Many nations have depicted ships on stamps, since ships have long been a means of transporting the mail over long distances. Ships are also symbols of economic or military prowess, and in some cases specific ships are associated with events of historical significance to the issuing nation. The protocol for listing ships is similar to that for people on stamps. If a specific ship is listed, it is by name, and others are by type and/or era. While this list could conceivably include any sort of watercraft, the emphasis is on large seagoing vessels. Abu Dhabi 1964–1972 * patrol boat (1971) none 1888