 | This article'sfactual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. The reason given is: Not in line with current IANA root database. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(September 2021) |
Ageographic top-level domain (often shortened asgeographic TLD or geoTLD) is any of an unofficial group oftop-level domains in theDomain Name System of theInternet using the name of or invoking an association with ageographical, geopolitical, ethnic, linguistic or cultural community. TheIANA does not recognize these domains as their own group within the Root Zone Database, rather classifying them asgeneric top-level domains.
As of 2014[update], several examples of geographic TLDs exist:.london,[1] enabling London businesses, organizations, and individuals to establish an online naming presence,.asia (forAsia),.rio (forRio de Janeiro city),.quebec (forQuébec province),.cat which is asponsored top-level domain intended to be used to highlight theCatalan language and culture..eu is acountry code top-level domain, since "EU" is areserved country code for theEuropean Union inISO 3166-1.
In 2017, an interest group focused on geographic TLDs was formed and joined as a member of the Registry Stakeholder Group (RySG) atICANN. The GeoTLD Group AISBL is an international non-for-profit membership association resident in Belgium. It represents and promotes the interests of organizations operating a generic top-level domain which denominates a geographic name, geographic identifier or geographic origin (so-called GeoTLD) with the purpose of serving the respective place, language and culture on the internet.[2]
Examples ofproposed top-level domains in this category are:
.corsica (theFrench island ofCorsica).αθήνα (Athens,Greece).berlin (city ofBerlin,Germany).wien (city ofVienna,Austria).bcn (city ofBarcelona).bzh (Breton community)[3].cym (Wales (Cymru); awarded to the Cayman Islands)[4].cymru (Wales (Cymru)).wales (Wales).eus (Basque language)[5].gal (Galician language)[6].lat (Latin America).saarland (the German state ofSaarland)[7].africa (African andPan African communities).scot (Scotland).vlaanderen (Flanders,Belgium)[8].上海 (Shanghai).ln and.le - Currently being sold by Dennis Hope's "Lunar Embassy Commission" alongside.lunar,.moon,.venus,.mars,.jupiter,.saturn,.uranus,.neptune,.pluto,.space. People who purchase novelty deeds for outer space property from him are also given free domains.[9] None of these TLDs are supported by the root servers and it is unlikely they will be in the future (Although, with the ICANN decision to allow registration of custom gTLDs, it becomes possible)..toronto (Toronto)On June 13, 2012ICANN revealed nearly 2,000 applications for new top-level domains, which were expected to go live throughout 2014 after thorough examination.[10]
Many of these are geographic, including:
Aninternationalized country code is similar to a GeoTLD, with two differences: it is a domain used exclusively for a sovereign state. The other difference is that an internationalized country code is considered accTLD and not a GeoTLD. More free geographic ccTLD have been applied for and will be active in 2013.