia, the ZIP code system was introduced by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 1963. The ZIP which is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan is a system that assigns unique codes to buildings or areas. The assigned which is also known as the ZIP code is used by the residents of the particular zone for receiving parcels. The ZIP allows the delivery of parcels efficiently when it is included in the address of the recipient.
In Ghana, we do not use the ZIP code system. There are other countries including African countries besides the United States that use the ZIP code system.
What Is Postal Code?
A Postal Code is a series of letters with numbers that are used by courier services to identify items addressed to specific locations. The system assigns unique numbers to every area and these numbers start with letters.
In Ghana, we use the Postal Code addressing system which is also known as GhanaPost GPS Address. Thanks to digitalization, we now have a digital addressing system that uses a mapping strategy to assign Postal Addresses to every area. If you don’t have your digital address yet, then generate one. ICT Catalogue published an earlier article about how to generate a digital address in Ghana. Read it to learn more.
The GhanaPost GPS address comes with two letters, followed by a hyphen, three or four numbers followed by another hyphen, and ends with four numbers. Examples; GH-0000-0000 or GH-111-1111. Seen the example in the image below.
Now that we know what each of the terms means, let us look at the difference between the Ghana Zip code and Ghana Postal Address.
What is the difference between Ghana Zip Code and Ghana Postal Code?
Generally, we could refer to the ZIP code as a Postal code or use them interchangeably. But the truth is, in Ghana, we make use of the Postal Code which is also known as Digital Address.
Even though they all serve the same purpose, theoretically they are two different things. However, both of them have nothing to do with the code you fill in the Zip code field when filling out international forms.
Conclusion
The purpose of both ZIP code and Postal code is to help courier services sort out parcels so they can be delivered efficiently. No matter which system a country uses, the main goal is efficient delivery.
In Ghana, we use the Postal Code system which has now been transformed into a Digital Address system. If you want something delivered right to your doorstep, simply address it to your digital address.
When filling out international forms and asked to input a ZIP code, simply key in the regular “00233”.