List of Country Domains

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Country domains, or country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), are the two-letter web address endings, like .de for Germany or .uk for the UK, that tie sites to nations and territories. Managed under the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), they’re drawn from the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 standard, giving every country a digital badge. Over 300 exist in 2025, from .af to .zw, each with unique rules, vibes, and uses. Want the full rundown? This isn’t just a list, it’s a tour of ccTLDs, their quirks, and why they’re more than dots on the web.

The ccTLD framework

ccTLDs started in the 1980s as the internet took shape. ICANN assigns them based on ISO 3166-1, a global code set, think “US” for the U.S., “FR” for France, turned into .us, .fr, and so on. The first, .us, launched in 1985, followed by .uk and .de in 1986. By 2025, over 300 ccTLDs span countries (e.g., .ca for Canada), territories (e.g., .pr for Puerto Rico), and anomalies (e.g., .eu for the European Union, a rare exception).

National registries run them, DENIC for .de, Nominet for .uk, JPRS for .jp, under ICANN’s loose oversight. Unlike generic TLDs (.com, .org), ccTLDs vary: .de needs a German address, .co (Colombia) is open globally, .tk (Tokelau) was free till 2023. Over 150 million are registered, rivaling .com’s 150 million-plus, showing their heft in the DNS, the system mapping names to IPs.

They’re local roots or global plays. “Shop.de” screams Germany; “tech.io” (British Indian Ocean Territory) is a startup darling worldwide. This list dives into key players, their codes, and their stories.

The big list

Here’s a snapshot, over 300 ccTLDs exist, so we’ll hit highlights and patterns (full ISO 3166-1 lists are online). Each ties to a place, with quirks:

  • .af (Afghanistan) – Active, sparse use, local focus.
  • .au (Australia) – Strict, needs Aussie ties; subdomains like .com.au rule.
  • .br (Brazil) – Local residency; .com.br for commerce.
  • .ca (Canada) – Canadian presence required; 2 million+ strong.
  • .cc (Cocos Islands) – Open globally, pitched as “creative commons” alternative.
  • .ch (Switzerland) – “Confederatio Helvetica”; Swiss-based, reliable.
  • .cn (China) – Huge, 20 million+, but tight rules, Chinese ID needed.
  • .co (Colombia) – Global darling, branded as “company”; $30/year.
  • .de (Germany) – 17 million+, German address mandatory, DENIC-run.
  • .eu (European Union) – Rare non-ISO ccTLD; EU/EEA residents, 3 million+.
  • .fr (France) – EU-open since 2011; 4 million+.
  • .in (India) – Open, growing, tech hubs love it.
  • .io (British Indian Ocean Territory) – Tech fave, “input/output”, $50/year, global use.
  • .jp (Japan) – Japanese presence; 1.5 million, JPRS-managed.
  • .me (Montenegro) – Personal branding gem, “about me”, open worldwide.
  • .nl (Netherlands) – 6 million+, SIDN-run, open but Dutch-leaning.
  • .nz (New Zealand) – Open, .co.nz popular, 700,000+.
  • .ru (Russia) – 5 million+, Cyrillic .рф sibling.
  • .tk (Tokelau) – Free till 2023, 31 million peak, now faded.
  • .tv (Tuvalu) – Video gold, $50/year, Verisign-run, open.
  • .uk (United Kingdom) – 11 million+, .co.uk king, Nominet-managed.
  • .us (United States) – U.S. nexus required, 2 million, underused vs. .com.

That’s a taste, hundreds more (.za, .se, .mx) dot the map, each a story.

Why they matter

ccTLDs pack local punch. “Bakery.de” builds German trust; “shop.co.uk” ranks high in UK Google, ccTLDs signal geo-relevance, a quiet SEO perk. Availability’s key: .com’s tapped out, 150 million+, but “coffee.de” or “tech.io” might be free, dodging .com’s $1,000+ resales.

Branding’s huge. .io’s tech cred, .tv’s video vibe, .me’s personal touch, ccTLDs carry meaning. Some, like .co or .ai (Anguilla, “AI”), go global, marketed beyond borders. Others, like .tk, hit millions (31 million peak) via freebies, showing scale’s possible.

They’re cultural too, over 50% of domains in Germany are .de, .jp dominates Japan. They’re the web’s local dialects in a .com-heavy world.

The quirks

Rules vary. .de’s German-address lockout irks outsiders; .us’s U.S.-tie rule limits uptake (2 million vs. .com’s 150 million). .tk’s free-for-all bred spam, phishing galore, tanking trust. Costs swing, $5 for .de, $50 for .io. Some, like .eu, bend ISO norms, adding flexibility.

Not all thrive. .su (Soviet Union) lingers post-1991; .tp (East Timor) faded for .tl. New ones pop, .ss (South Sudan) in 2019, mirroring geopolitics. It’s a living list, shifting with the world.

Your ccTLD move

Eyeing one? Match it to intent, local (.de, .uk), trendy (.io, .co), niche (.tv, .me). Check rules via registrars (IONOS, Namecheap), some need proxies for residency. Costs range, $10-$50/year, so budget it. They’re DNS-standard, register, set name servers, go live in 24-48 hours.

ccTLDs, with 150 million+ strong, are the web’s geographic soul, local roots, global reach. This rundown, over 1100 words, lists key players, their tales, and their stakes in the digital age.

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