The top-level domain (TLD) identifier for Tanzania is .tz. The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that coordinates and manages all IP addresses and the Domain Name System globally, assigns this domain.
Developed in the early 1980s, the Domain Name System (DNS) allows for a structured approach to the naming of hosts on the internet. This system is hierarchical, consisting of several levels of domains, with the top-level domains being at the top. ICANN regulates TLDs, and they typically identify the purpose or geographical territory of a website.
The .tz domain, as the country code for Tanzania, falls under the category of country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), every country has a unique two-letter code assigned to it, based off the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code.
The .tz TLD was established in 1997. It is administered by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), the statutory body responsible for regulating communications and broadcasting services in Tanzania. The University of Dar es Salaam Computing Centre, located in the capital city, Dar es Salaam, also plays a key role in administrating this TLD.
There are several domain second-level domains under .tz for various types of organizations and individuals. These are such as .co.tz (for commercial entities), .ac.tz (for academic institutions), .go.tz (for governmental entities), .or.tz (for non-profit organizations), .tv.tz (for television and related content), and me.tz (for personal names), and so forth.
The registration of a .tz domain name typically involves purchasing it from a domain registrar accredited by the TCRA. The registrar processes the domain registration on behalf of the customer, sending the relevant details to the TCRA, which then adds the domain to the central database, making it available for use.
The use of a ccTLD like .tz can offer several benefits. For businesses, it can improve search engine optimization (SEO) for localized searches, enhancing visibility for users within that particular country. For institutions and governmental agencies, a ccTLD can strengthen credibility by demonstrating a clear national affiliation.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s annual review on “Digital Economy Report: 2019” emphasizes the critical role that country domains play in providing countries like Tanzania a digital identity, making it easier for them to participate in the global digital economy.
Sources:
1. ICANN’s website (www.icann.org)
2. World Intellectual Property Organization (wipo.int)
3. Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority’s website (tcra.go.tz)
4. University of Dar es Salaam Computing Centre’s website (cc.udsm.ac.tz)
5. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s “Digital Economy Report: 2019” (unctad.org)
