The top-level domain (TLD) “.gf” is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for French Guiana. Country code top-level domains are distinct and in correspondence with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 3166-1 alpha-2 code list, and each is uniquely assigned to a specific country or territory. French Guiana, although not an independent state but a region of France, has been allocated “.gf” as its ccTLD.
A TLD is the last segment of a domain name – the letters or words that follow the final dot in a web address. For instance, in “www.example.gf,” the TLD is “.gf”. As per the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which ultimately oversees global IP address allocation, DNS management, and other internet-related symbols and numbers, “.gf” is officially listed as the ccTLD for French Guiana (source: IANA Root Zone Database).
The administration and operation of “.gf” are handled by NET-GF. However, as of now, there are no active websites using “.gf” ccTLD considering it primarily remains unused. According to Domain Index, a site that tracks and provides reports on all TLDs, there are no domain names registered with “.gf” (source: Domain Index).
One of the reasons that could explain this absence of registration and activity is that French Guiana, being an overseas region and department of France, uses “.fr” for their websites, which is the ccTLD for France. Another reason might be that the regional telecom infrastructure, internet penetration, and digital culture in French Guiana have not reached the point where a dedicated ccTLD becomes desirable or necessary.
However, it’s relevant to highlight that while the “.gf” domain might currently be unutilized, the trend in TLD usage is continually evolving. This evolution is recipient to numerous market, technical, regulatory, and cultural forces. In the past, we’ve seen cases of originally underused ccTLDs like “.tv” (originally for Tuvalu), “.ai” (for Anguilla), or “.io” (for British Indian Ocean Territory) later becoming popular and globally used TLDs because of the attractiveness of their particular letter combinations to businesses and other entities.
Though, until there are changes in how “.gf” is managed and promoted, or shifts in the local digital culture in French Guiana, or broader changes in global internet usage, it is likely that “.gf” may remain an infrequently used TLD. This basic information about the registration and incorporation of “.gf” TLDs mirrors the reality of many other ccTLDs globally.
Sources:
IANA Root Zone Database: https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db
Domain Index: https://domainindex.com/domains/gf
