The top-level domain (TLD) : VN

The top-level domain (TLD) “.vn” is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Vietnam. It was introduced to the domain name system in 1994 and is managed by the Vietnam Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and VNNIC (Vietnam Internet Network Information Center).

A top-level domain (TLD) is the last segment of a domain name – the letters that follow the final dot of any domain name. For example, in a domain like google.com, “.com” is the TLD. In case of “.vn”, this domain extension represents web addresses that are affiliated with the country of Vietnam.

The “.vn” TLD can further be divided into a number of second-level and third-level domains. Here are some examples:

1. “.com.vn” is typically used by commercial entities in Vietnam.
2. “.edu.vn” is reserved for educational institutions.
3. “.gov.vn” is utilized by government entities.
4. “.org.vn” is for organizations that operate in the country.

‘.net.vn’ and ‘.int.vn’ TLDs are used by network infrastructure computers and international organizations respectively.

Registration requirements can vary based on the specific second-level domain, but in general, local presence in Vietnam is typically required to register a “.vn” domain. This means the registrant needs to provide a valid postal address in Vietnam. For foreign entities wanting to establish presence in the Vietnamese web space, they may need to go through a local representative or partner. Most registrations are done through accredited registrars.

As per the VNNIC, more than 500,000 domain names in Vietnam use the “.vn” ccTLD (VNNIC Report, 2020). Many businesses prefer using a “.vn” domain because it can help in ranking websites in local search results, and showing customers that they are operating in Vietnam, fostering a sense of trust and familiarity.

Three popular websites that use the “.vn” TLD are:

1. thanhnien.vn – Thanh Nien Newspaper, one of the leading newspapers in Vietnam.
2. vnexpress.net – VnExpress, a popular online newspaper in Vietnam.
3. fpt.vn – FPT Telecom, a major internet service provider in Vietnam.

This information is based on several reliable sources, including the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is the official organization that oversees global IP address allocation, and Vietnam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC), which manages the “.vn” TLD.

Sources:

- VNNIC Report 2020 (Vietnam Internet Network Information Center)
- IANA Root Database (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority)
- “Domain Name Registration Policies” (Vietnam Internet Network Information Center)