The top-level domain (TDL) ‘.cat’ is an internet domain first proposed in September 2005, and is used to highlight the language and the culture of the Catalonia region in Spain, which includes Barcelona, Girona, and Tarragona among others. It is an example of sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) which is a specialized domain that has a sponsor representing a specific community served by the domain.
The ‘.cat’ TLD is sponsored by Fundació puntCAT, a Spanish nonprofit foundation. Unlike the commonly known ‘.com’ or ‘.net’ domains, which have few restrictions, the ‘.cat’ domain operates under relatively strict policies. Specifically, ‘.cat’ domains are intended to be used by the Catalan linguistic and cultural community on the internet. For instance, some amount of content on any ‘.cat’ site must be in the Catalan language.
The Fundació puntCAT works to ensure that the ‘.cat’ domain is managed in accordance with the needs of the Catalonia community, and to promote the Catalan language and culture online. The foundation works in close collaboration with various entities, including government bodies, cultural institutions and associations, companies, and individuals who are part of the Catalan linguistic and cultural community.
This TLD helps to create a unique and unified identity for Catalan speakers and cultural communities, supporting the dissemination of the Catalan culture and language. This is very significant, as digital technologies and the internet play a vital role in the cultural representation in today’s world. Examples of popular websites using the ‘.cat’ domain include “gencat.cat” (the oficial website of the Government of Catalonia), “tv3.cat” (the website of a Catalan TV station), and “el9.cat” (a Catalan online newspaper).
In terms of quantity, as of June 2021, 113,111 ‘.cat’ domains were registered according to the Fundació puntCAT’s data. This level of adoption speaks to the success and acceptance of the ‘.cat’ domain within its intended community.
Sources:
- ICANN. (2021). .cat Domain Information. Retrieved from https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/cat-2012-02-25-en
- Fundació puntCAT. (2021). The .cat domain. Retrieved from https://www.domini.cat/en/
- Fundació puntCAT. (2021). Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.domini.cat/en/statistics/
- IANA. (2021). Delegation Record for .CAT. Retrieved from https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/cat.html
