Fact for the Day: ZIP

ZIP = Zone Improvement Plan

 

I had no idea "ZIP" stood for anything. Here's a few more interesting tidbits about the ZIP code:

 

From the 1930s to the early 1960s, the volume of mail -- particularly business mail -- grew significantly, and the need for a better system became apparent. On July 1, 1963, the USPS introduced the ZIP code (Zone Improvement Plan) system. In 1967, the ZIP codes became mandatory on all mail.

A ZIP code is a five-digit number representing a specific location in the United States. The extended ZIP + 4 code adds a hyphen and four additional digits for an even more precise location. Here is how it works:

• The first digit represents the state. Numbers increase as you move west. Several states share each digit -- 2, for example, represents the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia
• The second and third digits represent regions within the state -- the first three digits create the Sectional Center Facility (SCF) code. SCFs are the regional headquarters for mail sorting and distribution.
• The fourth and fifth digits represent more specific areas, like post offices and postal delivery zones within a city or town.
• ZIP + 4 has four extra digits that identify a specific segment of the five-digit delivery area -- like a city block, office building or individual high-volume mail receiver

(from How Stuff Works)