One of the very first postage systems was Egypt's "pigeon express". In the early 1800s, the modern postal system was developed by Viceroy Mohammed Ali Pasha which included Sudan (then under Egypt's control). Posta Europea opened branches along the new railway route in 1862, before the Postee Egyptienne opened a few years later. Postage stamps were printed in Alexandria and Cairo until 1867 when De La Rue issued the famous sphinx and pyramid series. UAR (United Arab Republic) was a union between Egypt and Syria which lasted from 1958 to 1961, although Egypt continued using this name until 1971.