The stamps below are based on an interrupted sinusoidal projection. This projection is used to minimize distortion of shapes near the edges of the map.

     The stamp was issued to “show the global spread of the independent Commonwealth countries as of 9 July 1982, when the addition of the Maldives... increased to 47 the number of independent members. Independent members are colored yellow, with the exception of Canada which is red; other countries are green."
     However, there are a number of errors on the map. New Britain and New Ireland are shaded green for non-members of the Commonwealth, though they are members. The Republic of Nauru and Western Samoa are omitted altogether. The North Cape of New Zealand is separated from the North Island. Gibraltar is colored yellow indicating independent status which it does not have. Like Nauru and Western Samoa the Gambia is left out.

     On the New Zealand stamp the telecommunications network is shown on an interrupted sinusoidal projection, with a little bump in the south Pacific to accomodate New Zealand.