Global Postal Code System for Lebanon

LibanPost, the postal service provider of Lebanon, has licensed the Global Postal Code System (also called Universal Address System) to establish a nationwide address database and provide Global Postal Code-based postal services in Lebanon. This brings an end to the country's 10-year quest for an address system.

Lebananese residents have been using landmark-based references to identify the location of their homes, such as beside the hospital, in front of the school. Postal services rely on locals to deliver mail to households based on somewhat arbitrary knowledge about who lives where.

The introduction of the Universal Address will vastly change the situation. Generated from longitude/latitude coordinates, a Universal Address i.e. an eight or ten-character Natural Area Code (NAC) can uniquely specify a house, building or even a fire hydrant anywhere in the world, and can be obtained with a smartphone or an online high-resolution satellite image map such as NAC Locator. For example, the Universal Address of Grand Serail is NAC: KXQK NMGG and Lighthouse NAC: KXN7 NMH0. The Universal Addresses also facilitates to get the turn by turn driving directions from Grand Serail to Lighthouse.

The Universal Address is readily available for public use for all location purposes. If it is printed on an envelope of a letter, LibanPost will be able to sort the letter from the world level to final household mailboxes automatically and deliver it right to the homes efficiently. In an emergency situation, a given Universal Address can significantly accelerate emergency address dispatching and locating. The Universal Address can be used by a visitor’s GPS system to get to the home or business without further directions. Governments can use Universal Addresses to register properties and collect property taxes. Banks and insurance companies can use Universal Addresses to verify the home locations of their clients.