The top-level domain (TLD) “.ee” is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, which is a country located in Northern Europe. The .ee TLD is administratively operated by the Estonian Internet Foundation (EIF), which ensures stability, security, and sustainability of the .ee domain while maintaining the public interest.
According to Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), the registry for .ee ccTLD is maintained by EIF (Eesti Interneti Sihtasutus in Estonian). The IANA is responsible for the global coordination of the DNS Root, IP addressing, and other Internet protocol resources.
The EIF started administering the “.ee” domain from July 2010, following a transition process from the previous administrator, EENet. The domain registration under .ee is a paid service, structured with a certain amount for initial registration and a renewal fee for maintaining the registration.
There are also several specific second-level domains within the .ee ccTLD including:
1. .com.ee – for commercial entities
2. .fie.ee – for sole proprietors
3. .edu.ee – for educational institutions
4. .org.ee – for NGOs and nonprofit organizations
5. .pri.ee – for individuals
6. .med.ee – for health and medicine related organizations
Individuals, businesses, and organizations, both in Estonia and abroad, can register a .ee domain. However, the process and priority of registration differ between domestic and international applicants. In general, the registration process requires confirmation of the registrant’s data, payment of the registration fee, selection, and reservation of the domain name.
The .ee domains are associated with the benefits of reinforcing local brand identity, improving search engine ranking, as well as showing local presence and commitment to the Estonian market.
To ensure the security and stability of the service, EIF follows recognized technical standards in managing the .ee ccTLD by employing an anycast DNS system with servers all over the world, and also uses DNSSEC technology for securing information in the .ee zone file.
In conclusion, the .ee top-level domain represents Estonia in the global digital identity structure. It is professionally managed according to international standards and has defined procedures for registration and renewal, making it a valued and trusted option for Estonian businesses and individuals to establish their digital presence.
Sources:
1. IANA — .ee Domain Delegation Data
2. Estonian Internet Foundation – Domain procedure
3. E-resident article – ‘Why choose an .ee domain?’.
4. Estonian Internet Foundation – ‘Security: DNSSEC and Anycast’.
5. Estonian Internet Foundation – ‘EE domain stats’
