Acountry code is a short alphanumeric identification code for countries and dependent areas. Its primary use is indata processing andcommunications. Several identification systems have been developed.
The termcountry code frequently refers toISO 3166-1 alpha-2, as well as the telephone country code, which is embodied in theE.164 recommendation by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The standardISO 3166-1 defines short identification codes for most countries and dependent areas:
The two-letter codes are used as the basis for other codes and applications, for example,
Other applications are defined inISO 3166-1 alpha-2.
Telephone country codes aretelephone number prefixes forinternational direct dialing (IDD), a system for reaching subscribers in foreign areas via international telecommunication networks. Country codes are defined by theInternational Telecommunication Union (ITU) inITU-T standardsE.123 andE.164.
Country codes constitute the internationaltelephone numbering plan. They are dialed before the national telephone number of a destination in a foreign country or area, but typically require at least one additional prefix, theinternational call prefix which is an exit code from the national numbering plan to the international one. ITU standards recommend the digit sequence00 for the prefix, and most countries comply.
The ITU also maintains the following other country codes:
The developers of ISO 3166 intended that in time it would replace other coding systems.
Country identities may be encoded in the following coding systems:
A -B -C -D–E -F -G -H–I -J–K -L -M -N -O–Q -R -S -T -U–Z
