A top-level domain (TLD) is the last segment of a domain name. Country code top-level domains (ccTLD) specifically, are categorized by a two-letter code. This code represents each country or a dependent territory, based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3166-1 alpha-2 codes. Examples include .il for Israel, .fr for France, .uk for the United Kingdom, and many others.
The authoritative organization that manages domain names globally, including country code TLDs (ccTLDs), is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The ccTLDs are assigned by IANA, which is a department within ICANN.
These ccTLDs are part of the Domain Name System (DNS), which translates human-readable website names into the numerical (or binary) IP addresses used by the Internet. The DNS distributes the responsibility of assigning domain names and mapping those names to IP addresses by designating authorized agencies for each specific domain level.
Typically, the ccTLD is managed by a specific entity in each country – usually an academic institution or a department within the national government. These entities are responsible for managing the registrations under the ccTLD, as well as the policy making on issues like dispute resolution about domain names.
Moreover, while many ccTLDs are open to worldwide registration, many have residency or citizenship requirements. For example, while anyone can register a .co (Colombia) or .io (British Indian Ocean Territory) domain, only Romanian residents or companies can register a .ro (Romania) domain.
The use of a ccTLD can benefit companies or individuals wanting to build a globally recognized website for a specific country with localized content. In addition, ccTLDs can be used as a way of defining content by the country for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes . For example, a search engine might prioritize .au websites for searches made in Australia.
In recent years, with the rapid growth of the internet, ccTLDs have not only been used to indicate a physical presence in a certain country or a geographical location, but they have also become part of a company’s brand. Some tech startups use ccTLDs for branding or for making catchy domain names, for instance, .ly (Libya) used in Bit.ly, or .me (Montenegro) used in About.me.
Sources:
- Explanation of Top-Level Domains | ICANN Learning, https://learn.icann.org/top-level-domains
- Introduction to Country Code Domains | IANA, https://www.iana.org/introduction-cctlds
- ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 | Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2
- How does the Domain Name System work? | Cloudflare, https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/what-is-dns/
- ccTLD Regulations | 101domain, https://www.101domain.com/ccTLD_regulation_map.htm
- Five Reasons To Use Country Code TLDs For International SEO | Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/09/26/five-reasons-to-use-country-code-top-level-domains-for-international-seo/
- ccTLDs and their Meaning: The Full Overview | Sedo, https://sedo.com/us/services/domain-appaisal/domain-glossary/ccTLD/
