The top-level domain (TLD) of the code “.gh” corresponds to the country Ghana, located in West Africa. A top-level domain is the last segment of a domain name – the letters that come after the final dot in an internet address. They fall into two categories: generic TLDs (gTLDs) and country-code TLDs (ccTLDs). The “.gh” stands as a ccTLD for Ghana.
The Network Computer Systems (NCS) is the organization responsible for the .gh domain name. The NCS describes itself as “the pioneers of the Internet in Ghana” and is responsible for managing the .gh domain, registering domain names for individuals and companies who meet their criteria (Network Computer Systems, n.d.).
As with many ccTLDs, use of .gh is heavily localized within the country of Ghana. This means that it’s primarily businesses, institutions, and individuals residing in or having significant ties with Ghana who make use of this domain extension. For instance, the University of Ghana uses “ug.edu.gh” (University of Ghana, n.d.) and the Ghanaian government’s online portal to its ministries uses “ghana.gov.gh” (Government of Ghana, n.d.).
If someone resides outside Ghana and wants to register a .gh domain, they may require a local presence or a contact within Ghana. That is the common policy for many country code domain names, to ensure that they are primarily utilized by entities with a genuine presence in or connection to the country.
There can be benefits to using a local ccTLD. For instance, they can help to establish trust with a local audience, as the domain immediately identifies the website as being connected with a particular country. They can also offer SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefits, as search engines often give weighting to ccTLDs when delivering results to users, meaning a .gh site can potentially rank more highly for users searching from within Ghana.
Some country-code domains have been marketed internationally for their potential as generic domain names (like .tv for television-related sites), but there appears to be no indication that .gh has been similarly promoted or heavily used outside Ghana.
In conclusion, .gh is the country-code top-level domain specifically assigned to the country of Ghana. Its usage is largely localized to institutions, businesses, and individuals connected with Ghana, serving as an important identifier of Ghanaian presence online.
Sources:
1. “Network Computer Systems”. Network Computer Systems. https://www.ncs.com.gh/.
2. “University of Ghana”. University of Ghana. https://www.ug.edu.gh/.
3. “Official Government of Ghana Website”. Government of Ghana. https://www.ghana.gov.gh/.
4. “About domain names”. Google Domains Help. https://support.google.com/domains/answer/3301477.
