The top-level domain (TLD) .KW is the Internet country code for Kuwait. It is classified as a ccTLD, which stands for “country-code Top-Level Domain”. This designator is organized by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is a department operating under ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). ICANN is an internationally organized, non-profit corporation that has responsibility for IP address space allocation, protocol identifier assignment, DNS management, and other Internet related symbols and numbers.
In the hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet, the .KW domain takes its name from the first two characters of the English spelling of “Kuwait”. The purpose of .KW is to give entities associated with Kuwait a distinct name space in which to establish distinguishable websites. This aligns with the general structure of domain name organization, where different regions around the world each have their own assigned ccTLDs.
As of the time writing, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) is the organization responsible for managing this TLD, in consultation and coordination with ICANN.
For companies, individuals, or organizations wishing to register a .KW domain name, they need to have a relevant connection to Kuwait, such as a business operating within the country, and needs to fulfill certain requirements that are stipulated by CITRA. The registration of this domain is construed as a representation of the registrant’s situation and intent.
The structure of .KW consists of several second-level domains, including but not limited to: com.kw for commercial entities, ind.kw for individuals, net.kw for established network, org.kw for non-profit organizations, and gov.kw for government entities. The original domain names under .KW were administered by Kuwait University, however, since the establishment of CITRA, the regulatory authority has taken over management and registration for .KW domain names.
Should registrants desire it, domain names within .KW can also support internationalized domain names (IDN) to allow use of non-Latin characters, such as Arabic, in their domain name registration. This allows for a domain name to more closely align with a registrant’s cultural or commercial identity.
The sources used for this information include ICANN (https://www.icann.org/) and IANA (https://www.iana.org/), which provide the most reliable and up-to-date information regarding internet domain registration and regulations.
