Encoded Trivia #88

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ZIP codes in the United States consist of five digits, a system introduced by the United States Postal Service in 1963 to improve mail sorting efficiency. According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code system revolutionized mail delivery and processing. The USPS documents how the five-digit system allows for precise geographic sorting and faster delivery times. Initially met with public resistance, ZIP codes became essential to modern mail processing and e-commerce. The five-digit format represents one of the most successful postal innovations in history, enabling the sorting of hundreds of millions of pieces of mail daily.