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Country code top-level domain

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A Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) is a two-letter Internet top-level domains (TLDs) specifically designated for a particular country, sovereign state or autonomous territory for use to service their community. ccTLDs are derived from ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes.[1]

Implementation[edit | edit source]

The implementation of ccTLDs was started by IANA, which is not a physical organization or an individual but it is part of ICANN.[2] The delegation and creation of ccTLDs is presented within RFC 1591. In order to determine whether new ccTLDs should be added or not, the IANA follows the provisions of ISO 3166 - Maintenance Agency. Briefly, "our policy is to create new country-code top-level domains when the country or territory is listed on the ISO 3166-1 standard."

More information related to the development of new ccTLDs can be found in IANA's Procedures for Establishing ccTLDs. [3]

IANA's Procedures for ccTLDs[edit | edit source]

Within its database, IANA maintains authoritative information related to ccTLDs. This includes sponsoring organizations, technical and administrative contacts, name servers, registration URLs and other such information. This type of information provides extra details regarding the IANA's procedures for maintaining the ccTLD database.

Delegation and Redelegation[edit | edit source]

The process through which the designated manager, or managers, is changed is known as redelegation. The redelegation process follows the provisions of ICP-1 and RFC 1591. IANA receives all requests of a sponsoring organization related to delegation and redelegation for the ccTLDs. The requests are then analyzed by IANA based on various technical and public criterion. The request, accompanied by the IANA analysis, is finally sent to the ICANN Board of Directors for approval or refusal. If approved, IANA is also responsible for the implementation of the request.[4]

Conceptually speaking, the delegation and redelegation processes are simple. However, they can easily become complex if there are many organizations and individuals involved in the process. There is a set of steps that must be followed before sending the request for delegation or redelegation. An initial request should be developed, based on The Change Request Template and supplementary information, to prove that the eligibility criteria have been met by the initial request. All the information supplied is used by IANA to analyze the request received.[4]

ccTLDs and ICANN[edit | edit source]

The policies developed by ICANN are implemented by gTLD registry operators, ccTLD managers, root-nameserver operators and regional Internet registries. One of the main activities of ICANN is to work with other organizations involved in the technical coordination of the Internet, with the purpose of formally documenting their participatory role within the ICANN process. These organizations are committed to the ICANN policies that result from their work.

In 2000, ICANN started cooperating with ccTLD managers to document their relationship. The relationships between ICANN and ccTLD mangers are often complex. Complexities arise due to various circumstances, including the type of organization, cultural issues, economics, the legal environment, etc. Another consideration is the role of the national government in "managing or establishing policy for their own ccTLD" (role recognized in the June 1998, U.S. Government White Paper).[5]

In 2009, ICANN began the implementation of an IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process,[6] whereby countries that use non-Latin script are able to claim ccTLDs in their native script and the corresponding Latin version. As of early 2011, 33 requests have been received, representing 22 languages.[7] More than half have already been approved.[8]

Pseudo-ccTLD[edit | edit source]

A pseudo-ccTLD mimics an official country code domain without formal recognition, often used for branding or to suggest geographical affiliation.

Open ccTLDs[edit | edit source]

Related Article - Open Use ccTLD
An open ccTLD refers to a country code top level domain name that can be registered by anyone, regardless of which country the person resides in. These ccTLDs generally represent a particular branding opportunity aside from the name of the country or territory it represents. Examples include .cc (Cocos Island) for consulting companies, .tv (Tuvalu) for television, .ws (Western Samoa) for websites, and .co (Colombia) as an alternative to .com for companies.[9]

Current ccTLDs[edit | edit source]

The following is a list of the current ccTLDs, including their registry operators and any special notes about registration of the domains.[10][11]

ccTLDEntityRegistry OperatorNotes
.acAscension IslandNIC.AC
.adAndorraAndorra Telecom
.aeUnited Arab EmiratesTelecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)
.afAfghanistanAfgNIC
.agAntigua and BarbudaNic AG
.aiAnguillaGovernment of Anguilla
.alAlbaniaAlbania Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP)
.amArmeniaISOC.AM (Internet Society NGO, based in Armenia 1994, 4 August)
.anAntilles (Netherlands)University of the Netherlands AntillesBeing phased out
.aoAngolaFaculdade de Engenharia da Universidade Agostinho Neto
.aqAntarcticaMott and AssociatesAvailable to government organizations who are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, and other registrants with a local physical presence.
.arArgentinaNIC Argentina
.asAmerican SamoaAS Domain Registry
.atAustriaNic.at
.auAustraliaauDAABN (Australian Business Number) required
.awArubaSETARRestricted to local companies, organizations, and citizens
.axAland IslandsÅlands Landskapsregeringen
.azAzerbaijanIntraNS
.baBosnia and HerzegovinaUTIC
.bbBarbadosGovernment of Barbados Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development Telecommunications Unit
.bdBangladeshMinistry of Post & Telecommunications Bangladesh Secretariat
.beBelgiumDNS BelgiumAlso unofficially used in Berne, Switzerland
.bfBurkina FasoARCEP
.bgBulgariaRegister.BG
.bhBahrainBATELCO
.biBurundiBurundi National Center of Information Technology
.bjBeninOffices des Postes et Telecommunications
.blSaint BarthelemyUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.bmBermudaRegistry General Ministry of Labour and ImmigrationLocal corporate registration required
.bnBrunei DarussalamJabatan Telekom Brunei
.boBoliviaAgencia para el Desarrollo de la Información de la Sociedad en Bolivia
.bqBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.brBrazilNIC.brTop level registration is restricted, registration at second level
.bsBahamasThe College of the Bahamas
.btBhutanMinistry of Information and Communications
.bvBouvet IslandUNINETT Norid ASNot in use
.bwBotswanaBotswana Telecommunications Corporation
.byBelarusOpen Contact Ltd.
.bzBelizeUniversity of Belize
.caCanadaCIRASubject to Canadian Presence Requirements
.ccCocos (Keeling) IslandseNIC Cocos Islands Pty. Ltd.Second level domains used in free, public domain service
.cdDemocratic Republic of the CongoCDNIC
.cfCentral African RepublicDot CF
.cgRepublic of CongoONPT Congo and Interpoint Switzerland
.chSwitzerlandSWITCH
.ciCote d'IvoireINP-HB
.ckCook IslandsTelecom Cook Islands Ltd.
.clChileNIC ChileLocal presence required
.cmCameroonCAMTELRestricted to local entities/companies
.cnChinaCNNICRegistration allowed worldwide
.coColombia.co Internet
.crCosta RicaAcademia Nacional de Ciencias
.cuCubaCENIA
.cvCape VerdeANAC
.cwCuraçaoUniversity of the Netherlands Antilles
.cxChristmas IslandChristmas Island Internet Administration Ltd.
.cyCyprusUniversity of Cyprus
.czCzech RepublicCZ.NIC
.deGermanyDENICGerman postal address required for administrative contact
.djDjiboutiDjibouti Telecom SA
.dkDenmarkDK Hostmaster
.dmDominicaDotDM Corporation
.doDominican RepublicPontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra Recinto Santo Tomas de Aquino
.dzAlgeriaNIC.dz
.ecEcuadorECUADORDOMAIN S.A.
.eeEstoniaEstonian Internet FoundationEstonian postal address required for administrative contact
.egEgyptEUN Supreme Council of Universities
.ehWestern SaharaUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.erEritreaEriTel
.esSpainRED.ES
.etEthiopiaEthiopian Telecommunications Corporation
.euEuropean UnionEURidRestricted to institutions, companies, and individuals within the European Union
.fiFinlandFICORARegistration is available to everyone all around the world
.fjFijiThe University of the South Pacific IT Services
.fkFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Falkland Islands Government
.fmFederated States of MicronesiaFSM Telecommunications Corporation
.foFaroe IslandsFO Council
.frFranceAFNICFrench presence required
.gaGabonGabon Telecom
.gbUnited KingdomUnassigned, reserved domainOriginally meant to replace .uk
.gdGrenadaNTRC
.geGeorgiaCaucasus Online
.gfFrench GuianaNet Plus
.ggGuernseyIsland Networks
.ghGhanaNetwork Computer Systems
.giGibraltarSapphire Networks
.glGreenlandTELE Greenland AS
.gmGambiaGM-NIC
.gnGuineaCentre National des Sciences Halieutiques de Boussoura
.gpGuadeloupeNetworking Technologies Group
.gqEquatorial GuineaGETESA
.grGreeceGR-Hostmaster
.gsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsGSGSSI
.gtGuatemalaUniversidad del Valle de Guatemala
.guGuamUniversity of Guam Computer Center
.gwGuinea-BissauARN
.gyGuyanaUniversity of Guyana
.hkHong KongHong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Ltd.
.hmHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHM Domain Registry
.hnHondurasRed de Desarrollo Sostenible Honduras
.hrCroatiaCARNet
.htHaitiConsortium FDS/RDDH
.huHungaryCHIP
.idIndonesiaIDNIC-PPAU Mikroelektronika
.ieIrelandIE Domain Registry LimitedLimited to Irish citizens, Ireland-registered brands and companies, and companies doing business in Ireland
.ilIsraelISOC-IL (Israeli Branch of ISOC)
.imIsle of ManIsle of Man Government
.inIndiaNIXI
.ioBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryIO Top Level Domain Registry Cable and Wireless
.iqIraqCMC
.irIslamic Republic of IranIRNIC
.isIcelandISNIC
.itItalyIIT - CNRRestricted to companies and individuals within the EU
.jeJerseyIsland Networks
.jmJamaicaUniversity of West Indies
.joJordanNITC
.jpJapanJapan Registry ServicesPhysical address within Japan required
.keKenyaKENIC
.kgKyrgyzstanAsiaInfo Telecommunications Enterprise
.khCambodiaCambodia Ministry of Post and Telecommunications
.kiKiribatiMinistry of Communications, Transport, and Tourism Development
.kmComorosComores Telecom
.knSaint Kitts and NevisMinistry of Finance, Sustainable Development Information & Technology
.kpDemocratic People's Republic of KoreaStar Joint Venture Company
.krRepublic of KoreaKISA
.kwKuwaitMinistry of Communications
.kyCaymen IslandsThe Information and Communication AuthorityRestricted to qualified Cayman entities
.kzKazakhstanAssociation of IT Companies of Kazakhstan
.laLaosLANICCurrently marketed as an unofficial domain for Los Angeles
.lbLebanonInternet Society Lebanon (ISOC-LB)
.lcSaint LuciaUniversity of Puerto Rico
.liLiechtensteinUniversitaet Liechtenstein
.lkSri LankaCouncil for Information Technology and LK Domain Registrar
.lrLiberiaData Technology Solutions, Inc.
.lsLesothoNational University of Lesotho
.ltLithuaniaDomreg
.luLuxembourgRESTENA
.lvLatviaNIC.LV
.lyLibyaGeneral Post and Telecommunications Company
.maMoroccoANRT
.mcMonacoGouvernement de Monaco Direction des Communications Electroniques
.mdRepublic of MoldovaMoldDataMarketed to medical professionals worldwide
.meMontenegrodoMEn
.mfSaint MartinUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.mgMadagascarNIC-MG
.mhMarshall IslandsCabinet Office
.mkMacedoniaMinistry of Foreign RelationsRestricted to companies within Macedonia
.mlMaliSotelma
.mmMyanmarMinistry of Communications, Posts & Telegraphs
.mnMongoliaDatacom Co., Ltd.
.moMacaoUniversity of Macau
.mpNorthern Mariana IslandsSaipan Datacom
.mqMartiniqueSYSTEL
.mrMauritaniaUniversity of Nouakchott
.msMontserratMNI Networks Ltd.
.mtMaltaNIC Malta
.muMauritiusMauritius Network Information Centre
.mvMaldivesDHIVEHINET
.mwMalawiMalawi SDNP
.mxMexicoNIC Mexico
.myMalaysiaMYNICRestricted to individuals and companies within Malaysia
.mzMozambiqueCentro de Informatica de Universidade Eduardo Mondlane
.naNamibiaNamibian Network Information Centre
.ncNew CaledoniaOffice des Postes et Telecommunications
.neNigerSONITEL
.nfNorfolk IslandNorfolk Island Data Services
.ngNigeriaNiRA
.niNicaraguaUniversidad Nacional del Ingernieria Centro de Computo
.nlNetherlandsStichting Internet Domeinregistratie Nederland (SIDN)Was the first official ccTLD to be assigned
.noNorwayUNINETT Norid ASRestricted to companies in Norway. Individuals may register under the SLD .priv.no.
.npNepalMercantile Communications
.nrNauruCENPAC NETSecond level domain .co.nr is used as a free domain service
.nuNiueInternetstiftelsen i SverigeUnofficially used as "new" for English language websites and "now" for Danish, Dutch, and Swedish websites.
.nzNew ZealandInternetNZ
.omOmanTRA
.paPanamaUniversidad Tecnologica de Panama
.pePeruRed Cientifica Peruana
.pfFrench PolynesiaMinistère des Postes et Télécommunications
.pgPapua New GuineaPNG DNS Administration
.phPhilippinesPH Domain Foundation
.pkPakistanPKNIC
.plPolandNASK
.pmSaint Pierre and MiquelonAFNIC
.pnPitcairnPitcairn Island Administration
.prPuerto RicoGauss Research Laboratory Inc (GRL-INC)
.psPalestinePalestinian National Internet Naming Authority (PNINA)
.ptPortugalDNS.PT
.pwPalauMicronesia Investment and Development Corporation
.pyParaguayNIC-PY
.qaQatarictQATAR
.reReunionAFNICRestricted to brand owners in Reunion and to companies with an address in Reunion.
.roRomaniaRomanian Research Network
.rsSerbiaSerbian National Register of Internet Domain Names (RNIDS)
.ruRussiaCoordination Center for TLD RU
.rwRwandaNIC Congo
.saSaudi ArabiaCommunications and Information Technology
.sbSolomon IslandsSolomon Telekom Company
.scSeychellesVCS
.sdSudanSudan Internet Society
.seSwedenInternetstiftelsen i Sverige
.sgSingaporeSGNIC
.shSaint HelenaGovernment of St. Helena
.siSloveniaARNES
.sjSvalbard and Jan MayenUNINETT Norid ASNot in use
.skSlovakiaSK-NICRestricted to Slovakian companies, organizations, and citizens
.slSierra LeoneSierratel
.smSan MarinoTelecom Italia San MarinoDomain name must be same as company name or trademark
.snSenegalUniversite Cheikh Anta Diop
.soSomaliaSONICRelaunched on Novemner 1, 2010
.srSurinameTelesur
.ssSouth SudanUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.stSao Tome and PrincipeTecnisys
.suSoviet UnionROSNIIROSBeing phased out in favor of .ru
.svEl SalvadorSVNet
.sxSint MaartenSX Registry
.sySyriaNANS
.szSwazilandSISPA
.tcTurks and Caicos IslandsMelrexTC
.tdChadSotel TchadRestricted to entities connected with Chad
.tfFrench Southern TerritoriesAFNIC
.tgTogoC.A.F.E. Informatique et Telecommunications
.thThailandTHNIC
.tjTajikistanInformation Technology Center
.tkTokelauTeletokUsed as a free public domain service
.tlTimor-LesteMinistry Infrastructure Information and Technology Division Old code, .tp, still also in use
.tmTurkmenistanTM Domain Registry
.tnTunisiaTunisia Telecommunications Agency ATI
.toTongaGovernment of the Kingdom of TongaUnofficially used for torrent, Toronto, and Tokyo
.tpPortuguese TimorUnassignedBeing phased out in favor of .tl
.trTurkeyNIC.TR.nc.tr used by Northern Cyprus
.ttTrinidad and TobagoUniversity of the West Indies Faculty of Engineering
.tvTuvaluMinistry of Finance and TourismUsed as a abbreviation for television
.twTaiwanTWNICRegistration allowed worldwide
.tzTanzaniaTzNICPresence within Tanzania required
.uaUkraineHostmaster LTD
.ugUgandaCharles Musisi
.ukUnited KingdomNominetUK service address required
.umUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsUnassignedCurrently not in root zone
.usUnited StatesNeuStarCommonly used by US state and local governments instead of .gov
.uyUruguaySeCIU
.uzUzbekistanUZINFOCOM
.vaVatican CityInternet Office of the Holy SeeLimited to officials sites of the Vatican/Holy See
.vcSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesMinistry of Telecommunications, Science, Technology and Industry
.veVenezuelaCONATEL
.vgBritish Virgin IslandsPinebrook Developments Ltd.
.viUS Virgin IslandsNIC.vi
.vnVietnamVNNIC
.vuVanuatuTelecom Vanuatu Ltd.
.wfWallis and FutunaAFNIC
.wsSamoaGovernment of Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs
.ytMayoteAFNIC
.zaSouth AfricaZADNA
.zmZambiaZAMNET
.zwZimbabweZISPA

References[edit | edit source]

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