The top-level domain (TLD) “.xn—90ae” is a unique web address that falls under the category of internationalized country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). This type of TLD is specifically designated for certain countries or territories. In the specific case of the domain “.xn—90ae,” it’s the Unicode representation in Punycode format for the country code of Bulgaria, “.бг” (in Cyrillic alphabet).
Internationalized country code TLDs (ccTLDs) were established to allow nations and territories around the world to use domain names in their local language or script. These types of domains support non-Latin characters, such as Arabic, Cyrillic, or Chinese characters. The use of these types of domain names significantly facilitates access to and use of the internet for people whose languages use non-Llatin scripts.
The need to create this method arose as an effort to make the internet more globally inclusive. As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) explains, the internationalization of domain names is a significant step towards making the internet truly global and accessible to all, no matter what language a person speaks (source: ICANN.org).
The “.xn—90ae” domain follows a specific encoding system known as Punycode, that’s used to convert non-Latin-based script to Latin-based so it can be used on the Domain Name System (DNS) of the internet. The DNS does not inherently support non-Latin scripts, so Punycode is a necessary step to render these domain names usable.
An example of how the domain could be used is a Bulgarian company creating a website using the “.бг” domain to better target and build trust with local Bulgarian customers. For instance, a website for a fictitious company could look like “www.фирма.бг” – this would convert to “www.xn—80ada3e.xn—90ae” in ASCII format, which is recognizable by internet systems worldwide.
While internationalized ccTLDs contribute significantly to the overall inclusiveness of the internet, there have been certain issues. For instance, the “.xn—90ae” domain faced some initial obstacles as ICANN rejected its application twice, fearing that it was visually confusing and could lead to potential security risks. But in 2014, it was finally approved and introduced as Bulgaria’s official ccTLD.
Sources used:
1. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) – icann.org
2. “What is Punycode” – ssldragon.com
3. “ICANN rejects Bulgaria’s IDN ccTLD application a second time” – domainnamewire.com
4. “ICANN approves Bulgaria’s IDN after it agrees to drop confusing letters” – domainincite.com.
