The top-level domain (TLD) XN—Y9A3AQ corresponds to the .հայ domain extension, which represents the Republic of Armenia in the online space. This domain name is categorized under internationalized country code top-level domains (IDN ccTLD), which are specific domain name extensions that consist of two or more characters and are used for countries or territories.
The ‘.հայ’ domain, like other national domain extensions, is a top-level domain that signifies a connection to a particular geographical location, in this case, Armenia. Notably, it utilizes the native language of the country it symbolizes. The XN—Y9A3AQ format is made following the Punycode encoding transformation format, designed to convert Unicode strings into a limited character set comprehensible by the Domain Name System (DNS) (RFC 3492). The ‘XN—’ identification signifies that what follows is Punycode.
The Republic of Armenia became of the first countries to receive a domain in national language. The international organization ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) made a decision on the delegation of the domain to Armenia in 2014, as reported by the Ministry of High-Technological Industry of The Republic of Armenia. It is managed by ISOC AM (Internet Society of Armenia), an independent, professional membership organization dedicated to the use, advancement, and availability of the Internet in Armenia.
Such a TLD has cultural and national significance, fostering a strong sense of national identity online. It allows Armenian companies and individuals to engage with local audiences in their native language, ensuring increased accessibility and relevance. Moreover, it aids in the promotion of the use of national languages on the Internet, providing a platform to express and preserve cultural heritage.
ISOC AM’s guidelines highlight that the applicant for a .հայ domain must either be a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, or have residency or a permanent place of operation within the country (ISOC AM Regulations). However, specific policies about registration might vary and should be confirmed with regional domain registrars.
To illustrate, potential users could be local Armenian businesses looking to boost their online presence within the national market, government organizations aiming to deliver services to local citizens in their own language, and individuals looking to celebrate their cultural heritage on the online platform.
You can find useful information about domain names, Punycode transformation and related details in RFC 3492, published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the premier Internet standards body.
Sources:
1. ICANN
2. ISOC AM Regulations
3. Ministry of High-Technological Industry of The Republic of Armenia
4. RFC 3492
5. IETF
