What are country domain names?
Country domain names are sometimes referred to as Country Code TLDs (Top-Level Domains). These international are domains assigned to each country (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada). Registries enforce specific requirements on these domain name extensions. For instance, the .US Registry (www.nic.us) mandates that only United States citizens can register .US domains. Another example is the German Registry, which requires that name servers for German-registered domain names must have different C-Class IP addresses. The rule requires name servers to be hosted on separate servers, ensuring the site remains accessible if one server goes down. Each country has a unique, two-letter domain extension.
Here is a list of a few Country Domain Extensions:
| Domain | Country of Origin |
|---|---|
| .US | United States |
| .CA | Canada |
| .UK | United Kingdom |
| .DE | Germany |
| .EU | European Union |
| .NZ | New Zealand |
| .CN | China |
| .TW | Taiwan |
| .JP | Japan |
The .TV extension was originally assigned to the country of Tuvalu. However, Tuvalu gave up its rights to the extension, which is now widely sold as a popular choice for television-related websites. Similarly, the .ME extension belongs to Montenegro, but the Montenegro government recognized the popularity of “Me” as an American term and declared it a generic domain with no significant registration restrictions.
Extension Restrictions
Certain country domain name extensions enforce minimum and maximum registration lengths. For example, the .UK domain requires a registration period of exactly 2 years, both as a minimum and a maximum. .AM domain names, on the other hand, allow a registration period ranging from 1 to 1 year. To register a .JP (Japan) domain, you must provide a valid address in Japan. Similarly, registering a .EU domain requires a valid address within Europe.
What are some benefits of registering a domain?
Registering a country domain name is an excellent way to protect your intellectual property. For instance, if your company owns the domain Company.com, you wouldn’t want someone else to register Company.us. The same applies to domains like Company.ca. This is especially important if you plan to expand your business into those countries.
Another reason to register a country domain name is to create a unique and memorable word using a specific extension. One famous example is the social bookmarking site Pinterest. It cleverly uses its name to attract users. The platform appeals to a wide range of hobbies, interests, and activities.
Companies or individuals often register domain names to highlight their connection to a specific geographic location. For example, a company might register Company.co.uk to signal that it operates in the UK. This approach is particularly useful for businesses offering local services, such as dog grooming or dry cleaning. It helps these businesses focus on their target audience within their service area. For instance, it prevents attracting customers from outside their region, such as someone in the United States attempting to purchase the service.
Where can you register Country Domain Names?
We recommend using HostOtter.com as a Country Domain Name Registrar. We have been using them for quite some time, and they have phenomenal support and pretty reasonable prices. However, they are not your only option when looking for a place to register Country Domains. There are numerous domain registrars out there where you can register country domain name extensions; all you have to do is keep Googling. Eventually, you find your company to assist you in buying a URL. After you have settled on your domain, the next steps would be to 1) obtain website hosting, 2) get an email hosting service, and 3) build your site.