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Published

postal code

vr.tr.postal-code · thing-q37447

Let an agent explain postal codes, relay formats, histories and uses from postal operator and UPU sources, describe the national systems the registry aliases name, and distinguish postal codes from addresses, administrative area codes, telephone area codes and geocodes.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems INF.MED
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Understand What a postal code is.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is a postal code, and how does it differ from addresses, administrative codes, phone area codes and geocodes? definition
  2. Is the question about a specific country, looking up a code or data use? boundary

Systems

Named national systems.

Systems

Systems.

  1. How do ZIP codes, UK postcodes, CEP, French codes postaux, Swedish codes and the Gibraltar postcode work? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific system? action
History History.

Origins

Origins.

Origins

Origins.

  1. How did postal districts evolve into modern postal codes? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Mechanisation

Mechanisation.

Mechanisation

Mechanisation.

  1. How did codes enable automated sorting? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Uses Other uses.

Data

Geographic data.

Data

Data.

  1. How are postal codes used in statistics, insurance and geocoding? provenance
  2. Which entry fits geocoding? action

Concerns

Concerns.

Concerns

Concerns.

  1. What concerns about postcode lotteries and redlining have been raised, with sources attributed? provenance
  2. Which entry fits redlining? action
Context Addressing.

Addresses

Addressing.

Addresses

Addresses.

  1. How do postal codes fit into address formats worldwide? provenance
  2. Which entry fits address? action

Alternatives

Alternative systems.

Alternatives

Alternatives.

  1. How do systems such as Ireland s Eircode or grid-based codes differ? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Eircode? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Information and virtual systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
INF
Domain
INF.MED
Other names and narrower kinds
postal codes in France, Código de Endereçamento Postal, ZIP code, postcodes in the United Kingdom, postal codes in Sweden, postal addresses in Gibraltar, Danish postal code, Australian postcode, Moroccan postcode, postal code in Italy, postal code in Germany, postal codes in Belgium

What it is Filled

A series of letters, digits or both appended to a postal address to aid mail sorting, used in most countries, such as the United States ZIP code introduced in 1963, United Kingdom postcodes rolled out from 1959 to 1974, the Brazilian Codigo de Enderecamento Postal or CEP, the five-digit French code postal, Swedish postal codes introduced in 1968 and Gibraltar s single postcode GX11 1AA; postal codes are widely reused for geography, statistics, pricing and service areas.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain postal codes, relay formats, histories and uses from postal operator and UPU sources, describe the national systems the registry aliases name, and distinguish postal codes from addresses, administrative area codes, telephone area codes and geocodes.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Sorting aid
  • National formats
  • Reused for geography
  • Not administrative boundaries

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Use a postal code alone to judge a person's creditworthiness, character or risk.
  • Combine a postal code with other data to identify a person without a lawful basis.
  • Invent or guess a postal code and present it as correct.
  • Copy proprietary postal code datasets in breach of their licence.

Only with a human decision

  • Using postal codes to set prices, insurance or service levels that affect people.

May

  • Explain postal code formats and histories for different countries from postal operator sources.
  • Validate or format a postal code against the official format of the country.
  • Look up which area a postal code covers using an authorized dataset.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Postal codes can act as a proxy for income, ethnicity or class, enabling discrimination.
  • Wrong codes delay mail, deliveries and emergency services.

Who is affected

  • Residents of disadvantaged areas
  • Senders and recipients
  • Emergency callers

Owners Filled

Steward

The national postal operator or designated authority that assigns codes.

Master systems

  • National postal address files

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q2004972 - registry parent class
  • Q36205316 - registry parent class

related

  • administrative territorial entity identifier - in registry terms
  • address
  • ZIP Code
  • telephone numbering plan

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.postal-code
  • Wikidata: Q37447 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37447)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

  • US ZIP code: 1963 year - 5 digits, ZIP+4 from 1983
  • UK postcodes: 1959-1974 years - alphanumeric
  • Brazil CEP: 1971 year - 8 digits since 1992
  • Gibraltar postcode: GX11 1AA code - single code, 2012

Plane INF: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Code aiding mail sorting
  • ZIP code, UK postcode, CEP, code postal, Swedish postal code, Gibraltar postcode
  • Addresses identify places; administrative codes identify government areas; telephone area codes route calls; geocodes are coordinates
  • Not a visible object; codes written in addresses.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain formats
  • relay national histories
  • describe named systems
  • distinguish related codes

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Treating postal codes as administrative boundaries
  • Postcode-based discrimination in pricing, as reported
  • Stale code lists

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • UPU postal addressing standards S42
  • National postal operator rules

Context of use required Filled

  • Sorting mail and locating addresses.
  • numeric codes such as ZIP and code postal
  • alphanumeric codes such as UK and Canadian postcodes
  • single territory codes
  • extended codes such as ZIP+4

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q37447: postal code - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Postal code - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should each national system be a separate entry?
  • How should postal operator sources be linked?
  • The registry alias postal addresses in Gibraltar is broader than postal codes; should it be split off?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q37447/spec.json