The term “top-level domain” (TLD) refers to the last section of a domain name, read from right to left. Common TLDs include .com, .edu, .gov, and .net. However, according to every Domain Name System (DNS) database consulted, “.mtr” does not currently exist as a top-level domain.
Just for brief understanding, let’s go a bit deeper into top-level domains. TLDs are part of the internet’s domain name system, a hierarchical scheme that directs web traffic to the correct server. As a user, you see TLDs in the address bar of your web browser.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the entity responsible for the coordination of global internet systems, classifies TLDs into several groups. They include the aforementioned country-code TLDs (ccTLDs), as well as generic TLDs (gTLDs) like .com, .net, and .info. ICANN also recognizes sponsored TLDs (sTLDs), such as .gov for the U.S. government and .edu for educational institutions, and infrastructure TLD (.arpa). More recently, ICANN introduced new generic TLDs (ngTLDs) to add variety and availability to domain names, which include specific brand names (.google), city or place names (.nyc, .london), and many others (Verisign, 2020).
For instance, “.xyz” is a top-level domain name introduced as part of ICANN’s expansion of the available TLDs. Running since 2014, .xyz is managed by the company XYZ.com, and it’s marketed as a go-to extension for a new generation of internet users who value creativity and affordability above all.
Now, regarding the domain “.mtr”, it’s not listed as a recognised ccTLD or gTLD, sTLD or ngTLD according to ICANN’s official database (ICANN, 2021). This suggests that .mtr currently doesn’t exist as a top-level domain.
However, we should note the ICANN process allows for the application of new gTLDs during an extensive application process open at determined application periods (ICANN’s Applicant Guidebook). This opens the possibility that .mtr could potentially exist as a domain in future if a relevant entity were to successfully apply for it during an application window.
Sources:
ICANN (2021). List of Top-Level Domains
Verisign (2020). Domain Name Industry Brief
ICANN’s New gTLD Applicant Guidebook
